"Mauda, a 20-year-old soldier, the man with the butter voice and the muscular forearms..."

The Spin

After changing several times it's mind about national selection scheme and failing to collect decent amount of application Israeli channels IBA and Channel 2 have confirmed that Boaz Mauda will represent country in Eurovision 2008. Out of 450 entries, Israeli broadcasters IBA and Channel 2 hand-picked 5 songs for Boaz Mauda, who will represent the country at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. In a televised show, the public chose The Fire In Your Eyes as Boaz' song for Belgrade.

"We didn't have time for a national final, decision was hard, but we came to the solution - to open the contest for song selection. Keshet offered Boaz as he has won the majority of the votes in "Kohav Nolad", and he was the natural candidate. Last year we've spent a lot of time to invite artists for national selection, but most of them, like Harel Skaat, Maya Buskila, Ninet Tayeb and David Broza, all rejected to go to ESC. So we had to choose the one who willing to tale part", explained Yoav Ginay, head of Entertainment broadcast of IBA.

Mauda, a 20-year-old soldier, the man with the butter voice and the muscular forearms, won the latest season of the "Pop Idol - A Star is Born" (Kohav Nolad, Israeli Pop Idol) with 50% of 900 000 submitted votes. During the contest he was nicknamed "Yemenite Cowboy" because of his job as a goat herder in his home village of Eliyakim. Interestingly that he has got to the show by complete accident, signed up to auditions by a friend. From zero to hero, the new idol is the epitome of the new Israeli man, the rising star which shines in Israel, is soon to shine over Europe.

Boaz sings since the early age of 5. Going to the synagogue accompanied by his father, the young boy amazed the family when he sang the Jewish prayers. Since then, Boaz's goal was to become a professional singer - and moreover, his secret fantasy was to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest, and to sing for all of Europe. When he performed in the TV talent show "A Star is Born", Boaz amazed the judges with his wide vocal range. Soon after, the whole country fell in love with the voice of the Yemenite nightingale, often refered to as the 'Israeli Joselito', and Boaz became a leading nominee and a favorite for the crowd at home. Boaz has touched and moved the hearts of thousands when he dedicated the winning song to his mother. Handicapped since she gave birth to Boaz, she chose his life over hers in a total act of heroism.

Boaz's mother is the young singer's private symbol of persistance and willpower and his family will accompany him to Belgrade, as a fountain of strength and inspiration. A family guy, Boaz lives with his parents and 2 siblings in an agriculture cooperative in the middle of Israel.

The Singer

The Past
  
"Surely Israel aren't a Eurovision nation" I hear you cry. Well just because they aren't in Europe doesn't stop them from assailing eardrums every year. Just wait for Australia to have a go.
Israel, perhaps understandably, often use the Song Contest as a bizarre sort of peace propaganda media. But they find real success when they bin that idea, and go with cross-dressers or songs called Happy Birthday, Hallelujah, or A-Ba-Ni-Bi. These songs prove the immutable law, that songs involving the same word repeated ad nauseum always prevail.

The Song

Overall

 

   
 
 
   
   
 

Ke'ilu kan

Nafshi meyakhelet letfilot halev ha'ham

Ze kashe, ze kashe kshega'agua mul yareakh
Kan lerega uboreakh, akharav, rodef habekhi
Ze kashe, ze kashe kshega'agua mul yareakh
Kan lerega uboreach, akharav, rodef habekhi
Lifamim mevi haruakh re'akh tov mukar
Melatef akhshav shome'a
Otkha shar

Lo or kochav
Ata akhshav
Iti iti, keilu amiti
Kmo az mizman

Come along, come along
See the fire in your eyes
And you come with me, with me
Lifamim mevi haruakh re'akh tov mukar
Melatef akhshav shome'a

Lo or kochav
Ata akhshav
Iti iti, keilu amiti
Kmo az mizman

Nafshi meyahelet letfilot halev ha'ham
Nafshi meyahelet letfilot halev ha'ham

Lo or kochav
Iti iti, keilu amiti
Kmo az mizman

As if here

My soul is hoping for the warm heart's prayers

It's hard, it's hard when a longing in front of the moon
Is here for a while and than escapes, the crying is chasing after it
It's hard, it's hard when a longing in front of the moon
Is here for a while and than escapes, the crying is chasing after it
Sometimes the wind brings a good, familiar smell
Strokes now, listening
To you singing

Not a starlight
You are now
With me, with me, as if real
Like back than

Come along, come along
See the fire in your eyes
And you come with me, with me
Sometimes the wind brings a good, familiar smell
Strokes now, listening

Not a starlight
You are now
With me, with me, as if real
Like back then

My soul is hoping for the warm heart's prayers
My soul is hoping for the warm heart's prayers

Not a starlight
With me, with me, as if real
Like back then

Prediction Semi Final 1 10th
Final 24th