An Israeli voice of resilience rises on Europe’s biggest stage despite protest and pain from Israel’s blackest day. Will she make it to Saturday’s Grand Finale? Can she possibly win?

Israeli singer Yuval Raphael has emerged as a powerful symbol of resilience and hope at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. Representing Israel with her stirring ballad New Day Will Rise, Raphael’s journey from surviving a brutal terror attack to captivating a global audience epitomizes the enduring spirit of the Israeli people.

Born on November 5, 2000, in Tel Aviv and raised in Ra’anana, Raphael’s early life was steeped in music. Influenced by a diverse array of artists—from Led Zeppelin and the Scorpions to Beyoncé and Céline Dion—she developed a vocal style both powerful and emotionally raw. But her path to the Eurovision stage would be shaped by an experience no artist should endure.

On October 7, 2023, Raphael was attending the Nova Sukkot Gathering music festival in Re’im when Hamas terrorists launched a coordinated massacre. As the attack unfolded, she sought refuge in a roadside bomb shelter. For eight harrowing hours, she hid beneath the bodies of fellow victims. Grenades were thrown into the shelter. Shrapnel tore into her body. Out of approximately 50 people in that shelter, only 11 survived. She was one of them.

“I emerged from that shelter physically wounded and emotionally shattered—but alive,” she told reporters. “That day changed me forever.”

That trauma eventually became the fuel for her artistic breakthrough. In early 2025, she won the eleventh season of HaKokhav HaBa—Israel’s version of The Rising Star—a popular televised music competition whose winner traditionally represents the country at Eurovision. Her victory, less than two years after surviving the massacre, was hailed as a triumph of the human spirit.

Her song New Day Will Rise was written by renowned Israeli songwriter Keren Peles and produced by Tomer Biran. The lyrics are both a personal testament and a national anthem of resilience, mourning, and hope. “It’s not just my story,” Raphael has said. “It’s the story of all of us who refuse to be broken.”

Despite the power of her performance, Raphael has faced hostility throughout the Eurovision process. In the days leading up to the semi-finals, she became a target for political protests. During the dress rehearsal for the second semi-final, six protesters disrupted her performance, waving large Palestinian flags and blowing whistles. Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR confirmed that the protestors were removed swiftly, reaffirming Eurovision’s code of conduct and commitment to ensuring a respectful environment for all delegations.

Far from being rattled, Raphael was prepared. In anticipation of potential disruptions, she had rehearsed under simulated conditions—performing while listening to the sound of boos and distractions. “I practised singing to the sound of people booing to prepare for Eurovision,” she said in an interview. “I was determined that no matter what, I would finish my song with dignity.”

Her composure earned praise from fans and critics alike. In the semi-final, she delivered a flawless performance that brought the audience to its feet—and secured her a place in the grand final. The applause, long and emotional, was not merely for the performance, but for the courage behind it.

Israel’s participation in Eurovision this year has been a flashpoint for international controversy. Several former contestants and cultural critics had called for the country’s exclusion from the contest, citing Israel’s military operations in Gaza. But the European Broadcasting Union maintained its long-standing position that Eurovision is an apolitical event meant to unite nations through music. Their defense of Israel’s inclusion was based on principle—and on precedent.

Within Israel, Raphael’s role has taken on national significance. In a year of profound grief and ongoing war, she has come to symbolize something deeper than a song contest. For many Israelis, she embodies a nation that refuses to be silenced or sidelined.

As the Eurovision grand final approaches, Raphael remains one of the standout contestants. While bookmakers are hesitant to predict outcomes given the polarizing climate, her performance is widely considered one of the most emotionally resonant of the year.

The contest itself takes place on Saturday, May 17, in Basel. Regardless of the outcome, Yuval Raphael has already won the hearts of millions. Her voice—fragile but fierce, wounded but unwavering—is more than a vocal talent. It is a declaration: that even in the shadow of terror, Israelis will continue to sing, to create, and to rise.

Her story is not just Israel’s story. It is a human story. A young woman steps onto the world’s stage, scarred but proud, and with the strength of a survivor sings not only for herself—but for a people determined to live.