“I’ve never felt so victorious in my life,” said the Israeli singer and Nova massacre survivor.
Embeded Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7zHp51j2WM
By Steve Linde, JNS
Israeli singer Yuval Raphael came in second place in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Grand Final in Basel, Switzerland, on Saturday night, after being pipped at the post by Austrian singer JJ.
Despite winning the public vote, Raphael scored 357 points for Israel in a nail-biting finish, behind Austria with 436 points and just ahead of Estonia with 356.
Although Raphael won the popular vote among audiences around the world in convincing fashion, earning 297 points, she came in a disappointing 14th in the jury vote, with only Azerbaijan giving her the maximum 12 points.
“I’ve never felt so victorious in my life,” said Raphael, who was draped in an Israeli flag and declared, “Am Yisrael Chai” at the end of the performance of her hopeful ballad, “New Day Will Rise,” penned by singer-songwriter Keren Peles.
Raphael, 24, who survived the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre at the Supernova music festival, took the stage under heightened political tension, with boos audible (in the arena, not on television) from some in the audience protesting Israel’s participation and pro-Palestinian protests outside. Despite the hostility, her performance was met with widespread praise and warm applause.
After hearing the results, Raphael said in an interview with Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, “I feel like we’ve won at life. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ll be grateful for our nation every day of my life.”
In response to a question about how she felt coming second to Austria’s JJ, who sang a ballad titled “Wasted Love,” she generously praised him, saying, “He deserves it.”
Saying she looked forward to returning home to Israel and her friends, the Ra’anana resident told Kan, “We’re going to celebrate and we’re going to breathe.”