ISRAEL'S NETTA WINS THE 2018 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST!
13 May 2018 at 00:51 CESTIsrael won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with 529 points, followed at a decent distance by Cyprus with 436 points. Both were top favourites to take the trophy home. Austria's success — a third place with 342 points — came as a surprise.
ALSO READ: The full results of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest
During her much-anticipated performance, Netta was joined by her pink-haired backing singers and dancers as they do their trademark chicken moves. Also accompanying her on stage are two blocks of shelves filled with 112 Maneki-nekos, the popular Asian beckoning cats often used as lucky charms.
Thousands of people from all over the world enjoyed three spectacular live shows at Lisbon's Altice Arena this week, with an expected 200 million viewers tuning in on television. It was the very first time Portugal hosted the contest.
Israel also won the first Semi-Final with a grand total of 283 points.
ALSO READ: The results of the two Semi-Finals of Eurovision 2018
After being crowned winner of the 63rd Eurovision Song Contest, Netta gave a reprise of her song in front of an ecstatic audience.
After the show, Eurovision.tv spoke with Netta on stage.
About Netta
Netta won this year’s Rising Star reality music show, HaKokhav HaBa L'Eurovizion ('The Next Star For Eurovision') and the ticket to represent Israel in the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest. The ambitious and determined 25-year-old has an extensive background in music. She finished high school with excellence merit in extended music studies and went on to study in the renowned Rimon School of Music in the Electronic Studies Department.
READ MORE: Netta's participant profile
Can't get enough?
Can't get enough of the Grand Final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest? Check out our ultimate photo gallery with loads of photos taken during the Grand Final, culminating in Israel's first Eurovision Song Contest victory in twenty years.
Netta's victory marks Israel's fourth Eurovision win, after 1978, 1979 and 1998.
Shortly after the show, Netta's trophy apparently broke. Executive Supervisor Jon Ola Sand brought Netta a new trophy — in one piece!