The Yuval Raphael of Israel said in the early hours of Sunday that she had the impression that she had “won in life” after having finished second in the general classification of the 2025 song in Basel in Basel, Switzerland and the first public vote.
In an interview with the Kan public broadcaster a few minutes after receiving the results, Raphael first seemed to lose for words, frankly saying to the diffuser: “I don’t know how to react to the situation.”
“I have the impression that we have won in life,” she said, laughing briefly. “I don’t know how to explain it. I will be grateful for this situation every day of my life, I will be recognizing for our nation every day of my life. ”
“I have never felt so victorious before in my life,” said Raphael, who was wrapped in an Israeli flag.
When asked what he felt to stay among the Israeli delegation and look at the flood of points, Raphael said that experience was “pride”.
“All I wanted to do was bring the honor and pride to this country, to make them proud, to give them a small second of peace in the midst of all madness,” she said, referring to the current war in Gaza, triggered by the assault led by October 7, 2023.
Taking a moment to think, Raphael said that there was “no real victory” as the victory that Israel will know when the 58 remaining hostages will be recovered from Gaza.
Yuval Raphael of Israel interprets the song “New Day Will Rise” during the grand final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, in Basel, Switzerland, May 17, 2025. (AP photo / Martin Meissner)
Raphael, 24, is herself a survivor of the Hamas massacre on October 7 at the Nova Music Festival. She played dead and hid under a pile of body in a bomb shelter on the roadside for hours, with bursts of shells anchored in her leg, until she was finally rescued.
Now, looking towards the future, Raphael said that she planned to spend the following days to celebrate her success.
“We are going to celebrate!” We are going to celebrate and we’re going to breathe, ”she told Kan. Honestly, I just want to go back to Israel. I want to get off the plane and stand on Israeli soil. I just want to kiss my friends.
Raphael’s electric ballad “New Day Will Rise” won him first place during the public vote, with 297 points, but only 14th in the jury vote.
ביצוע של גמר ????
יובל רפאל – The new day will increase pic.twitter.com/0gzy8oem45– כאן (@Kann) May 17, 2025
Austria has exceeded the jury’s vote and finished fourth in the TV to win the victory with its “waste love” opera ballad. Estonia ended in third place and the heavy favorites entering competition, Sweden, only found itself in fourth place.
Asked about second place in Austria, Raphael congratulated him as a deserving winner.
“He has incredible voices. He worked extremely hard, I am very proud of him,” she said, adding: “He deserves it.”
Amy Spiro contributed to this report.
