HaKokhav HaBa () is an Israeli interactive reality singing competition, created by Keshet Media Group and broadcast on Channel 2 (from 2013 to 2017) and on Channel 12 (since 2017). It is the basis of the Rising Star franchise. The show is a continuation of () which featured aspiring singers competing for a winning title. The program's format combines the internet, smartphone and television and is filmed live. Between 2015 and 2020, and since 2024, the show has been used to select 's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Format As the season begins, each contestant is asked to perform a well-known song in front of judges. After the song, the judges vote as to whether to transfer the applicant to the next stage, live performances in front of the audience at home. If the judges are not sure about how to vote, the contestant is required to perform another song, and then a decision is made.
Contestants who do move forward must then sing in front of an audience. Viewers then connect with an app at makoTV and decide in real time whether a contestant passes or does not pass.
Judges also influence the test stage by supporting the promotion of the contestant and thereby add 8% percent if there are five judges or 10% if there are four. Once the contestant reaches 70% of votes they "pass" and the screen opens and the contestant goes to the next level. Fourteen singers then move on to a section where the judges and the audience at home vote. At the final stage, four singers are left and one will be elected "The Next Star".
Hosts and judges Key: Main Guest Contestant Season 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12HostsAssi AzarEsti Ginzburgcolspan=11 Rotem SelaYael Goldmancolspan=3 colspan=11 JudgesEyal Golancolspan=11 Zvika Hadarcolspan=11 Rita Jahan-Farouzcolspan=9 colspan=1 Rani Rahavcolspan=11 Mookicolspan=5 colspan=3 colspan=9 Keren PelesHarel Skaatcolspan=6 Assaf Amdurskycolspan=3 Static & Ben El Tavorirowspan=2 colspan=3 colspan=2 colspan=1 colspan=5 Shiri Maimoncolspan=5 Itay Levicolspan=5 Ninet Tayebcolspan=4 colspan=2 colspan=4 Ran Dankercolspan=8 colspan=1 Eden Hasoncolspan=9 Guest judgesNadav Guedjcolspan=2 colspan=7 Liran Daninocolspan=5 colspan=6 Izhar Cohencolspan=5 colspan=5 Gali Ataricolspan=5 colspan=6 Noa Kirelcolspan=6 colspan=5 Miri Mesikacolspan=6 colspan=5 Merguicolspan=4 colspan=2 colspan=4 Eden Alenecolspan=6 colspan=4 Ella Leecolspan=6 colspan=4 colspan=7 colspan=4 Dudu Aharoncolspan=7 colspan=4 colspan=9 colspan=2 colspan=10 colspan=1 Nasrin Kadricolspan=10 colspan=1 Dana Internationalcolspan=11 colspan=11 Netta Barzilaicolspan=4 colspan=6 Yuval Raphaelcolspan=10 Amir Benayouncolspan=11 colspan=11 colspan=11
Series overview Season Premiere Finale Winner Second place Third place Fourth place Presenter(s) Judges 1 17 September 2013 25 December 2013 Evyatar Korkus Arye & Gil Gat Tina Ibagrimov Rinat Cohen Assi AzarEsti Ginzburg Zvika HadarEyal Golan (first half)Rita Jahan-FarouzRani RahavMooki (second half) 2 9 December 2014 17 February 2015 Nadav Guedj Iky Levy & The Rasta Hebrew Men Sari Nachmias Avia Shoshani Assi AzarRotem Sela MookiKeren PelesHarel Skaat 3 5 December 2015 3 March 2016 Hovi Star Ella Daniel Gil Hadash 4 2 January 2017 13 February 2017 Imri Ziv Diana Golbi Beatbox Element Keren PelesHarel SkaatAssaf AmdurskyStatic & Ben-El Tavori 5 29 October 2017 23 February 2018 Netta Mergui Riki Ben Ari Chen Aharoni 6 24 November 2018 12 February 2019 Kobi Marimi Shefita Maya Bouskilla Keren PelesHarel SkaatAssaf AmdurskyStatic & Ben-El TavoriShiri Maimon 7 20 November 2019 4 February 2020 Eden Alene Ella Lee Gaya Shaki Keren PelesAssaf AmdurskyStatic & Ben-El TavoriShiri Maimon 8 1 June 2021 1 September 2021 Valerie Hamaty Matan Levi Keren PelesAssaf AmdurskyShiri MaimonStatic & Ben-El TavoriItay LevyNinet Tayeb 9 18 July 2022 20 September 2022 Meitav Sherman Libi Panker Keren PelesAssaf AmdurskyShiri MaimonItay LevyNinet TayebRan Danker 10 20 November 2023 6 February 2024 Eden Golan Or Cohen Dor ShimonKeren PelesAssaf AmdurskyShiri MaimonItay LevyRan DankerEden Hason 11 10 November 2024 22 January 2025 Yuval Raphael Valerie Hamaty Red Band & Daniel Wais1211 November 202520 January 2026 Noam Bettan Gal De Paz Alona ErezKeren PelesAssaf AmdurskyShiri MaimonItay LevyEden Hason
Season 1 (2013) HaKokhav HaBa 1 Finalists Evyatar Korkus 25 December - Winner Arye & Gil Gat 25 December Tina Ibagrimov 25 December Rinat Cohen 25 December Omer Datz† 17 December David Drey 10 December Elias Melayev 3 December (Quit) Inbal Bekman 26 November Hen Levy 26 November Lior Peretz 19 November Roni Israeli 17 November Alon Tube 12 November Dondit Jon 5 November George Abu Shkara 3 November
This first season of Rising Star was hosted by Assi Azar with co-host Esti Ginzburg. The judges were Rita Jahan-Farouz, Zvika Hadar, Mooki and Rani Rahav. Eyal Golan judged the program until his suspension on 20 November 2013, when he was replaced by Mooki.
Participants In order:
George Abu Shakra - 14th place Dondit Jon - 13th place Alon Tube - 12th place Roni Israeli - 11th place Lior Peretz - 10th place Hen Levy - 9th place Inbal Bekman - 8th place Elias Melayev - 7th place (Quit) David Drey - 6th place Omer Datz† - 5th place
Finalists Rinat Cohen - Fourth place Tina Ibagrimov - Third place Arye & Gil Gat - Second place Evyatar Korkus - Winner
+Weekly results per contestant Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Evyatar Korkus Saved Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Saved Winner(Week 10) Arye & Gil Gat Safe Safe Safe Saved Safe Safe Saved Safe Safe Runner-up Tina Ibagrimov Safe Safe Safe Saved Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 3rd Rinat Cohen Safe Safe Saved Saved Saved Safe Saved Saved Saved 4th Omer Datz Saved Saved Safe Safe Safe Saved Saved Saved Eliminated Eliminated(week 9) David Drey Saved Safe Safe Safe Saved Saved Saved Eliminated Eliminated(week 8) Elias Melayev Safe Saved Safe Safe Safe Saved Quit(week 6) Inbal Bekman Safe Saved Safe Safe Saved Eliminated Eliminated(week 6) Hen Levy Saved Saved Safe Safe Eliminated Eliminated(week 5) Lior Peretz Saved Safe Safe Eliminated Eliminated(week 4) Roni Israeli Safe Saved Eliminated Eliminated(week 3) Alon Tube Saved Eliminated Eliminated(week 2) Dondit Jon Eliminated Eliminated(week 1) George Abu Shakra Eliminated Eliminated(week 1)
Season 2 (2014–15)
HaKokhav HaBa 2 Finalists Nadav Guedj 17 February - Winner Iky Levy & The Rasta Hebrew Men 17 February Sari Nachmias 17 February Avia Shoshani 17 February Orit Biansey 8 February Sa'ar "Rusty" Davidov 8 February Nava Tehila Walker 1 February Yifi and Osher Aricha 27 January Liroz Balas 25 January Asif Zilberman 25 January Eva Al Kanrash 20 January David Maman 20 January Random Dogs 20 January Almog Nasawi 18 January Zadok Garamech 18 January Evyatar Adir 18 January The winner of season two would represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015.
Participants In order:
Evyatar Adir - 16th place Zadok Garamech - 15th place Almog Nasawi - 14th place Random Dogs - 13th place David Maman - 12th place Eva Al Kanrash - 11th place Asif Zilberman - 10th place Liroz Balas - 9th place Yifi and Osher Aricha - 8th place Nava Tehila Walker - 7th place Saar "Rusty" Davidov - 6th place Orit Biansey - 5th place
Finalists Avia Shoshani - Fourth place Sary Nachmias - Third place Iky Levy and the Rasta Hebrew Men - Second place Nadav Guedj - Winner
Season 3 (2015–16)
HaKokhav HaBa 3 Finalists Hovi Star 3 March - Winner Nofar Salman 3 March Ella Daniel 3 March Gil Hadash 3 March Kiara Duple (Lior Cohen) 27 February "Velma" 27 February Oded Sharavi 20 February Ofir Haim 19 February Shtar 19 February Uriel Aharoni 13 February Neomi Ezran 12 February Avi Eliot Alush and Sister Shvakya 12 February Yoni Grayev 12 February Sharon Fartouk 5 February Maya Bernadski 5 February Alma Kalbermann 5 February The winner of season three would represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016.
Participants In order:
Alma Kalbermann - 16th place Maya Bernadski - 15th place Sharon Fartouk - 14th place Yoni Grayev - 13th place Avi Eliot Alush and Sister Shvakya - 12th place Neomi Ezran - 11th place Uriel Aharoni - 10th place Shtar - 9th place Ofir Haim - 8th place Oded Sharavi - 7th place "Velma" - 6th place Kiara Duple (Lior Cohen) - 5th place
Finalists Gil Hadash – Fourth place Ella Daniel - Third place Nofar Salman - Second place Hovi Star - Winner
Season 4 (2017)
HaKokhav HaBa 4 Finalists Imri 13 February - WinnerDiana Golbi 13 February Julietta 13 February Beatbox Element 13 February Sapir Nahon 6 February Ta-La-Te 6 February Halli Lewis 31 January Yona Shabin 31 January The winner of season four would represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. The show was hosted by Yael Goldman, Assi Azar and Rotem Sela. The presiding judges were Keren Peles and Harel Skaat, who also judged the previous two seasons, joined by new judges Assaf Amdursky and the duo Static and Ben El Tavori.
Participants In order:
Yona Shabin - 8th place Hally Lewis - 7th place Ta-La-Te - 6th place Sapir Nahon - 5th place
Finalists Beatbox Element - Fourth place Julieta - Third place Diana Golbi - Second place Imri - Winner
Season 5 (2017–18)
HaKokhav HaBa 5 Finalists Netta Barzilai 13 February - Winner Mergui 13 February Riki Ben Ari 13 February Chen Aharoni 13 February Eden Meiri 11 February Howie Danao 11 February Ravit Batashvili 7 February Adava Omer 7 February José Steinberg 29 January Shay & Gilad 22 January Sarit Hativa 21 January Rinat Bar 14 January (Quit) Gal Yaakobi 8 January Jaki Gaforov 8 January Shir Gadasi 7 January The Choice 7 January Shir Baruch 7 January Ofir Harush 4 January Tal Mizrahi 4 January Axum 4 January The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan) succeeded the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) in 2017, and thus took charge of Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest starting in 2018. Kan continued the IBA's collaboration with Keshet and Tedy Productions to use HaKokhav HaBa to select the singer to represent Israel, while the song was chosen by a committee appointed by Kan. The season was won by Netta Barzilai, the first woman to win the series. She represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, winning it with the song "Toy".
Participants In order:
Axum - 20th place Tal Mizrahi - 19th place Ofir Harush - 18th place Shir Baruch - 17th place The Choice - 16th place Shir Gadasi - 15th place Jaki Gaforov - 14th place Gal Yaakobi - 13th place Rinat Bar (Quit) - 12th place Sarit Hativa - 11th place Shay & Gilad - 10th place José Steinberg - 9th place Adava Omer - 8th place Ravit Batashvili - 7th place Howie Danao - 6th place Eden Meiri - 5th place
Finalists Chen Aharoni – Fourth place Riki Ben Ari - Third place Mergui - Second place Netta Barzilai - Winner
Season 6 (2018–19)
HaKokhav HaBa 6 Finalists Kobi Marimi 28 January (Rejoined on 7 February), 12 February - Winner Ketreyah 12 February Shefita 12 February Maya Bouskilla 12 February Avraham de Carvalho 9 February Daniel Barzilai 9 February Shalva Band 5 February (withdrew) Ofri Calfon 3 February Tai† 2 February Danielle Mazuz 26 January Osher Biton 21 January Klara Sabag 19 January Naor Cohen 15 January Nave Madmon 15 January Nitay Twito 15 January Liat Eliyahu 14 January Naama Gali Cohen 14 January Lior Chen 13 January Shachaf 13 January Wanna Wanna 13 January
Kobi Marimi won the show with 383 points, beating runner-up Keteryah and third-placer Shefita. Marimi represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 on home soil in Tel Aviv with the song "Home", which was internally selected by Kan.
Participants In order:
Wanna Wanna - 20th place Shachaf - 19th place Lior Chen - 18th place Naama Gali Cohen - 17th place Liat Eliyahu - 16th place Nitay Twito - 15th place Nave Madmon - 14th place Naor Cohen - 13th place Klara Sabag - 12th place Osher Biton - 11th place Danielle Mazuz - 10th place Tai† - 9th place