Netta Barzilai has won the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest for Israel with her song “Toy,” AP reported.

Barzilai, who was the favorite to win ahead of Saturday’s Grand Final, saw off competition from 42 other countries’ performers to claim the music extravaganza’s annual crown at a show in Lisbon, Portugal.

There was a strong field of contestants at this year’s event, which largely shed its traditional hallmarks of glitz and glitter in favor of a more restrained and tasteful tone.

The international contest began as a competition between European countries, but its huge popularity has led to the inclusion of Israel and Australia among the performers. </s> LISBON (Reuters) - Israel’s Netta Barzilai won the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon on Saturday, bringing Israel its fourth victory in the glitzy pageant, watched by over 200 million people around the world, and the right to host the event next year.

“Next time in Jerusalem!” Barzilai, a smiling 25-year-old live looping artist shouted after being named the winner. “I’m so happy! Thank you for accepting differences between us. Thank you for celebrating diversity!”

She won with a lively dance mix, singing “I’m Not Your Toy” that has a women’s empowerment twist, beating Cypriot entry Eleni Foureira with her fiery Latin pop song “Fuego”.

Cyprus and Israel had been the bookmakers’ favorites going into the 63rd edition of the Eurovision contest, which was hosted in the Portuguese capital Lisbon. </s> Netta Barzilai is sassy, she’s fun and she can sing — and now the Israeli has won the Eurovision Song Contest with a catchy techno dance tune about women’s empowerment.

The 25-year-old pre-competition favorite beat out competition from 42 other countries’ performers Saturday to claim the music extravaganza’s annual crown at the Grand Final with her song “Toy.”

There was a strong field of contestants at this year’s event in Lisbon, Portugal, which was watched by an estimated 200 million people. The votes coming in live from the capitals of participating countries delivered a tense finale, with Israel gripped in a tight, five-way race with Cyprus, Austria, Sweden and Germany.

Barzilai eventually racked up 529 points, compared with 436 for runner-up Cyprus with “Fuego” by Eleni Foureira, and 342 for third-place Austria with Cesar Sampson’s “Nobody But You.”

The contest largely shed its traditional hallmarks of glitz and glitter in favor of a more restrained and tasteful tone in Lisbon, which was hosting the event because it won last year with Salvador Sobral’s sober and subdued ballad “Amar pelos Dois.”

Sobral last week criticized “Toy” as “horrible music,” insisting the focus should be on the music and not the spectacle. But Barzilai, with her Asian-themed show in red and yellow and her dancers doing funky chicken moves, was unrepentant.

“I’m happy people chose something different. It’s refreshing,” she said. “I believe authenticity (shows) through.” Her win — Israel’s fourth and first since 1998 — means her country hosts next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

“Next time in Jersualem!” Barzilai shouted to the audience as she picked up her award. The international contest began as a competition between European countries, but its huge popularity has led to the inclusion of Israel and Australia among the performers.

Barzilai, known more usually as Netta, has a witty and endearing personality. Before the Grand Final, her song had already racked up more than 20 million views on Eurovision’s YouTube channel.

In “Toy,” Netta makes funny noises, including a clucking sound like a chicken and barely decipherable words, and uses a looping machine and synthesizer. The lyrics say, “I’m not your toy, You stupid boy, I’ll take you down.”

Portugal came last, with 39 points. Fans caught their breath when a protester ran onto the stage and snatched away the microphone of the United Kingdom’s contestant SuRie.

The man got hold of the microphone but was quickly tackled by security and taken away while SuRie stood by. The British singer kept her composure and picked up her song where she left off.

Previous editions of the annual event have also witnessed protesters getting onto the stage. The event is organized by the European Broadcasting Union, an alliance of public service broadcasters. In each participating country, a jury and viewers award between one and a maximum 12 points to their favorite songs. Those votes are combined to give each country a single score.

Past winners have rarely become household names, but they include Swedish pop group ABBA and Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias.

For all the latest Entertainment News, download Indian Express App </s> LISBON — Israel's Netta Barzilai won the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon on Saturday, bringing Israel its fourth victory in the glitzy pageant, watched by over 200 million people around the world, and the right to host the event next year.

"Next time in Jerusalem!" Barzilai, a smiling 25-year-old live looping artist shouted after being named the winner. "I'm so happy! Thank you for accepting differences between us. Thank you for celebrating diversity!"

Wearing a Japanese-style kimono and geisha hairdo, she won with a lively dance mix, singing "I’m Not Your Toy" that has a women's empowerment twist, beating Cypriot entry Eleni Foureira with her fiery Latin pop song "Fuego."

"I believe that authenticity passes through," said Barzilai, who has previously described the message of her song as being about female power and justice, but with a happy, colourful vibe. Her instantly recognisable song began with Barzilai mimicking chicken clucking sounds to loud cheers from fans.

She normally uses a voice looping machine during her live shows, but not in the Eurovision contest where her backing vocalists produced a similar effect.

The Saturday night show had been briefly marred by a protester with a backpack who ran onto the stage and grabbed the microphone from British contestant SuRie. She quickly recomposed and continued to sing her song Storm a few moments later.

The man was arrested by police, said organizers, lamenting the incident.

Cyprus and Israel had been the bookmakers’ favourites going into the 63rd edition of the Eurovision contest, which was hosted in the Portuguese capital.

Israel made its debut in the contest in 1971 and had previously won in 1978, 1979 and 1998.

Other hopefuls with a social message included French duo Madame Monsieur, clad in black, with their song "Mercy", inspired by the story of a Nigerian refugee who gave birth to a baby girl aboard a boat that rescued her and hundreds of other refugees trying to cross to Europe. The baby's name is Mercy.

Lisbon hosted Eurovision for the first time this year after Portugal’s Salvador Sobral won last year’s contest in Ukraine.

The event was broadcast from the 20,000-capacity Altice Arena and projected simultaneously on giant screens on the city’s main Commerce Square overlooking the Tagus river, where thousands of music lovers from all over the world partied and cheered for their countries.

Tens of thousands of visitors further boosted the record tourist numbers in the city, where pop star Madonna fixed her residence last year. Lodging bookings had jumped by up to 80 percent in Eurovision week and officials expected the event publicity to lure more foreigners. </s> Barzilai, 25, won singing "Toy," written and produced by Doron Medalie and Stav Beger. Barzilai has an "extensive background in music," according to Eurovision's website. She studied music in high school and at Israel's Rimon School of Music.

Barzilai thanked her fans Saturday in a video on Eurovision's Twitter account.

"Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for choosing different. Thank you for choosing daring. I love you, keep that going. Do good to others, be good to yourselves," she said, ending her smiling remarks with, "That's about it, let's party!"

This year's contest was broadcast from Lisbon, Portugal.

Here it is, the final results for #Eurovision Song Contest 2018! #ESC2018 #AllAboard pic.twitter.com/FcXZVR6zod — Eurovision (@Eurovision) May 12, 2018 Cyprus took home second place in this year's competition and Austria came in third. is staged by the public broadcasters that are members of the European Broadcasting Union, which stretches from western Europe to the Balkans and Russia -- and also includes Israel. is staged by the public broadcasters that are members of the European Broadcasting Union, which stretches from western Europe to the Balkans and Russia -- and also includes Israel. Eurovision is staged by the public broadcasters that are members of the European Broadcasting Union, which stretches from western Europe to the Balkans and Russia -- and also includes Israel. This is the 63rd year of the competition, according to the contest's website. </s> TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Latest on the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest (all times local):

The Netherlands is the winner of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest.

Duncan Laurence's doleful piano ballad "Arcade" was tapped as an early front-runner before Saturday's Grand Final. But it had to rely on the fan vote to secure the country's fifth win in the competition. Italy finished second, followed by Russia, Switzerland and Norway.

Some 200 million people around the world were expected to watch the annual campy contest with 26 nations battling to be crowned Europe's best pop act.

Europe's ultimate pop extravaganza is hosting the Queen of Pop.

Madonna was the special guest Saturday at the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv where 26 nations were battling to be crowned Europe's best pop act. Some 200 million people around the world are expected to be watching the annual campy contest.

Israel earned the right to host the show after Netta Barzilai carried off last year's prize with her spunky pop anthem "Toy."

Madonna had faced calls to boycott the event by a Palestinian-led campaign. But she rejected them, saying she will "never stop playing music to suit someone's political agenda."

Madonna performed her hit song, "Like a Prayer," marking 30 years to its release, and a new song "Future" from her forthcoming album "Madame X."

The 26 contestants in the Grand Final of the 64th Eurovision Song Contest have finished their acts.

Now the voting gets underway. To maximize onscreen tension, performers are picked Saturday by a mix of fan votes and professional juries from the participating countries. Spectators cannot vote for their own country, but like-minded countries tend to fall into blocs that back their regional favorites.

Israel earned the right to host the show after Netta Barzilai won last year with her spunky pop anthem "Toy."

The Netherlands has been tapped as an early front-runner for Duncan Laurence's doleful piano ballad "Arcade." Other favorites include Switzerland's energetic "She Got Me," sung by Luca Hänni, Sweden's soulful "Too Late for Love," sung by John Lundvik, and Australia's breathy act, "Zero Gravity," by Kate Miller-Heidke.

Iceland's controversial steampunk band Hatari has concluded their live performance without incident.

The band had drawn attention in Israel by initially vowing to stay out, saying it would be "absurd" to participate in Israel because of its policies toward the Palestinians. Later, they vowed to use the Eurovision spotlight to expose the "face of the occupation." But at a press conference after the semifinal, Hatari offered a purely positive message. "We need to unite and remember to love," it said, in the wake of "hate that's on the rise in Europe."

In Saturday's final they belted out their grinding metal rock to cheers from the audience. They are not a favorite to win.

Calls for performers to boycott the show have failed to generate much momentum.

Israel's prime minister has called the country's Eurovision representative to wish him luck in the contest.

Benjamin Netanyahu's office says he spoke to Kobi Marimi Saturday night to tell him the "the entire nation is supporting you."

Marimi, with his song "Home," is considered a long shot to win. He has a tough act to follow after Netta Barzilai won it all for Israel last year with her spunky pop anthem "Toy."

Israel has won the Eurovision four previous times and it has provided the country with some cultural touchstones. "Hallelujah" became the country's unofficial national song after Milk and Honey won the contest Israel hosted in the late 1970s, and Dana International became a national hero and global transgender icon when she won with "Diva" in 1998.

The Grand Final of the 64th Eurovision Song Contest is under way.

Europe's annual music extravaganza will crown one of 26 entries with dreams of following in the footsteps of past winners such as Swedish pop icons ABBA and Celine Dion, who represented Switzerland.

The show is taking place at Tel Aviv's Expo Center, starting at 10 p.m. Saturday (1900 GMT.) Some 200 million people around the world are expected to be watching.

Israel earned the right to host the show after Netta Barzilai carried off last year's prize with her spunky pop anthem "Toy."

The show of European unity brings together acts from 41 countries, including those with little connection to Europe, such as Australia.

The final round's winner will be influenced by TV viewers casting votes via text message. </s> Netta from Israel, center, reacts as votes are announced during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018. Netta from Israel, center, reacts as votes are announced during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018.

Netta from Israel performs the song 'Toy' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Netta from Israel performs the song 'Toy' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Netta from Israel reacts as she wins the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018. Netta from Israel reacts as she wins the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018.

Netta from Israel celebrates after winning the Eurovision song contest in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Netta from Israel celebrates after winning the Eurovision song contest in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Netta from Israel, right, receives the trophy by Salvador Sobral after winning the Eurovision song contest in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Netta from Israel, right, receives the trophy by Salvador Sobral after winning the Eurovision song contest in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Elina Nechayeva from Estonia performs the song 'La Forza' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Elina Nechayeva from Estonia performs the song 'La Forza' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

A man takes the microphone of SuRie from Great Britain, right, as a security staff approaches in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. A man takes the microphone of SuRie from Great Britain, right, as a security staff approaches in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Cesar Sampson from Austria performs the song 'Nobody But You' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Cesar Sampson from Austria performs the song 'Nobody But You' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Cesar Sampson from Austria performs the song 'Nobody But You' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Cesar Sampson from Austria performs the song 'Nobody But You' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Benjamin Ingrosso from Sweden celebrates when a voting is announced in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Benjamin Ingrosso from Sweden celebrates when a voting is announced in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final.

Cesar Sampson from Austria performs the song 'Nobody But You' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. Cesar Sampson from Austria performs the song 'Nobody But You' in Lisbon, Portugal, Saturday, May 12, 2018 during the Eurovision Song Contest grand final. </s> Understatement alert! Between 25-year-old Netta Barzilai’s big win for Israel at Eurovision over the weekend and the official relocation of the American Embassy to Jerusalem on Monday, this is shaping up to be a very a big week for Israel. Americans tend to lag behind the rest of the world in Eurovision awareness the same way we still don’t quite “get” all the fuss about soccer, but in much of Europe and certainly in Israel it’s HUGE. The whole country rallies behind its chosen contestant, who is seen as representing a more human and much less politically freighted image of Israel. Consider that before Barzilai took to the stage in Lisbon she got a phone call from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who told her "you have an entire country behind you."

But if truth be told political considerations are never very far from anything in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a leader of whom it can safely be said has had his hands full these past few weeks, opened his weekly cabinet meeting with a linguistic tip of the hat to the country's new star—and even flapped his way into a cabinet meeting with a brief chicken dance. Barzilai’s song Toy is a frenetic, Taylor Swift-esque ode to female empowerment (“I’m not your toy/you stupid boy!”), with references to Björk and Japanese pop culture (as well as the chicken dance for good measure). On learning of her win ecstatic fans were jumping into fountains in Tel Aviv in the middle of the night.

"The best part of the evening was when they called Cyprus as the second in the televote, meaning that Israel had won," said Kobi Hayat, a high-tech professional and self-professed Eurovision fanatic who had flown to Lisbon to cheer Israel's entrant on. "But the victory also means acceptance of Israel and Israeli culture in Europe, and also of Netta's message of anti-bullying and the #MeToo movement."

That said, another dimension to the win, after the initial euphoria subsides, is that Jerusalem has just officially stolen some of the cultural thunder away from the Israeli city that’s more accustomed to generating it—namely, Tel Aviv. This is because traditionally the winning contestant’s home country, and generally its capital city, hosts what has morphed into a very glitzy extravaganza the following year. Israel hasn't won the contest since 1998 and images of likely Eurovision venues in Jerusalem have already been appearing on social media. Look for that buzz to keep building, as even Netanyahu has said, "Those who didn't want Jerusalem in the Eurovision now get Eurovision in Jerusalem."

Add to the social media outpouring the opening of the American Embassy in Jerusalem on Monday and there can be little doubt that in the decades-old brotherly rivalry between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, this week Jerusalem is pulling ahead. That doesn't mean tensions aren't still high (and Tel Aviv still has plenty to offer). President Donald Trump's initial announcement about the embassy move generated some jitters about traveling to Israel and to Jerusalem specifically, but so far they have mostly been unfounded. The reality on the ground is that even when the embassy was in Tel Aviv, much official business was conducted in Jerusalem because it had to be—regardless of where embassies are, it's the official seat of the Israeli government.

If you are headed to Jerusalem this week or planning to any time soon, note that security preparations for the embassy move have been methodical and exhaustive. Some experts and former officials, including Dan Shapiro who was Ambassador to Israel under President Obama, have argued that Trump's decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem may in the long run actually have a stabilizing impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That said, in the short term it may be prudent to avoid traditional flash points such as the Temple Mount, where tourist access can be fraught at the best of times.

From the vibrant Mahane Yehuda marketplace to the diverse holy sites such as the Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the truly fabulous Israel Museum, Jerusalem has plenty on offer to keep you busy—and more culturally enriched than ever. </s> Singer Duncan Laurence from the Netherlands has emerged victorious at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. The finals were held Saturday night in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The 25-year-old Laurence won the international competition with a song called "Arcade," which he co-wrote. The song is a sweet, emotional ballad that stands in contrast to Israeli singer Netta's wacky "Toy," which won in 2018.

Laurence, whose real name is Duncan de Moor, participated in the Dutch version of "The Voice" in 2014. He's also been writing for other performers, including the K-pop band TVXQ.

In all, 41 countries started out in this year's competition. The 26 finalists' songs included a number of power ballads alongside Duncan's, as well as perky, anodyne pop from artists like the Czech Republic's Lake Malawi and Denmark's Leonora; and aspiring club bangers from the artist Tamta, the singer representing Cyprus, and Belarus' Zena, among many others.

But because this is Eurovision, where camp appeal often outweighs other factors, there was also Serhat — a dentist turned-television impresario-turned singer, who channels Leonard Cohen at the disco and represented tiny San Marino — and Iceland's Hatari, which describes itself as an "anti-capitalist performance art group inspired by BDSM and anti-authoritarian dystopic aesthetics."

Hatari reportedly "tested the patience" of the European Broadcasting Union, which mounts Eurovision, in the week leading up to the finals by repeatedly speaking out against the Israeli government.

More widely, this year's event has been partly overshadowed by politics and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On Tuesday, hackers interrupted the Israeli live webcast of the first semi-final to warn, falsely, that the city of Tel Aviv was under attack. Israel's national broadcaster, Kan, blamed Hamas for the hacking. Palestinian activists unsuccessfully urged performers to boycott Eurovision 2019.

Organizers said the Eurovision finals were being watched by 200 million people across the globe. However, the show was not broadcast in the United States this year after the Logo TV network, which carried the 2016 to 2018 editions, chose not to pick up this year's contest.

Along with this year's competitors, other performers at Eurovision 2019 included previous winners Netta from Israel, who won in 2018, and 2014's winner, Conchita Wurst from Austria — as well Madonna, who performed "Like a Prayer," as well as her new, reggae-flavored song "Future" with Migos' Quavo.
Israeli singer Netta Barzilai wins the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon, Portugal, with her song Toy. This is Israel's first Eurovision win in the 21st century and fourth overall.