As announced a month ago, the Israeli entrant to the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade will be one of the participants from all 5 seasons of the local version of Pop Idol, Kohav Nolad. The broadcaster of Kohav Nolad and of the upcoming Eurovision national final launched a new poll asking the audience to vote for their favorites from all seasons to participate in the national final.
For the first time ever, this year's Israeli national final, Kdam-Eurovision, will not be broadcasted on IBA but rather on the commercial Channel 2, according to the agreement, which was reached about a month ago. The national final is expected to be held sometime in December 2007 or January 2008.
In the build up to the first Kdam-Eurovision of the commercial broadcaster, Channel 2 now launched a new poll on it's website. The broadcaster asks the public to vote for their best loved singer from a selection of 25 candidates, of all 5 seasons. However, It is clearly stated on top of the poll's webpage that this poll will not necessarily have any effect of the final's line-up and that it is only made for the fun of it. Despite that, it will be interesting to see which of the 25 candidates mentioned will be favoured by the voters.
Among the 25 names you can find all 5 winners to date: Ninet, Har'el Moyal, Yehuda Sa'ado, Jako Eisenberg andthe recent winner, Boaz Mauda.In addition, a variety of once popular candidates from their seasons is proposed, plus names of who really succeeded after the series ended. The list also includes candidates who already participated in the Kdam-Eurovision before: Mischa Kirkilan and Tzipi Mash'hid (2006) and, of course, Shiri Maymon, who won the Kdam on 2005 and reached the 4th place for Israel in Kiev.
By clicking here you can enter the poll and vote. Notice, that you are able to watch a performance of each of the candidates. The site is in Hebrew, but if you click on the bolded word followingthe ">>" sign,under each picture, you will be able to watch each performance. This is an opportunity to watch Shiri Maymon's performance in the first Kohav Nolad final, singing one of Dana International's first hits, which braught her the 2nd place. Other memorable performances are of Liron Lev, His version of "Nivrety Lach" (of Shlomo Artzi's, Israel 1975) is the most radio air played Kohav Nolad performance ever (middle of the 2nd row on the page); and of Harel Ska'at singing "B'didut" (left end of the 1st row). Ska'at is one of the most popular and successful artists these days in Israel and he was tipped to represent Israel in Eurovision in the last two years.
From right to left, here are the candidates of the poll (with gratitude to Gil Maister for his reactions post below):
Row 1
Ninet (1, winner) – Yam shel dma'ot
Shiri Maimon (1, runner up) – Don Quixote
Shay Gabso (1, 3rd place) – Pamela
Harel Moyal (2, winner) – Ner al hahalon
Harel Ska'at (2, runner up) – Bdidut
Row 2
Adi Cohen (2, 3rd place) – Hayi shketa
Shirley Lilu (2) – Lekh ita
Liron Lev (2) – Nivreti lakh
Mishel Gorielashvilli (4) – Tipat mazal
Rafael Mirilah (4, 3rd place) – KsheHalev bokhe
Row 3
Maya Rothman (4, runner up) – Ani Gitara
Jakko Eisenberg (4, winner) – Me'abed otakh
Shir Biton (3, 3rd place) – Hi lo doma
Yehuda Sa'ado (3, winner) – Sadot shel irusim
Sasha Grishkov (2) – Od yom
Row 4
Tzipi Mash'hid (2) – Kmo Balada
Michael Kirkilan (3, runner up) – Yesh belibi kinor
Zehavit Pessi (4) – Ata li eretz
Bo'az Ma'uda (5, winner) – Neshel hanakhash
Marina Maximillian Blumin (5, runner up) – Shir ahuvat hasapan
Row 5
Miriam Tuqan (5) – Etz hasade
Alyssa Shparaga (5) – Na'ari shuva elay
Hen Aharoni (5) – Migdalor
Daniel Ben Hayim (5) – HaMal'akh sheli
Shlomi Barel (5, 3rd place) – Ahava bo'eret
