Eden Golan is already used to hostile environments, physical violence and antisemitism, so performing in Eurovision in Malmo – one of the most antisemitic cities in the world – shouldn't be a challenge. Golan moved to Moscow at the age of six because of her father's work and was bullied for being different. "On the bus, the kids would take my seat and say, 'You have no place, get out of here.' Let's just say that school did not leave me with good memories," she said.
Why did all this happen?
"I think it was jealousy. I started singing and appearing on TV. I was an excellent student, especially in math, so they let me skip a grade in that subject. Studies were my escape. I had no friends, nothing, just studying and practicing all the time. There was occasional company. I always felt lonely."
Do you think it was antisemitism?
"At that age, it was hard for me to associate it with that word. Today, now that I understand what it means to be Jewish and Israeli, I wouldn't be surprised if they hated me for that too. I remember that at school one day they wrote 'Jews' with a poop emoji. So obviously that's antisemitism, but you can't know that at such a young age."
The Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, will kick off next Tuesday in Malmo with the first semifinal. The second semifinal will take place on Thursday and will include Eden Golan, and the final will air live on the following Saturday. If everything goes according to plan and Eurovision experts' predictions are accurate, Golan will stand on stage in the finals with the song "Hurricane."
Hurricane by Eden Golan
(Video: KAN)
Every year Israeli representatives encounter pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitism, and this time Golan lands in Europe while Israel is at war. Historically, the atmosphere is tense in times of war with Israel already highly disadvantaged in the contest. Moreover, the Swedes chose to host the Eurovision specifically in Malmo, a major Islamic stronghold in Europe.
Eden Golan will attend the contest surrounded by the most security ever since Israel's participation in Eurovision in 1974, after the Yom Kippur War of 1973. "I have received all kinds of threats on social media," she said. "One day someone to me: 'You'll die, we'll kill you, don't come.' Threats are unpleasant. I wasn't ready for all this when I thought about music, but now I am. I focus on other things that will keep me safe in Malmo, and we're here for a much bigger purpose than just Eurovision."
"I feel these days it's not just a music competition. I come to make our voices heard all over the world at an important time. To show that we are strong but broken, that we've gone through something that no country and no people should go through, and to explain that no one can understand what we've been through unless they were here and experienced it up close. It's very important that they see Israel here," she added.
Golan was forced to stomach changes in the "Hurricane" song imposed by the European Broadcasting Union due to the song being "political" and related to the October 7 Hamas massacre. "We had already recorded and filmed the first clip with the last version's words, and then they said the words needed to be changed. I didn't fully agree with that, but I focused on what we could do to make the song happen, to ensure Israel's participation," she said.
"At midnight that day, I went to the studio, and we sat down late at night and fixed the words. I arrived at the studio, played with the words a little more, and was there until 3 a.m. to record the new song - and by 5 a.m., I was in hair and makeup for the new clip. I slept about 25 minutes that day," she added.
Golan also opens up about an abusive past relationship with an older man. "It started very well, but ended with abuse," she revealed. "It was really bad. He used to belittle me. He used to say to me, 'You're nothing, worth nothing, you won't succeed in life.' The most poisonous things that took away my confidence. He made me feel like I was not worth enough. All the time he brought me down. But I believe that one day my prince will come. No one has touched my heart to this day."