The X Factor Israel

The original X Factor format launched in the United Kingdom in September 2004.[8] The Israeli adaptation divided contestants into four groups — boys, girls, over-25s, and groups — with each group assigned to a judge-mentor.[5]

In October 2012, Channel 2 franchisee Reshet acquired an option from media company Fremantle to broadcast a Hebrew-language version of the show.[8] The option gave Reshet roughly a year to a year and a half to launch the local version, although acquiring it did not guarantee that the program would air immediately.[8]

The local series debuted in 2013. Its second season concluded in 2015, and the third concluded in 2018.[9][10] After almost three years off screen, the program returned for a Eurovision-branded fourth season that began in 2021 and concluded in 2022.[7][4]

The first season opened with auditions held before a large audience at Tel Aviv's Nokia Arena, with contestants needing at least three judges' votes to advance.[5] The inaugural judging panel consisted of Ivri Lider, Rami Fortis, Shiri Maimon, and Moshe Peretz, with model and television personality Bar Refaeli as host.[5]

The season's most remarkable story was that of Rose Fostanes, a 47-year-old Filipina caregiver working in Tel Aviv who had spent roughly 20 years working across the Middle East, including periods in Egypt and Lebanon, before settling in Israel.[11][12] A friend encouraged her to audition, and she progressed through the competition performing songs including Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," Lady Gaga's "You and I," and Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful."[12] After her performance of "Beautiful," judge and mentor Shiri Maimon declared: "I'm speechless. It was more than perfect."[12] Fostanes became a national phenomenon, with fans across Israel recognizing her simply as "Rose."[12]

The season finale was held at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds.[13] The group Fusion — five individual contestants assembled by the judges and competing under Ivri Lider's mentorship — was the first act eliminated in the final round, followed by Uri Shakiv after a duet round with the contestants' mentors.[13] Fostanes ultimately defeated Eden Ben Zaken, winning with her performance of "My Way," the song made famous by Frank Sinatra.[11] Reflecting on her victory, Fostanes said: "before nobody recognized me, nobody knew me. But now everybody, I think everybody in Israel knows my name" and added, "At least I can express and show the people that I have also talents and it's not too late for me to shine."[12]

The first season achieved a 40% rating, described as the highest recorded for an Israeli music program at the time, and won an Israeli Academy Award in 2013.[14]

The second season, which concluded in 2015, brought back the original judging panel — Shiri Maimon, Ivri Lider, Rami Fortis, and Moshe Peretz — with Bar Refaeli returning as host.[14] Daniela Yaffe, a 28-year-old accountant from Kiryat Ata competing in Rami Fortis's adult contestants' category, won with 34% of the votes.[9] Yossi Shitrit finished second, Anna Timofei placed third, and the duo Ido and Atara came fourth; the pair had joined forces after neither made it through boot camp as an individual competitor.[9]

The third season concluded on January 30, 2018, with Eden Alene, a 17-year-old Jerusalem resident raised by her Orthodox Jewish single mother, winning the competition.[3][10] Alene, who had been mentored by judge Ivri Lider, received the most viewer votes.[3] Her audition performance of Demi Lovato's "Stone Cold" went viral and left the judges visibly astonished, and she later cited her rendition of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" as her strongest performance of the season.[3][10]

For her winning final performance, Alene sang Christina Perri's "Human."[3] Runner-up Guy Yehud performed Hanan Ben Ari's "What Do You Want from Me" in the finale, and the winner received a recording contract.[3][10] Alene later represented Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021.[7]

In April 2021, Israel's public broadcaster awarded Reshet the tender to select Israel's representative for Eurovision 2022, with X Factor beating Keshet's rival program The Next Star, which had handled the selection for approximately seven years.[15] The season was rebranded as "The X Factor for Eurovision," marking the first time the Israeli X Factor had selected the country's Eurovision representative.[4]

When Reshet announced the fourth season's return in December 2020, Simon Cowell — creator of the international X Factor format — was initially named as a judge, generating significant anticipation.[7] In May 2021, however, Reshet confirmed that Cowell would not travel to Israel for filming "for his own reasons."[16] A source close to Cowell confirmed the cancellation without giving a definitive explanation and declined to say whether it was connected to the recent Israel-Hamas conflict.[1] The final judging panel consisted of Eurovision winner Netta Barzilai alongside entertainers Ran Danker, Aviv Geffen, Margalit Tzan'ani, and Miri Mesika.[16]

Four finalists competed after their prospective Eurovision songs had been narrowed from eight to four.[17] Michael Ben David won with "I.M.," described as a catchy, danceable self-acceptance anthem performed with backup dancers.[17] Ben David had been bullied while growing up for his high voice and for being gay, and called his victory "a tikkun" — a Hebrew term for a corrective experience.[17] In a televised interview, he said: "People voted for me and that means they accept me for who I am. This isn't only for me. This is for so many people who feel worthless and useless."[17] He represented Israel at Eurovision 2022 in Italy.[4]

The program became a platform for singers who later established prominent careers in Israeli music. Eden Ben Zaken, the first-season runner-up, and Eden Alene, the third-season winner, were both identified as artists who emerged from the series; Alene subsequently represented Israel at Eurovision 2021.[7]

The fourth season linked the franchise directly to Israel's Eurovision selection process for the first time. Michael Ben David's victory made him Israel's representative at the 2022 contest in Italy, extending the program's influence beyond domestic television and into an international competition.[4]

The fourth season's live finale generated controversy over its voting system. The final combined votes from the five judges, a board of music professionals, and the viewing public; Eli Huli would have won based solely on the judges' and music board's votes, while audience voting shifted the outcome in Ben David's favor.[17] Judge Aviv Geffen favored Huli and chose Inbal Bibi over Ben David. He described Ben David as polished and a good singer but said, "He's like one of them." The report interpreted the remark as meaning Ben David could pass as European and contrasted him with a more recognizably Israeli contestant; it identified him as being of Russian, Georgian, and Ukrainian descent.[17] The outcome prompted calls from some Eurovision fans to reduce the influence of audience voting.[17]

The broadcast also featured a scoring discrepancy: host Liron Weizman announced that Eli Huli had received 96 points, while the on-screen scoreboard displayed 95.[18][4] Reshet stated that the figure shown on screen was correct.[4] Had the spoken figure been accurate, Huli and Ben David could have been tied, potentially changing the final outcome.[18] Separately, an unnamed source claimed that Ben David was considering withdrawing from Eurovision over professional disagreements with the broadcaster. Kan responded that he was actively preparing his performance and intended to represent Israel.[18]