Who is host nation Israel's Eurovision 2019 entry Kobi Marimi?
Can the host nation pull off a back-to-back win after Netta's 2018 victory?
Last year's winner and this year's host nation Israel will be pulling out all the stops at Eurovision 2019, and their entry is no exception: Kobi Marimi, whose actor's good looks (literally – he's an award-winning Israeli actor) and distinct singing style are sure to reel in votes.
Here's everything you need to know about Kobi Marimi.
- When is the Eurovision Song Contest 2019?
- Meet the acts competing at the Eurovision Song Contest 2019
- Who is the UK’s entry at Eurovision 2019?
Who is Israel’s Eurovision singer Kobi Marimi?
The 27-year-old actor and singer was born and raised in Ramat Gan, Israel, and studied acting in Tel Aviv. He first gained acclaim for his role in Messiah Now, for which he won the ‘Promising Actor’ Award at the 2017 Musical Celebrations.
When he entered Rising Star, Israel’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, he had very little musical experience but went on to win the contest.
What is Israel’s Eurovision 2019 song called?
Kobi Marimi's song for Eurovision 2019 could not be more different from last year's entry which saw Netta flanked by performers dressed in neon pink doing the chicken dance.
Instead, Home is a stripped back ballad with a black-and-white video showing multiple versions of Marimi crooning away...
What will Israel’s Eurovision 2019 song look like on stage?
Sadly there will be a chicken dance in sight this year – instead, we expect to see a more minimalist approach from Israel this year.
What are the odds of Israel winning Eurovision 2019?
You'd think that the host nation wouldn't stand a good chance of winning twice in a row, but actually it's happened several times before, and Israel themselves won back-to-back in 1978 and 1979.
Other countries who've had consecutive wins include Spain (1968, 1969), Luxembourg (1972, 1973) and Ireland (1992, 1993, 1994 — and then again just two years later in 1996!).
So, with all that said, can Israel pull it off? Absolutely not. With a 401/1 chance of winning, they're one of the favourites to finish bottom of the table.
How did Israel do at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest?
Israel-born performer Netta secured last year's top spot with her bubble-gum pop song TOY. Listen out for the chicken sqwuaks a few seconds in.
The Eurovision Song Contest will be held on Saturday May 18th 2019
