Israeli Eurovision Qualifier 'The Next Star' Revamps Judging Format

The popular Israeli reality singing competition "The Next Star for Eurovision" is undergoing a significant format change for its upcoming season on Keshet 12. Moving away from the binary "pass" or "fail" decisions previously made by judges, the show will adopt a scoring system inspired by the Eurovision Song Contest itself. In the new model, judges will award individual scores ranging from 4 to 12 points to each contestant. These scores will then be combined with the votes from the studio audience.

The show's signature element, the large screen separating contestants from the judges and audience, will remain. Contestants will still need to achieve a weighted score of 70% or higher to advance, a threshold that has been a hallmark of the format since its inception. This marks the most substantial structural alteration to the competition since it first aired.

Previously, each judge held a small percentage of the overall voting power, with the majority of the decision resting with the audience. The old system often led to rigid outcomes where a single judge's "red light" could eliminate a performer. The updated method aims to allow judges a broader range of evaluation, rewarding precise performances and fostering a more nuanced quality ranking.

Developed by Teddy Productions and Keshet, "The Next Star" has been a primary platform for discovering musical talent in Israel and has sent representatives to the Eurovision Song Contest with notable success, including Eden Golan, Yuval Rafael, and Noam Tan. The winner of the upcoming season will represent Israel at Eurovision 2027, which will be held in Bulgaria.

The show will continue to be hosted by Assi Azar and Rotem Sela. Joining the established judging panel, which includes Shiri Maimon, Keren Peles, Itay Levy, and Assaf Amdursky, will be singer Osher Cohen, who will be a new addition to the judging table for this season.