Singer Arik Sinai Reveals Secret Deal with "Next Star" Director

Veteran Israeli singer Arik Sinai has revealed a private agreement he made with Yoav Tzafir, the chief editor and director of the reality singing competition "The Next Star to Eurovision," before his audition. Sinai, who has a 45-year career, was concerned about the potential damage to his reputation if he failed the initial audition. He and Tzafir agreed that if Sinai did not pass the first round, his audition would not be broadcast, and his candidacy would remain unknown. "It will damage me, obviously, what a failure that would be, God forbid," Sinai told Tzafir, who promised, "If you don't pass, then we'll save the publicity."

Sinai shared this detail in a new episode of the podcast "One Plus One," hosted by Moshe Baker. His participation in the season won by Eden Golan was a significant surprise, as audiences did not expect a seasoned artist to compete as a regular contestant. Sinai explained that Tzafir had initially called him, and he had hoped to be offered a mentorship role. Instead, Tzafir proposed that Sinai compete.

Despite initial enthusiasm, Sinai's peers expressed reservations about a veteran artist auditioning. Sinai's motivation was to "refresh the ranks" and remind people he was still active. He admitted to Tzafir that he had second thoughts and considered backing out. During a meeting with Tzafir, Tamira Yardeni, and other senior production staff, Sinai, contrary to expectations of financial discussions, focused on practical needs: a monitor for lyrics and a teleprompter. He cited long-standing difficulties with memorizing text, which affected him even in acting auditions.

The production team readily agreed to his requests. Sinai's primary fear was elimination in the first stage. Tzafir reassured him, expressing confidence in Sinai's singing ability and the judges' familiarity with him. Tzafir reiterated the commitment that if Sinai were eliminated early, his audition would not be publicized.