After a few years of poorer-than-ideal results, Israeli broadcaster IBA decided to revamp their selection process.  The resulting, reformed Kdam was larger than anything we’ve seen from the country, with 30 songs duking it out in a trio of semifinals and a Second Chance round.  Ten songs proceeded to the Final, where their fates were decided by a blend of jury votes and a public televote.

Tying for the win in the jury’s vote, and coming in joint second with the public, was Moran Mazor with “רק בשבילו” or “Rak Bishvilo (Only For Him)”. 

Moran, who will turn 22 the day after her Semifinal, was the winner of local reality show “אייל גולן קורא לך (Eyal Golan is Calling You)” in 2011.  This big-voiced, well-controlled power ballad is one of only three in her Semi (at this point), and Israel was fortunate enough to be drawn in the second half of the show.  We haven’t seen Israel in the Final since Harel Skaat’s “Milim” in 2010…could a return to the epic Hebrew ballad do for Mazor what it did for Harel, Boaz, and Shiri?

(Also, on a personal note, it’s always good to see a performer rocking a pair of glasses on stage…as a fellow lady of the bespectacled persuasion, I just have to say that if it worked for Marija Šerifović and Nana Mouskouri, it can work for us!  Get it, girl!)