Last year’s representative of Israel: I wondered if I would return home alive, I was scared
Eden Golanlast year’s Israeli representative at the Eurovision Song Contest, in a sincere interview with Israeli Walla magazine! She discovered all about the fear, threats, whistles and inconveniences she experienced before, during and after performing at the Eurosong in Malmö.
– I didn’t sleep before the Eurosong. I dreamed of being abducting me, shooting at me … I don’t even want to think about what hostages go through – said Eden, referring to the war of Israel and Palestine, which is current since 2023 and is still going on today.
– When I arrived at Eurosong, I was ready for everything, but not that amount of hatred. Still, I told myself I would turn it into strength. And I did, ”she continued.
She added that she was most shocked by the first meeting with the audience.
– I thought I wouldn’t hear anything through the headphones. But when the whistles started, I heard everything. Representatives of the delegation were crying, the public relations manager was crying … It was a big shock for all of us – he says.
But after that she decided to change her approach.
– I told myself – let them whistle even harder. I turned it into a fire, into energy. I went on stage for the second time and said to myself – you will see now, ”she said.
She also revealed that some competitors supported her, such as Slimane (France), Isaak (Germany), Tali Gollergant (Luxembourg). But most, she says, have been distanced.
– After the video I recorded with Finnish singer Kaarija became viral, his manager fell into my room without knocking and asked for the video to be removed. People were afraid that someone would connect them with me, ”she recalled.
In an interview, she also referred to the behavior of individual competitors, revealing who, according to her experience, was the most disgusting.
– Irish, Greeks or Dutch. Karma is a house! Oh, can I say that? In any case, everything comes back. I really believe in karma and energy, ”she said, clearly emphasizing her disappointment.
Particularly prominent was the Dutch representative Joost Kleinwhich represented the Dutch song ‘Europe’. During the press conference, while Eden answered the question of a journalist about whether she thinks her presence threatens the safety of other competitors, the moderator offered to not answer the question if she did not want to.
At that moment, Joost exclaimed, ‘Why not?’ And covered the face of the Dutch flag, which seemed to many as an open sign of disrespect and political provocation. This incident was further exacerbated by the already strained atmosphere around the Israeli delegation. Klein was disqualified soon from a competition because of a separate incident with a production team member, which was the first such case in Eurosong history.
At one point, she admits that she thought she might not even survive the performance.
– There were so many threats. My parents asked me, is it worth risking life at all? At one point I imagined singing and someone shot me, ”she said.
On the day of the finals, he says, they threw their delegation out of the common space with other performers and placed them in an isolated room.
– Thanks to them. I got tremendous peace. That was one of the better things that happened – she said.
– I gave her all the tips I could. I think she’s ready and I just want her to enjoy every moment. This is the most important thing, though, ”she said about Israel this year’s representative, Yuval Raphael.
Eden touched and disappointed in the music industry. One major world publishing house, with which the cooperation had already been agreed, gave up.
– They said no one wanted to work with me on that project. It’s sad, but it didn’t stop me. I’m going on, ”he claims.
In the end, she added that her fifth place at the Eurovision Song Contest, thanks to the audience’s votes, was proof that everything that went through made sense. Recall that Eden received 52 jury points (12th place) and 323 points from the audience, which was just below Baby Lasagne who was the winner of the audience with 337 points.
« I don’t know if I’ll be back to Eurosong, but if I get back, they better win, » she concluded.
