I know it’s not a beauty contest but the first thing that struck me about Kobi was his face. It looks very mesmeric, but in a weird car crash kind of way, you can’t turn away from it.
Sadly though, his song seems to be a bit of a car crash too. I’m not sure the writers knew what to do when he won the seemingly inordinately long search for Israel’s artist, and I have a suspicion that “Home” would have been the title of any song.
It has a whiff of “You raise me up” at the start, but veers away from that at the last minute … although the hook of that song remains, as Kobi warbles his way in no particular direction.
The lyrics seem to be a personal justification of being and that’s all very well, but it’s not strong enough in the way “Rise like a Phoenix” was for me to buy into the song.
It’s very earnest, but it’s also a very long three minutes, and I do wish he’d pack up after two. The tune does nothing exceptional and it all feels very contrite and contrived.
Phil’s score 2 points
Those who know me, know I have a soft spot for the Israeli entries. When possible I will try and defend the Israeli entry. But now and than comes an entry I have difficulties to defend.
This is one of the cases. It is earnest but dull. I don’t hate it but think it’s going nowhere.
A classic case of the home entry where you know the broadcaster doesn’t want to win again.
What works for it is Kobi’s unique voice and the fact that live, he lifts the song and make you very emotional.
It’s fighting for the last place and if it will eventually happen, it will be the first time ever this happens(another trivia fact for your next Eurovision pub quiz), as Israel has never finished last. Second to last, several times, but never last.