Just before her big performance in the Eurovision Song Contest, Eden Golan speaks candidly with Israel Hayom.
"It's my dream coming true, representing the country and doing something big in front of the whole world," Golan said. "This year, it takes on a different and greater meaning, standing on that stage and showing that we are here. We went through a hurricane [the name of the Israeli entry] to get to this. I really want to succeed and believe that we will advance to the Grand Final, but our mere participation is an achievement.
"You can't say I'm happy to be the representative in such a complex year, but it's an honor. The performance this year is completely different from any other year, and the message is that they are relying on me. The viewers sent me and believe in me, and that's insane. I believe that everything is for the best, and that I have the strength. All the years that I prepared and worked on my abilities built me up and made me strong enough for this moment.
"Some Eurovision fans probably don't like us, and that's something that really surprised me. I didn't know there was such an option. After I found out, I didn't think 'Why me and why does it fall on me,' but what can be done and how to fix it and make this Eurovision happen. There's no point in dwelling on the 'why,' because that's how it happened, and that's what we have."
Video: Video: Eden Golan speaks with Israel Hayom / Reporter: Ortal Cohen and Moshe Ben-Simchon
Eden also shares more information about her upbringing in the interview.
On her life story
"I was born in October 2003 and grew up in Kfar Saba, and when I was 6, we moved to Moscow, for my father's assignment. We returned two years ago when I was 18. I had a different childhood because from a very young age, I was in show business, and by the age of 14, I was already flying alone outside the home for two weeks. I started a career there, signed a contract, and it's a world where you have to grow up very quickly.
"I'm a sponge of information, I love learning, and I want to do everything myself. This trait also affected my social side. My environment has always been more mature.
"At our home, they insisted on speaking Hebrew, but we couldn't read or write. When we visited Israel, I would get annoyed that I couldn't read the signs, so I asked my parents to buy me textbooks. When we returned to live in Israel, my Hebrew improved a lot. I got back the warmth that I had been missing and felt like I was home.
"We rented an apartment in Ramat Aviv Gimel [a neighborhood in Tel Aviv], across from Yair Lapid, and there were protests in front of our house. Now we live in Shikun Dan. I arrived without friends or a career here, and I started everything from scratch. And here, two years later, I'm already representing Israel.
On being sent to Eurovision
"I am proud to represent the country, and I promise to do everything I can for it.
"When Dana International won Eurovision in 1998, I wasn't even born, let alone planned. Dana is a diva who shattered the world, and you can't help but appreciate or love her."
On her parents
"I'm very close to my parents, Adi and Olga, and I have their full support. My parents didn't push me, it didn't come from them, but they know how important it is to me."
Q: Which one are you closer to?
"Dad, don't get offended, but my mom is with me day in and day out throughout this process, all the time. They are both my souls, and so is my younger brother, Sean. My mom and I are best friends, even though there are natural boundaries. I feel like I can share anything with her. She knows me better than I know myself. I don't hide anything from her because she's a very wise woman, and she also wants the best for me."
On her singing
Q: Have you ever sung out of tune?
"Everyone does. There's no singer who hasn't. I recently saw what happened to Harel Skaat at Eurovision 2010 [Skaat missed the high notes], and my heart went out to him. I saw in his eyes how he wanted to kill himself. If I were in a situation like his, I would have also wanted to die. On the other hand, we are human, and every singer has those moments, including Beyoncé. It happened to him in a difficult situation, but other than that, he had a wonderful performance.
On love
"I'm not in a relationship, and I haven't had much time. I'm not looking, but I do believe that when the right moment comes, at the right time and with the right person, whenever that happens - it will happen."
Q: Has your heart been broken before?
"No, but I've broken hearts. In my youth, I would get a little close to someone, and as soon as I felt it was getting serious, I'd stop and break their heart. A few good songs came out of those situations for me."
Q: Have you ever been in love?
"I don't think so. I know what familial love is, but I don't think I've felt that kind of love for a partner, something special, butterflies. That hasn't happened to me yet."
Q: Is it related to your profession?
"I think the right person hasn't come along yet, and in my profession, I need a partner who understands my lifestyle, the sleepless nights, and everything it demands – and can handle that. Everything is connected, and there's probably a correlation between my career and not having a partner, even if it's not done consciously.
"I'm very focused, and my professionalism is at the top of my priorities –- after my family, of course, which comes before everything – and it has implications. I'm not in the mindset of having a mission to find a boyfriend and get married. I want a family, but not now."
Q: Do they hit on you?
"Before I became famous, people would hit on me a lot on the street, and today they do it on Instagram. I don't really respond because it's a bit weird, and I also can't get to all the messages. I believe that if something is meant to happen, it will happen."
Q: Maybe you're just not interested?
"I don't want it right now, but I also believe you don't have to look for it. I'm of the opinion that souls need to meet, and with the right person, it will happen. Even if I don't feel like being in a relationship right now, if someone comes along who feels right – I won't stop it. But it hasn't happened.
On anxiety
"When the war started, I had terrible anxiety, like many people in the country. I had anxiety at every moment, but now I'm in a better period. Anxiety is not something I experience a lot, but there were periods in my life, in my youth, when I felt nervous.
"When I'm nervous, I feel like everything is going to crash down on me, sometimes dizziness, but over the years, I've learned to stay balanced and control my emotions. If I feel I'm under pressure, I stop to breathe, meditate."
Q: Have you ever had stage fright?
"My heart palpitates, but it's more adrenaline. Before I go on stage, I'm under insane pressure, and the moment I'm on stage, I feel like I get my air back. Sometimes I'm anxious even after a performance because then I start thinking about where I could have been better and what I didn't do right enough."
Q: Do you see a psychologist?
"No, I'm my own best doctor, along with my mom and my dog, who is the cure for everything."
Q: How are you dealing with the situation in the country?
"It's not getting easier, but I've decided not to get too close to the news. I feel like we're in this together, and somehow we have to move on. It's weird for me that while I'm going through everything I'm going through, there are hostages in Gaza, and who knows what they're going through there. I believe that my participation is part of a very important mission for the country, and on a personal level, it's something that helps me get through this period.
On mistakes
"I don't constantly think about where I made mistakes, what I did right or wrong. If I don't succeed at something, I say 'okay' and try again. I'm sorry for my fights with my mom because she's so close to me and doesn't deserve it, but it happens to everyone. Professionally, I believe that everything is for the best. Even if, say, I made mistakes in certain places, or in choosing a song on 'The Next Star,' [reality singing competition show] ultimately the mistakes brought me to this point. I don't think there was any critical mistake that, if I hadn't made it, something would have looked different.
On her looks
"I love how I look, but it was a process to get to this stage. During my teenage years, my body changed, my face changed, and even the way boys treated me – and there were things that shook me. I'm 5'4" and in Israel, I'm considered tall, but in Moscow, I was a tiny girl. I lacked confidence because everyone there is very tall, and I always wore heels. Over the years, I learned to love being petite. Even the things I didn't like, I learned to love, because they're what set me apart from others."
Q: What didn't you like about yourself that you learned to love?
"I have very problematic skin. I've suffered from skin issues from a very young age. I was on antibiotics and treatments, and it keeps coming and going. I'm at war with my face. Recently, I started being treated by an aesthetician, and we began an excellent process. Now I'm on drying acids that I have to take for my face, and I hope everything will be sorted out by the time I go to Eurovision. I don't let it affect how I accept myself, and I won't deprive myself of going out on a day when I have acne. But I will put on makeup."
Q: Has beauty helped you in life?
"Yes. It's especially helpful in my profession, but there are many talented people who don't fit the old beauty ideal and they're still very successful – and it's good that way. Some will think I'm beautiful, and some won't. I'm not, and that's okay."
Q: What rating would you give yourself from 1 to 10?
"10, you shouldn't think less of yourself.
On her dog
"My dog Leo is my life. Dogs are the most loyal pets you'll find, as long as it doesn't come to food. I don't know what I'd do without Leo, and I'm afraid of the day he's no longer here. I want him to beat old age, to be the oldest dog, and to break the record of 23 years for a dog's life. I don't know what I'll do without him when I'm in Malmö.
On her upcoming performance
"On the Eurovision stage, I'll be joined by five dancers. Vocally, I'm the only one singing without backing vocalists. I can't go into details, but it will be amazing, and it will have an impact on the results of the competition."
Q: Was there a point where you were afraid you wouldn't go?
"Of course I was afraid, but there really was no reason to disqualify us, and the fact is that our participation was approved. If we had been disqualified, it would have said a lot about the organizers. From the moment we were approved, we started making changes, and I went straight into the studio. There was one night when I only slept for 20 minutes, and if I didn't love what I'm doing, I wouldn't have survived that. When the camera is on, I'm at my peak."
Q: You also seem like someone who doesn't complain.
"A lot of people tell me that, but I don't notice it. During one of our fittings, I had blue marks on my shoulders, and the stylist, Itai Bitzaleli, asked me, 'What's that?' I told him it was from the dress. He was in shock that I didn't complain at all. I told him, 'The dress is beautiful but a bit heavy, no big deal.'"
Q: What color will you wear in the final?
"White, but there are all kinds of shades of white.
On her protection
"I'm traveling there on April 28, and it still doesn't feel real to me. As far as I'm concerned, it was just yesterday that I won 'The Next Star'. I'm a total control freak, I always want to know what's planned for me, what the schedule is, and what it will look like – and in this case, I don't know anything.
"I don't know what to expect, but I'm preparing myself for bad things that will happen too, for the worst, so I'll be ready for any scenario. There will be increased security this year, and I'm letting them handle everything related to security and protests. I believe they will protect us and not let us go to places where there is danger.
Q: You received explicit threats to your life, prompting the contest organizers to issue a condemnation of hateful or harassing messages aimed at artists and anyone involved in the contest
"I feel protected with the delegation and trust the security guards. As far as I'm concerned, I'm focused on doing my best on stage and not on everything surrounding it. There will undoubtedly be protests and voices against us, more than ever this year, but I have the pressure of the competition, so I'm trying to let go. I may be young, but I know to say that everything in life comes at a price. I wanted Eurovision, and this is the price of representing the country. There have been other things in my life that I paid a high price for, like not having a normal childhood, but if that's the price – I'm going for it wholeheartedly."
On past Israeli Eurovision performers
"Noa Kirel is an inspiration. Her performance at Eurovision and the results were amazing. She's an abnormally hard worker, and I sympathize with her. I, too, am a workaholic when it comes to work. I've known Noa since her first song, but I only started really following her and her music in recent years.
"I met her and got to know her. We may not have sat down for coffee, but from what I did get to know her, she's an amazing and very warm person."
Q: Did you ask her for advice?
"When I asked her, the first thing she said to me was, 'Why do you need advice from me?' But we did talk about the situation, about the strict schedules. And it's insane that she trusts me."
Q:Have you met Netta Barzilai?
"No, but Netta is talented, special, and full of energy. I started following 'The Next Star' in the season she won. I remember her performance at Eurovision and the win – it was amazing.
On Passover
"We do the Seder every year, and even in Moscow, we insisted on it. This year, I'll be a guest at my aunt's Seder. I'm not able to host because then I'll get anxious from the pressure of it not being perfect. I love preparing things in the kitchen, I make sushi, jachnun, and more.
On her career
"I'm glad that people are finally appreciating and seeing what I've been working toward and am still working toward. At first, no one knew who I was. I had a hundred views a day on TikTok on a good day and two likes if I was lucky. Today, I'm proud of myself, crazy about what I do. I feel like I was born for this field, to help people and convey a message, to make them feel something.
On her rise
"The fame was the moment when I felt that all my hard work paid off. I worked for years to get to this moment – and it happened. Even in Moscow I was famous, but here it's much more. The warmth of the people here doesn't exist anywhere else, and it's a privilege to share my talent with them especially.
"My first audition on 'The Next Star' was insane, and I got a lot of reactions to it. For the first time on the show, it was 100%. I have to say that I still feel like I'm in a dream. I haven't processed this win yet, on the show, and I can't even begin to comprehend that I will be in Sweden soon.
"Today, I'm recognized everywhere, and even when I try to hide, put on sunglasses, and pull my pink hair back – it doesn't work. Even when I was at the health clinic, you published a photo of me from the clinic."
Q: Do you suffer from it or enjoy it?
"Fame is part of the career, and I knew it would come. At the end of the day, these are the people who brought me to victory and helped me get to where I am. They give me love, and I'm all for giving love back. There may be moments when I leave the aesthetician, all red, and I don't feel like being stopped, but even then I stopped and it was nice and posed for photos."
Q: Have you encountered bad reviews?
"People will always talk, and that's legitimate, but it's better than them not talking at all. Even trolls can respond however they want, and I try not to read comments, but if I did happen to read them, it doesn't get to me. If I take it personally, that's not good.
On the IDF
"I still haven't enlisted in the army, and when I return from Eurovision, I'll report for my first call-up. In the first year as a returning resident, they don't call you, but that year passed and I was summoned – and my draft was postponed because of Eurovision. Doing army service is a mission, and I want to take the auditions to the military bands.
On her tattoos
"I have six tattoos. One tattoo is 22:22, the time I was born at night, and I feel like this number accompanies me. I keep encountering this number. Even this holiday supplement is coming out on April 22. My parents' birthdays are tattooed on my hands, and there are a few other small tattoos. I really love tattoos with thin lines. There was a time when I wanted to fill my entire arm, but I'm glad I didn't do that."
Q: Why tattoos related to your parents?
"Because they are with me all the time. I live for my parents. They don't overprotect me, but I feel secure with them, and I'm glad I have someone to fall back on in difficult moments. They brought me into this world, and they're the ones who always believe in me. I don't know how I would get through everything without them.
"During the filming of 'The Next Star,' they told us not to come with companions, and at first I was worried, but in retrospect, it turned out to be good because I saw that I'm capable of doing it alone too."
On interviews
"I take into account that at Eurovision there will be complex interviews with questions about the situation in the country. It will be a challenge to prepare for, but ultimately all I can say is the truth. I'll be ready for any question, and I also don't intend to be interviewed everywhere, like they did in previous years, but only in specific places. I know they'll look for headlines and dig, but I'll arrive prepared.
On the judges in "The Next Star"
"I've known Shiri Maimon for many years, and one of the songs I sang in the room on 'The Next Star' was 'The Silence That Remains.' If anyone finds that video – that's the end for me. And suddenly she was the judge evaluating my singing. It was coming full circle for me, to sing in front of a singer who was an inspiration for me at the start of my career.
"Keren Peles is an amazing writer and creator, and it was wonderful to work with her in the studio on 'Hurricane.' I can't say I'm familiar with all her songs, or that I delved into her work, but there are a few of her songs that I really love, and of course 'Hurricane,' which she wrote for me. I got to know an artist I have a lot to learn from, and we even have a WhatsApp group with all the creators of the song.
"Asaf Amdurski has never given me a red mark, and this is the first time a contestant didn't get a red mark from him. His opinion is very important to me."
On her hopes
Q: What result would you be satisfied with?
"If I don't make it to the Grand Final, I'll be disappointed, but I believe we will make it. In the end, the people watching the competition and loving it vote according to the music and the number on stage.
"Our song is being received much better than I thought it would, including in countries that don't really like us. We have an insane number, and it's going to be amazing. I'm trying to think positively, but not build up expectations so I don't get disappointed. I'm sitting here now imagining that moment, and it's insane."
Q: Suddenly this fun competition with the potential for an international career has become something heavy.
"I could have said, 'Ugh, too bad this happened to me,' but my mom always tells me, 'Eden, everything that happens is for the best,' and that guides me. You also can't know, maybe it's precisely because there's so much noise that it will work in our favor. As for my career, I believe there are many ways to succeed. If not here, there will be something else, and if so – perfect."
Q: Would you be satisfied with fifth place?
"I would want more."
Q: Fourth?
"More. Second place would be good, and first – the best. Because this is a different year, and not everything depends on me, I can't be affected by the result. I'll be happiest and proudest the moment I know I did my best. The moment I do my best, and – will, I'll be satisfied. I want to believe in the good, and that we'll succeed."
Q: Do you fantasize about winning?
"I allow myself to fantasize, and I go with it."
