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Israel in 1998
Dana International
Song
Diva
Yoav Ginai
Composer(s)
Tzvika Pik
More information
Biography
Dana (or Danna) International (born Yaron Cohen) had her first album in 1993 and it quickly went gold. A year later, her second, Umpatampa was a platinum success and she was voted Israel's Best Singer of the Year. In 1996 Dana produced a third album, Magnuna (Insane in Arabic) which brought her a wider audience, not just in Israel but abroad as well. In Egypt and Jordan more than five million pirate cassettes were sold. Since then she has performed in Los Angeles and Miami. Dana International already tried to enter the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 with another Yoav Ginai composition Laila Tov Eropa. Beaten to the post then by Liora's Amen, she finally realised one of her dreams this year.
The announcement in November 1997 that Dana International would sing for Israel sparked a media storm all over the world. The singer, real name Sharon Cohen, was born a man but chose to change her sex by operation a few years ago. She's a big dance-music star all around the Middle East, even in countries such as Egypt where her music is banned. The media stories following the announcement mostly centred on the objections raised by some of the more orthodox elements in the Israeli government who at one point were threatening to bring down the current coalition in protest. Dana however remained serene through the crisis saying that "Not all Israelis are like Benziri." [her most vocal objector] "Most Israelis want peace and they don't have a problem with Arabs or Christians. I want people to know that Israel has this face, too."
Tzvika Pik is a leading figure in the world of Israeli music. He has devoted his life to music as both a singer and a composer. He has a huge following and his albums enjoy large sales. Tzvika Pik, who wrote the music for "Diva", has tried his luck in the Israeli "Kdam Eurovision" five times before and never succeeded. Finally, this year, he wants at least to conduct the song that he has written, and finally to be in Eurovision himself.
Yoav Ginai (lyricist), born in Jerusalem and living in Tel Aviv, studied communications and journalism. He is now the manager of Business Radio and The Voice of Israel Radio. He is a senior producer and editor of many radio and television broadcasts, especially in the entertainment and music field. He has also written lyrics for such Israeli singers as Yardena Arazi, Izhar Cohen, Duo Datz and Adam. Diva is a shortening of divine, a concept that encompasses big stars from the Rock and the Opera world. The writer of the song, Yoav Ginai, has tried to find parallels between names of women who are bigger than History and mythology, to the character of Dana International, in life, and on the stage. The images in the video filmed for the song were designed according to the characters on record covers of famous female stars of the past
Jean-Paul Gaultier, the famous French fashion designer, and one-time presenter of EuroTrash, has shown interest in Dana and has invited her to Paris so he can design her Eurovision outfit. [Notes from the Official 1998 Programme by the BBC]
Country profile
Do you want to learn more about Israel ? At worldatlas.com you can read a detailed country profile, including maps, flags and you can even listen to the national anthem!
History
We are currently updating our country history pages and therefore, they are temporarily unavailable! How many times they won? Who represented the country in 1960? This and a lot more is available in the history section soon!
All Participations for Israel
| Year | Artist | Song | Points | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Noa & Mira Awad | Einaiych - There must be another way | 75 | 7 |
| 2009 | 0 | 18 | ||
| 2008 | Bo'az Ma'uda | Ke'ilo kan | 104 | 5 |
| 2008 | Bo'az Ma'uda | Ke'ilo kan | 124 | 9 |
| 2007 | Teapacks | Push the button | 17 | 24 |
| 2006 | Eddie Butler | Ze hazman | 4 | 23 |
| 2005 | Shiri Maymon | Hasheket shenish'ar | 154 | 4 |
| 2005 | Shiri Maymon | Hasheket shenish'ar | 158 | 7 |
| 2004 | David D'or | Le'ha'amin | 57 | 11 |
| 2003 | Lior Narkis | Words for love | 17 | 19 |
| 2002 | Sarit Hadad | Light a candle | 37 | 12 |
| 2001 | Tal Sondak | Ein davar | 25 | 16 |
| 2000 | Ping Pong | Sa'me'akh | 7 | 22 |
| 1999 | Eden | Yom huledeth | 93 | 5 |
| 1998 | Dana International | Diva | 172 | 1 |
| 1995 | Liora | Amen | 81 | 8 |
| 1993 | Lakahat Shiru | Shiru | 4 | 24 |
| 1992 | Dafna | Ze rak sport | 85 | 6 |
| 1991 | Duo Datz | Kan | 139 | 3 |
| 1990 | Rita | Shara barechovot | 16 | 18 |
| 1989 | Gili ve Galit | Derech ha'melech | 50 | 12 |
| 1988 | Yardena Arazi | Ben Adam | 85 | 7 |
| 1987 | Datner and Kushnir | Shir habatlanim | 73 | 8 |
| 1986 | Moti Galadi and Sarai Tzuriel | Yavoh yom | 7 | 19 |
| 1985 | Izhar Cohen | Ol ol | 93 | 5 |
| 1983 | Ofra Haza | Hi | 136 | 2 |
| 1982 | Avi Toledano | Hora | 100 | 2 |
| 1981 | Habibi | Halaylah | 56 | 7 |
| 1979 | Milk and Honey | Hallelujah | 125 | 1 |
| 1978 | Izhar Cohen and the Alphabeta | Abanibi | 157 | 1 |
| 1977 | Ilanit | Ah-haa-vah hee shir lish-naa-yim | 49 | 11 |
| 1976 | Chocolate, Menta, Mastik | Emor shalom | 77 | 6 |
| 1975 | Shlomo Artzi | At ve'ani | 40 | 11 |
| 1974 | Poogy | Natati la khaiai | 11 | 7 |
| 1973 | Ilanit | Ey-sham | 97 | 4 |
