Noa Kirel to i24NEWS: 'I’m so excited to represent my country'

Noa Kirel, the 22-year-old Israeli pop star, on Thursday told i24NEWS about her journey to the Eurovision Song Contest, where she will represent the Jewish state next month. 

The singer attended a pre-Eurovision gala held at the British embassy in Ramat Gan in central Israel, where she told i24NEWS that the last few months since she has been chosen to represent Israel were quite emotional.

“It’s been a rollercoaster of mixed feelings - from stress to excitement, from (being) super happy to super thoughtful. It’s been a long journey, but now I’m so excited to represent my country and to be a part of Eurovision,” Kirel said.

The contest will be held on May 9-13 in Liverpool. It was initially set to be hosted by last year’s winner - Ukraine. However, due to the ongoing war in the country, it was decided that the competition will be hosted by the United Kingdom on behalf of Ukraine. 

Commenting on this aspect of this year’s Eurovision, Kirel said that the contest allows artists to perform for millions of people all over the world, even at times when politics divide many.  

“We are here to connect people through music. That’s what is amazing about Eurovision - to put politics aside for one night and connect people through music,” she said. 

Last month, Kirel revealed her song “Unicorn” which she will perform at the contest. The official music video currently has over 3.4 million views on YouTube.