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Israeli rising star Yuval Raphael, who won international acclaim as the runner-up at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, will perform a headline concert at the Tel Aviv Ganei Yehoshua Amphitheater on October 9, coinciding with the Sukkot holiday.
The announcement was made Wednesday morning, sparking excitement among fans eager to celebrate her remarkable achievements.
The 24-year-old singer became a household name this year after representing Israel in Basel, Switzerland, with her original song “New Day Will Rise.” The track, a stirring anthem of hope and resilience, captured the hearts of viewers across Europe, winning the audience vote and finishing second overall in the contest.
Raphael’s upcoming concert will see her return to Israel’s largest cultural stage. She is expected to perform “New Day Will Rise” along with songs she performed on The Next Star for Eurovision, the television talent competition that earned her the opportunity to represent Israel. Among those songs is her acclaimed rendition of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” which became a fan favorite.
Concert organizers have promised a wide-ranging setlist that will include some of Raphael’s unreleased material and feature several surprise guest appearances, though names have not yet been revealed.
The show will hold particular emotional significance for Raphael. Just two years ago, she survived the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 massacre at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel.
Raphael has spoken candidly about hiding in a bomb shelter during the attack, where many of those around her were killed. Since then, she has dedicated her performances to the victims, emphasizing her mission to honor their memory through her art.
“Every time I sing, I think about the people we lost that day,” Raphael said in a recent interview. “Music has become my way of keeping their spirit alive, and I hope audiences feel that energy.”
Her story of survival, resilience, and triumph has resonated widely, making her not just a musical figure but also a symbol of perseverance. The Tel Aviv concert will be the first large-scale performance she has headlined in Israel since her Eurovision success.
Industry observers suggest that the concert may mark the beginning of an international tour, as her rising profile in Europe has generated significant interest from promoters abroad. For now, however, the focus remains on Tel Aviv, where Raphael will stand before thousands of fans who have followed her extraordinary journey.
Tickets for the concert are expected to go on sale later this week, and demand is predicted to be high given Raphael’s soaring popularity and the emotional weight surrounding the event.
For many in Israel, the October 9 concert will serve as both a celebration of artistic success and a poignant reminder of survival and memory—fittingly staged during the Sukkot holiday, a festival of resilience and renewal.