Israeli final set for 5th March

Contrary to a number of reports, the date for this year's Israeli National Final has been set to the 5th of March and will be broadcast from Jerusalem at 20:00 CET.

It was previously announced that Mei Finegold would represent Israel at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest and that the public were requested to send her their songs. These have now been whittle downed to just three, including an entry penned by Mei herself:

Song 1

Nish'eret iti (Staying with me)
Music: Loren de Paz & Chen Metzger Eder
Lyrics: Loren de Paz

Song 2

Same Heart
Music & Lyrics: Rami Talmid

Song 3

Be Proud
Music & Lyrics: Mei Finegold

Three music videos recorded

For the last few weeks Mei has been working very hard preparing, incluidng recording music videos for each of the three songs, all of which will be broadcast across of all IBA's channels (TV, radio and internet) from the 27th of February until the evening of the National Final on the 5th of March. When asked about the filming, Mei said:

“I didn’t realise the fact that we shot three videoclips in one week. It was very challenging and interesting. Facing a project like this is more different than anything I knew, as decisions must be made right away and without a plan B, but this was very magical as well. The whole team gave its heart and soul to this project and the work was very professional and fun. Every location turned right away to a place of joy and laughter. The final results are being prepared right now in the editing rooms and I can’t wait to let the public hear the songs and watch the videoclips. I hope that everyone will be pleased, just like me.”

The video for Nish'eret iti was filmed at the Israeli Railway Museum in Haifa, inside an old train. Meanwhile the video for Same Heart was shot at the Hameginim Forest just outside Jerusalem and in an abandoned industrial complex. Be Proud was recorded at the Reading Power Station in Tel-Aviv.  

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The public will decide

This year, unlike 2013, only the general public will have a say as to which song will represent Israeli at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Israeli with participate in the second Semi-Final of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, being held at the B&W-Hallerne on Refshaleøen in Copenhagen on the 8th of May. The Grand Final takes place on the 10th of May.