"How can you destroy something that doesn't exist?": The curse of Israeli Eurovision representatives

A Walla Culture investigative article examines the 'Eurovision curse' – the media and professional downfall of Israeli representatives after the competition. The piece combines interviews with past artists like Michael Ben David and Moran Mazor, who claim Eurovision actually advanced them, alongside analysis by journalist Amit Kotler who sees the representative as an 'engineered product'. The article deals with the sharp transition from media embrace to indifference, and the heavy national burden placed on representatives in recent years.

A Walla Culture investigative article examines the phenomenon of the 'Eurovision curse' – the media and professional downfall of Israeli representatives after the competition. The article opens with an anecdote about a German colleague who asked 'How can you destroy something that doesn't exist?', framing the discussion around whether Eurovision really destroys careers or if the damage is a myth. Michael Ben David, the 2022 representative who was eliminated in the semi-finals, describes an amazing experience that changed his life and opened doors, including a dream role in 'Priscilla Queen of the Desert'. Moran Mazor, the 2013 representative, sees the title 'Eurovision representative' as a source of honor rather than stigma. In contrast, journalist Amit Kotler analyzes the machine behind the representative: 'an engineered product in laboratories' composed of an artist, song, performance, and production. He describes how the media becomes part of the machine during Eurovision week, and then moves on to the next story. The article notes that only Netta Barzilai managed to establish a continuous career after winning, while artists like Kobi Marimi, Imri Ziv, and Eden Alene disappeared from the industry. Alon Amir, who worked with Achinoam Nini, argues that the approach of choosing a singer and then matching a song is 'a terrible mistake'.