Unicorn (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Unicorn"
The official cover for "Unicorn"
Single by Noa Kirel
Language
Released8 March 2023
GenrePop
Length2:51
Songwriter(s)
Noa Kirel singles chronology
"Gone"
(2023) 		"Unicorn"
(2023) 		"Provocative"
(2023)
Music video
"Unicorn" on YouTube
Eurovision Song Contest 2023 entry
Country
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
  • Doron Medalie
  • May Sfadia
  • Yinon Yahel
  • Noa Kirel
Finals performance
Semi-final result
3rd
Semi-final points
127
Final result
3rd
Final points
362
Entry chronology
◄ "I.M" (2022)
"Hurricane" (2024) ►
Official performance video
"Unicorn" (First Semi-Final) on YouTube
"Unicorn" (Grand Final) on YouTube

"Unicorn" is a song by Israeli singer-songwriter Noa Kirel, released on 8 March 2023.[1] It was written and composed by Doron Medalie, May Sfadia, Yinon Yahel and Noa Kirel. Described as a pop song and sung in Hebrew and English, it represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 after the artist was internally selected by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (IPBC/Kan), Israel's broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest.[2][3] At the Eurovision grand final the song finished in 3rd place with 362 points. It topped the charts in Israel and was a top ten hit in Finland, Greece, Iceland and Lithuania.

Background and composition[edit]

In an analysis by Wiwibloggs writer William Lee Adams, the song is reported as a song that promotes inner strength and perseverance for women. The unicorn is a possible reference to the re'em, an animal that is referenced in the Hebrew Bible as a symbol of strength. In the song, Kirel states about her desire to harness the "power of a unicorn", saying that it will be "phenomenal and feminine", mixing the two words together in lines of the song.[4]

In an interview with I24NEWS, Kirel stated that her experiences as a 13-year-old inspired the making of the song. As a 13-year-old, when Kirel was starting her musical career, she stated that "I got a lot of criticism about what I was doing as a young woman and artist. At that time, I felt everybody was trying to put me down." She would describe that she had found a "horn" that she needed to embrace. Kirel stated that the song was also promoting "coexistence and togetherness", which, according to I24NEWS, was a reference to Israel's negative image among much of the international community.[5]

Eurovision Song Contest[edit]

Main article: Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023

Internal selection[edit]

A special committee consisting of members from Kan, music editors and external representatives each suggested two artists from 78 initially considered based on airplay on Gimel and Galgalatz, and nominees for Singer of the Year and Group of the Year awards in 2019, 2020 and 2021.[6][7] On 11 July 2022, Kan announced that Noa Kirel had topped the list with Mergui placing second.[8][9] Despite Kirel stating the following day that she and her team had yet to make a decision, Israeli television channel HaHadashot 12 (part of Channel Keshet 12) reported in early August 2022 that the invitation had been accepted by the singer, which was later confirmed during a press conference held at the Hotel Carlton in Tel Aviv on 10 August 2022.[10]

On 17 January 2023, Kirel revealed that her song for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 would be titled Unicorn.[11] The song was premiered on 8 March, during a special televised broadcast titled HaShir Shelanu La'Eurovizion ("Our Song for the Eurovision") on Israel's official channel of Kan 11 , as well as online via its own website kan.org.il.[12]

At Eurovision[edit]

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. An allocation draw was held on 31 January 2023, which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, and determined which half of the show they would perform in. Israel had been placed into the first semi-final held on 9 May 2023, and performed in the second half of the show.[13] The song advanced to the Final held on 13 May, where it was again drawn to perform in the second half of the show, and performed 23rd.[14] "Unicorn" finished in 3rd-place, based on a televote-jury combination, gaining 185 points for the 5th-place with the public, and 177 points for the 2nd-place with the juries.[15][16]

Promotion[edit]

Noa Kirel (right), President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal Herzog, demonstrate the "Unicorn" gesture during an honorary visit of hers at the President's House of the State of Israel in 2023

To promote the song, Kirel was featured with the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, along with the First Lady of Israel, Michal Herzog. In interviews, Kirel was stated that she would show "chutzpah" during her Eurovision performance.[17][18]

Critical reception[edit]

Reception to "Unicorn" was mixed. Einav Schiff, a writer for Israeli news site Ynet, wrote a neutral review on the song itself, saying that the song itself lacked originality. While Schiff praised the music video made for the song, Schiff would state that they felt the song lacked "courage and soul", saying that "Unicorn" had sampled numerous songs, including Loreen's "Euphoria" and David Bowie's "Life on Mars". Schiff would also state that he felt Kirel's performance of the song was "lackluster".[19]

Wiwibloggs, a Eurovision fan site, would give the song a 6.58 out of 10 rating in its annual Wiwi Jury, a jury that consists of numerous Wiwibloggs writers.[20]

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "Unicorn"
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[21] 43
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[22] 84
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[23] 10
Global Excl. US (Billboard)[24] 153
Greece International (IFPI)[25] 3
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[26] 7
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 37
Israel (Media Forest)[28] 1
Latvia (LAIPA)[29] 19
Lithuania (AGATA)[30] 6
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 74
Norway (VG-lista)[32] 30
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[33] 21
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 27
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 46
UK Singles (OCC)[36] 45

References[edit]

  1. ^ Adams, William Lee (8 March 2023). "Noa Kirel reveals "Unicorn" — Israel's Eurovision 2023 song for Liverpool". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  2. ^ Boker, Ran (11 July 2022). "נועה קירל נבחרה לייצג את ישראל באירוויזיון 2023" [Noa Kirel was chosen to represent Israel at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest]. Ynet. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  3. ^ Adams, William Lee (10 August 2022). "Israel: Noa Kirel confirms Eurovision 2023 participation". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. ^ Adams, William Lee (8 March 2023). "Noa Kirel reveals "Unicorn" — Israel's Eurovision 2023 song for Liverpool". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  5. ^ Elen, Mor (26 April 2023). "Noa Kirel talks Eurovision, power of the 'Unicorn' with i24NEWS". I24NEWS. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  6. ^ Farren, Neil (12 June 2022). "Israel: Eurovision 2023 Entrant to Be Internally Selected". Eurovoix. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  7. ^ Farren, Neil (11 July 2022). "🇮🇱 Israel: Noa Kirel to Eurovision 2023". Eurovoix. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  8. ^ Boker, Ran (11 July 2022). "נועה קירל נבחרה לייצג את ישראל באירוויזיון 2023" [Noa Kirel was chosen to represent Israel at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest]. Ynet. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
  9. ^ Adams, William Lee (15 July 2022). ""I don't see myself in Eurovision" — Mergui appears to decline potential song contest offer from Israel". Wiwibloggs. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  10. ^ Zeikner, Avi (12 July 2022). "נועה קירל באירוויזיון 2023? "אולי"! - אירוויזיון 2023" [Noa Kirel at Eurovision 2023? "Maybe"]. EuroMix (in Hebrew). Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  11. ^ Boker, Ran (17 January 2023). "נבחר השיר של נועה קירל לאירוויזיון 2023: כל הפרטים" [Noa Kirel's song was selected for Eurovision 2023: all the details]. Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  12. ^ "נועה קירל: "השיר לאירוויזיון כמעט מוכן, עדיין לא שמעו..." [Noa Kirel: "The song for Eurovision is almost ready, they haven't heard it yet..."]. N12. 16 January 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  13. ^ Groot, Evert (31 January 2023). "Eurovision 2023: Allocation Draw results". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Eurovision 2023: The Grand Final running order". Eurovision.tv. EBU. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
  15. ^ Brown, Hannah (14 May 2023). "Israel's Noa Kirel takes third place in Eurovision 2023". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  16. ^ "Eurovision 2023 Results: Voting & Points". eurovisionworld.com. Eurovision World. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  17. ^ Washak, James (28 April 2023). "🇮🇱 Israel: Noa Kirel Met the Israeli President Ahead of Departure to Eurovision". Eurovoix. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  18. ^ "Noa Kirel tells Israel's president she will show 'hutzpa' at Eurovision 2023". I24NEWS. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  19. ^ Schiff, Einav (9 March 2023). "Israeli Noa Kirel's 'Unicorn' is nothing rare and unique". Ynet. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  20. ^ "Wiwi Jury: Israel's Noa Kirel with "Unicorn"". Wiwibloggs. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  21. ^ "Single Charts vom 23. Mai 2023". Ö3 Austria Top 40. 8 November 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  22. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202320 into search. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  23. ^ "Noa Kirel: Unicorn" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  24. ^ "Billboard Global Excl. US: Week of May 27, 2023". Billboard. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  25. ^ "IFPI Charts". ifpi.gr. Archived from the original on 25 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
  26. ^ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. 20 May 2023. Archived from the original on 20 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  28. ^ "מדיה פורסט - המצעד הישראלי השבועי" [Media Forest - Israeli Weekly Chart]. Media Forest Israel. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  29. ^ "Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 20. nedēļa" (in English and Latvian). LAIPA. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  30. ^ "2023 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Noa Kirel – Unicorn" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Singel 2023 uke 20". VG-lista. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  33. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 12.05.2023–18.05.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  35. ^ "Noa Kirel – Unicorn". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  36. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
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