Yuval Raphael’s rise to global recognition mixes her personal survival, the national tragedy, and art. The 24-year-old Israeli singer came into the limelight mainly after she survived the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, when militants stormed the Nova music festival in southern Israel. Surrounded by death, Raphael was one of the few people who survived by hiding in a roadside bomb shelter and playing dead, an experience she described as life-altering and traumatic.
After the attack, Raphael began to speak publicly about her experience; she turned to her love of music as a way to process what she had endured. This led her to become the Season 11 winner of HaKohav HaBa (The Next Star), the Israeli music competition whose winner is offered a chance to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest. Her win in early 2025 paved the way for her to come onto the Eurovision stage in Basel, Switzerland, where she performed “New Day Will Rise,” a song written and composed by the popular Israeli artist Keren Peles.
“New Day Will Rise” was inspired by the desire to spread a message of healing and hope following the events of October 7. The power ballad delivered in two languages, English and Hebrew (with a short part in French), speaks of giving light and continuing together in sorrow to suggest the universal themes of suffering and breathing life anew. The refrain “New day will rise, life will go on / Everyone cries, don’t cry alone” became the focal point of Raphael’s performance.
At Eurovision, Raphael’s live performance deeply resonated with the audience of millions. She secured her spot in the final and ultimately took the runner-up position, largely due to the support from the European viewers via public televote. The fact that she ended up in second place reflected not only the emotional depth of her song but also the intricate politics involved in the context of Israel’s entry into the event.
Raphael’s participation in Eurovision indeed ruffled some feathers. Just before her entry was confirmed, a few broadcasters and figures were urging for a review of Israel’s status in the contest, while criticisms were mainly directed at the Gaza conflict. Eurovision’s management team was willing to extend dialogue on this issue among the member broadcasters, and Raphael was left with online threats and hostile encounters.
In terms of local interpretation, the track had greater significance: Raphael and Peles presented a modified rendition of “New Day Will Rise” at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. The words were changed to depict the hope for the release of remaining captives as well as to pay tribute to the families who have suffered due to the conflict.
“New Day Will Rise” became more than a competition entry—it was a symbol of survival, resilience, and the search for healing after profound trauma. Her journey from the Nova massacre to one of the most-watched musical stages in Europe turned “New Day Will Rise” into both an artistic statement and a message of shared human endurance.