On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked the Nova music festival in Israel, forcing Yuval Raphael to transition from enjoying the event with friends to seeking refuge in a bomb shelter.
During the attack, insurgents breached the shelter and began shooting at festival attendees. Raphael played dead and remained hidden beneath bodies for eight hours until rescue arrived.
Reflecting on her harrowing experience, Raphael expressed to an Israeli newspaper that it transformed her perspective on life. She stated, “When I was there, I realized that everything could be over in a moment, and you don’t want your life to end without experiencing it.” Shortly after the incident, she committed to pursuing her long-held aspiration of becoming a professional singer.
Now, at the age of 24, Raphael is set to represent Israel at Eurovision with her ballad “New Day Will Rise,” which features the lyrics, “New day will rise / Life will go on / Everyone cries / Don’t cry alone,” accompanied by a delicate piano melody.
As Israel's military response to the October 7 attacks continues, some Eurovision fans are urging the competition's organizers to expel Israel from the event due to the ongoing conflict.
During last year’s final, the Israeli performer faced mixed reactions from the audience, with some booing and others cheering. Anticipating a potentially hostile reception for her upcoming performance, Raphael indicated that she had been rehearsing amidst distracting noises to prepare. On Thursday in Basel, a small protest group attempted to disrupt one of her public rehearsals by blowing whistles and waving flags.
Despite the challenges, Raphael remains focused on her goal and aims to ignore the surrounding controversy. She emphasized Eurovision's motto, “United by music,” stating, “That’s what we are here for.”