Eddie Butler (singer)

Butler was born in Israel to American parents who had come from the United States for a visit and decided to remain in Dimona; a January 2006 profile reported that he was 34 years old at the time.[3] Reports used varying source-specific terms for his community background: Ynet identified Eden’s founders as members of the Hebrew community in Dimona, while a Habama commentary described Butler as a second-generation member of the “Black Hebrew” community.[1][6]

He grew up in a musical family and was reported to be one of 12 siblings born to his father’s four wives. In his youth, he sang with the Butler family choir.[4] At 19, he moved from Dimona to Tel Aviv and began performing at various venues.[3]

Butler helped found Eden with his brother Gabriel Butler, Rafael Dahan, and Doron Oren. The group’s members were identified with the Hebrew community in Dimona.[1] Eden represented Israel at Eurovision in 1999 with “Happy Birthday,” also known as “Yom Huledet,” which combined Hebrew and English lyrics. The group placed fifth, and the song was later described as one of Israel’s most-played songs.[1]

Producer Yaakov Lemay later recalled that “Happy Birthday” began as a slower song that was neither intended for Eurovision nor originally about birthdays. Its early version included Eddie and Gabriel Butler; the plan to pursue Eurovision came later, after Shlomo Tzach and Moshe Datz became involved and Dahan and Oren joined the group.[7] By 2023, a YouTube upload of the song had accumulated 30 million views. An industry professional estimated the associated revenue at 120,000–150,000 shekels, rather than identifying that sum as a confirmed payment, and Moshe Datz described how the rights were divided.[7]

Eden disbanded in 2001, after which Butler began a solo career.[3] In January 2006, he released his first solo single, “At Chalom” (“You Are a Dream”), co-written with Galit Burg-Michael of the duo Gili and Galit. Amit Zakh arranged and produced the track, and Butler planned to compete in that year’s Israeli Eurovision selection.[3]

A pre-contest report listed Butler among 11 artists and groups scheduled to compete in Kdam Eurovision in Jerusalem.[8] He won the selection with “זה הזמן” (“It’s Time”), receiving 99 points and defeating the Game Boys and the Diamonds.[2] Butler composed the song and co-wrote its lyrics with Orly Burg and Osnat Tzabagh. His agents, Yoav Gross and Roberto, had entered him without telling him and informed him only afterward.[2]

As he prepared to travel to Greece, Butler described himself as competitive but said representing Israel was “just a pleasure.”[9] After winning the selection, he said Eurovision offered a way to give back to a country he loved because he had not served in the Israeli military. The same report said he was undergoing conversion at the time.[2]

At the 2006 Eurovision final in Athens, Butler performed “Zeh Hazman,” described as an uplifting rhythm-and-blues entry, with four backup singers dressed in white.[5] Israel finished 23rd out of 24 countries with four points, all awarded by France; France ranked the song seventh.[5][10] Israel had entered the final directly following Shiri Maimon’s fourth-place finish the previous year.[10]

Butler’s career connects two Israeli Eurovision appearances: Eden’s fifth-place result in 1999 and his solo representation of Israel in 2006.[1] “Happy Birthday” continued to attract attention years later, accumulating substantial online viewership and retaining a prominent place in Israeli popular culture.[1][7]

A later music review characterized “Zeh Hazman” as an unsuccessful Eurovision entry that nevertheless became a short-lived radio hit.[11]

After winning Kdam Eurovision, Butler said he had not served in the Israeli military and regarded representing Israel as an opportunity to repay a debt to a country he loved.[2] His comments became part of a broader public debate about military or national service by artists.

In a March 2006 opinion commentary on that debate, Habama writer Amos Oren characterized Butler as the first Black singer chosen by the Israeli public to represent the country at Eurovision.[6] This was the commentator’s assessment rather than an independently established finding in the article.