Hundreds of songs were submitted this year for IBA, the Israeli national broadcaster, hoping to participate in the national final and represent Israel in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. A panel of experts made of IBA representatives, artists, musicians and producers has listened to the songs and made the final list of the participants that was revealed shortly ago by IBA.

The Kdam-Eurovision 2013 will mark 40 years of Israeli participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, and will be made of five live shows. The 30 participants will be divided into three heats with 10 songs each, to be held on 24, 25 and 26 February. The top three from each heat will qualify directly to the final, to be held on 7 March, while the 4th place will go the ‘Second Chance’ round, to be held on  3 March, where one song will get the 10th ticket to the final.

Here are the participants of Kdam-Eurovision 2013. The list is made of former Kdam participants, well-known artists and songwriters along with many newcomers.

Note: Some of the songs have a Hebrew title and an English title, that could be a direct translation from Hebrew to English or totally different names. The original names are presented in this list.

1. Hila Ben David – Beautiful (m: Garry Gaz / l: Arc Garry Gazarc)
2. Julietta – Fantasia (m&l: Doron Medali)
3. Lihi Griner & DJ Omri Segal – Just like me (m: Kraziner Lev, Omri Segal / l: Kraziner Lev, Idan Roe)
4. Vladi Blayberg – New day (m: Noy Alooshe, Doron Plaskov, Sa’ar Badishi / l: Doron Plaskov, Sa’ar Badishi)
5. Eric Forman – Livin’ one time (m: Itzik Kreif / l: Eric Forman)
6. Kathleen Reiter – Ad elay (m: Dor Daniel / l: Sahar Hagai, Patsricia Ori Cohen)
7. Hen Cohen – Halev mevakesh (m: Hen Cohen / l: Christina Yizhar)
8. Moran Mazuz – Give me a sign (m&l: Shuli Yosef)
9. Bezalel Raviv – No war (m: Eliayhu Siboni, Yotam Bekker / l: Bezalel Raviv)
10. Ortal Ofek – Tagid li lama (m&l: Ortal Ofek)
11. Aderet – Victory (m&l: Aderet)
12. Alon Jan – Live my life (m: Alon Jan, Baruch Fridland / l: Alon Jan, Einat Hollander)
13. Ran Sandler – Find a way (m&l: Doron Gal)
14. Love Is One (made of Ron Weinreich, Yoad Fekete, Ido Sagir, Yigal Cohen, Yuval Yaron & Elad Kimchi) – Love is one (m: Yoad Fekete / l: Ron Weinreich)
15. Liran Notik – Give me a sign (m&l: Liran Notik)
16. Jehoshua (Josh) Peretz – My baby (m: Sapir Amar /  l: Jehoshua (Josh) Peretz)
17. Shani Zamir – Forever (m&l: Shani Zamir)
18. Hadar Ozeri – Ten ma’awal (m: Ronen Shaul Blonder / l: Ronen Shaul Blonder, Hadar Ozeri)
19. The Ultras – Happy birthday (m&l: Eli Peretz, Dan Bartov, Cedric Ben Shabat / prod. by Subliminal)
20. Yehuda Gavra – We’re beautiful (m: Tomer Hadadi, / l: Yehuda Gavra)
21. Michael Harpaz – Michtav le’ima (m&l: Michael Harpaz)
22. Sarit Avitan – Mon amour (m: Sharona Pick / l: Mirit Shem Orr)
23. Haia Samir – Am I happy or am I sad (m&l: Haia Samir)
24. Adi Cezare – Pagia ve’shavir (m&l: Adi Cezare)
25. Meital de Razon – Toda la noche (m&l: Asi Tal, Meital de Razon)
26. Laila Malcos – Bo (m&l: Yoni Roe)
27. Adir Getz – Ha’ikar she’ani shar (m&l: Adir Getz)
28. Yarden Tzur – Replace you (m&l: Yarden Tzur)
29. Niki Goldstein – We are one (m&l: Niki Goldstein, Yaron Malachi)
30. Moran Mazor – Rak bishvilo (m: Hen Harari, l: Gal Sarig)

Ya’akov Nave, head of the competitions committee in IBA, has said: During the last competitions we saw that there is a high importance for Israeli participation in various entertainment events in Europe, which aren’t related to political or security matters. I would like to thank the head of IBA, Amir Gilat, and to the other members, for the support and promotion of the Kdam Eurovision and the Israeli music, as well as to the production team and to the panel who was responsible of choosing the songs that will lead to choosing the Israeli represntative in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest.

Israel will participate in the second semi-final of the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, on 16 May, hoping to qualify to the final for the first time since 2010.

Stay tuned to esctoday.com for all updates regarding the Israeli national final.