She said after winning the show: “I can’t explain how excited and ready I am! Thank you for giving me this huge honour and trusting me to represent my country on the grand Eurovision stage in Switzerland.”
Raphael, who says she still has shrapnel in her head and leg from the festival attack, only began singing professionally last year.
During the final of the music competition, she sang a version of ABBA’s Dancing Queen, dedicating it to “all the angels” who were killed at the festival.
She also told viewers that “music is one of the strongest ingredients in my healing process” during the show.
Raphael, who is fluent in English and French as well as Hebrew, has taken part in advocacy for Israel over the last year, including speaking to the UN Human Rights Council about her experience of surviving the attack.
Her official song will be revealed in the coming weeks by Israeli public broadcaster Kan, according to the Eurovision Song Contest website., external
Last year’s winner of The Next Star, Eden Golan, represented Israel at Eurovision with Hurricane, which came fifth in the competition.
The show previously selected Netta, who won Eurovision in 2018 and Noa Kirel, who came third in 2023.
