Despite war, Israel releases ‘Michelle,’ its 2026 Eurovision song

Despite war with Iran canceling most events across the country, Israel went ahead Thursday night with the release of its 2026 Eurovision song, “Michelle,” sung by Noam Bettan.

The celebratory broadcast on the Kan public broadcaster was interrupted several times by warnings of incoming Iranian missiles and sirens across the country but it didn’t stop the premiere of the pop song.

The song, in Hebrew, French and English, is slightly more upbeat than those from Israel over the past few years, and the music video includes catchy dance moves during its most up-tempo moments.

“It’s an incredible song,” Bettan said Thursday night during the broadcast. “In the past few years, Israel sent] a lot of ballads, and the country was waiting to be happy.”

Bettan said that people in Israel are “looking for a different kind of energy, we want to be happy, the whole country is thirsty for it,” he said. “I think we’re bringing a song that touches on the whole spectrum of emotions.”

The singer said “Michelle” is a song about an unhealthy relationship, and the need to get up and walk away when things aren’t working out.

Unlike the past few years where Israel’s songs were largely English with only touches of Hebrew (and last year, French), “Michelle” is largely Hebrew and French with only one verse in English.

One of the verses in French includes the lyrics: “Oh Michelle/ I no longer know what to do/ You were my light,” while a section in Hebrew has the words “Perhaps in the end/ things will be good for us/ I pray for you/ that you’ll find love.”

The song’s only English verse is: “Walking down/ Florentin/ Ocean eyes/ Memories/ I, I’m Losing my mind/ An angel but is it hell/ Trapped in your carousel/ Round and round/ Under your spell.”

Bettan, who was born in Israel to French immigrant parents, was selected to represent Israel by winning this season of “Hakochav Haba” (Rising Star) in January. He will perform “Michelle” at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna in mid-May. Israel is slated to appear in the first semifinal of the competition.

Unlike the contestants Israel sent to the competition the past two years, Bettan — who turned 28 on Thursday — had a music career underway and has released a number of songs, though he was not among Israel’s most popular musicians.

The song was written by Nadav Aharoni, Tslil Klifi and Yuval Raphael — a survivor of the Nova festival massacre on October 7, 2023, who represented Israel at last year’s Eurovision. It was selected by an internal committee organized by Kan from among more than 200 submissions.

The inclusion of Israel at this year’s contest — following a vote in December by European Broadcasting Union members — sparked anger from a minority of participating countries who had called for the Jewish state to be barred. In response to the decision, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland, Spain and Slovenia pulled out of this year’s contest in protest.

Asked on Thursday about being prepared to be quizzed by international media on war at home, Bettan said he is going to Vienna simply to sing.

“I want to sing there, and give someone goosebumps, without them even realizing why,” he said. He hopes people who hear the song will “be moved, they’ll feel it, they’ll connect, it will touch their hearts.”

Bettan said his goal for the Eurovision is “to go and bring the best music I can.”