'Next Star' to pick Israel's Eurovision 2027 representative

Israel will select its representative for the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest through the popular television talent show "The Next Star for Eurovision." Public broadcaster KAN and Keshet 12 announced the renewed partnership, which will see the program air this fall. KAN representatives will play a role in choosing the winner during the semifinal and final rounds.

The collaboration between KAN, Keshet, and Tedy Productions comes after a string of successful Israeli entries in the Eurovision contest. Notably, Israel has achieved second-place finishes in the past two contests: Noam Bettan with "Michelle" in 2026 and Yuval Raphael with "New Day Will Rise" in 2025. Eden Golan also secured a fifth-place finish in 2024.

KAN stated that the partnership with Keshet, which will cover a significant portion of the performance costs, will substantially reduce the public broadcaster's expenses. The selection process for the 2027 entry will follow procedures introduced for Eurovision 2026, aiming to provide equal opportunities for songwriters. Submissions will be anonymized, with recordings evaluated without revealing the creators' identities. Artificial intelligence may be used in producing the recordings. A selection committee will narrow down submissions to approximately 40 songs before a final committee, including KAN and Keshet representatives, makes the ultimate choice.