Michael Ben David

Michael Ben David מיכאל בן דוד
Background information
Born	(1996-07-26) 26 July 1996 (age 27)
Origin	Israel
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	2021–present

Michael Ben David (Hebrew: מיכאל בן דוד, IPA: [miχaˈʔel ben daˈvid]; born 26 July 1996) is an Israeli singer who represented his country in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.^[1] He performed the song "I.M" in the second semifinal. Israel placed 13th in the semi-final failing to qualify to the grand Final.

Life and career

Ben David was born in 1996 as the second of six siblings, to a Georgian Jewish father and mother who immigrated to Israel from Kyiv, Ukraine.^[2][3] He started taking voice lessons and studying dance under Israeli choreographer Oz Morag at a young age. He also worked as a singing waiter at a Tel Aviv bar. After completing his mandatory military service he attended the Beit Zvi School of Performing Arts, which has produced a number of former Israeli Eurovision artists like Rita, Shiri Maimon, and Harel Skaat, graduating in 2020. During his time at the school, he acted in plays and musicals.

The X Factor Israel and Eurovision 2022

In October 2021, Michael Ben David auditioned for the fourth season of The X Factor Israel, which would be used to select Israel's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. Following a successful audition, he was paired up with Eurovision winner and Israeli popstar Netta. During the show he performed a number of songs, including ABBA's "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)", Billie Eilish's "Idontwannabeyouanymore" and Pet Shop Boy's "It's a Sin". Ben David went on to win the final with his song "I.M" and represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.^[4]

Personal life

As of 2022, Michael Ben David has been in a relationship with Roi Ram, whom he met while studying at Beit Zvi, for three years. The pair starred in a number of musicals together such as A Thousand and One Nights and King Solomon and Shlomo the Shoemaker, and the farce The Kitchen as well.^[3] Ram is still working in the musical theater world, working on a 2022 tour of an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. On the 11th of May 2022, the day before his Eurovision Song Contest 2022 semi-final, Ben David announced on Instagram that he had proposed to Ram in Turin, Italy, and that they were now engaged.^[5]

References