Have you ever wondered what goes through a performer’s mind during Eurovision week/fortnight? Do they ever get nervous? Do they think they’re out of their depth? Or do you think feel totally at ease?
Some will thrive on the nerves and the pressure and not show it. They can mask it all, give a faultless performance, and then go completely to pieces after their work is done. What you don’t want to do is miss those vital notes mid-performance. Today’s birthday boy הראל סקעת/Harel Skaat went to Oslo with a big big ballad and high hopes – even though it wasn’t a year ending in ‘8’. His rehearsals went really well and easily made it through toe Grand Final, even beating Sweden. Then, bagging a spot near the end of the Saturday night running order, there seemed to come a point when the nerves took hold. He still finished ahead of almost half the field (and some very dodgy performances), and his big ballad has become an Israeli classic. But it just goes to show that you have to keep your nerve for the whole tiring fortnight.
Harel is 39 today.
!יום הולדת שמח, הראל