Harel was in his second year of his studies when he was accepted into the second season of A Star Is Born (the Israeli equivalent of American Idol) and was immediately a clear favourite for winning, receiving the highest number of votes during all stages of the show with his performances and inspiring vocal abilities. At the season finale, Harel came second, a result which sparked a heated debate in Israel.
In 2006, Harel released his first self-titled album which achieved gold album status after 3 weeks and later reached platinum. The debut album, which included ten songs, yielded five chart-leading hits. Concurrently, Harel embarked on an extensive, high-profile tour, which included more than 200 shows in concert halls all over Israel. The shows were a huge success, selling out at every venue, an achievement previously reserved for veteran artists only.
Harel Skaat launched his second album Figures in 2009 which achieved gold status quickly and was accompanied by a large-scale online interactive campaign. Furthermore, in the large-scale Song Of The Decade awards on Israeli TV, Harel garnered an impressive second place.
What the fans thought?
"One of the best performing artists in the past 20 years. He has everything - the voice, the looks and the intention. He gives from himself of stage so much, other singers can only dream of (and wouldn't understand how to really)." Adrian Sanderson from the United Kingdom said.
"It's been long since I last seen a performer who sang his song with such expression that, even though I couldn't understand a word, it almost brought tears to my eyes and truly melted my heart. Great song, great voice and great performance." said Paula Forys from Poland.
He finished 14th in the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest with 71 points and 8th in the second Semi-Final, held two nights before.
Check also out who he is by clicking on his Artist Profile.
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How did it all start?
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But in Oslo…
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You can expect more wrap-up articles from us about the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest participants. Stay tuned!
