How Israel's Eurovision contestant has faced death threats and fears of a terror attack, but declares: 'I'm not worried - but I am prepared'

With her cheekbones reaching to the studio gantry and magenta dye streaking her dark brown mane, Eden Golan looked every bit the Eurovision starlet as she rehearsed her country’s entry ahead of this week’s song contest. Eden Golan has endured a barrage of death threats as Israel's entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest Eden has become a lightning rod for hate since the invasion of Gaza in response to the Hamas atrocities of Ocober 7 It’s an intimidating prospect for the most seasoned performer, let alone a young singer. The original iteration of Eden's piano-backed ballad Hurricane was called October Rain and was a barely disguised tribute to the victims of the Hamas terrorist attack last year Eden's parents hail from the former Soviet Union, while she was born in Kfar Saba, central Israel Swedish protesters hold a placard calling for a boycott of Israel at a demonstration outside Malmo's City Hall against the country's participation in the Eurovision song contest ‘I was going through a roller-coaster of emotions,’ Eden says. But when they said we had to change the lyrics, I said: “Let’s do everything possible to make it happen.” ‘I feel like us participating in Eurovision this year is very important, and has much more meaning than any other year.’ Olly Alexander represents the UK at the Nordic Eurovision Party concert in Stockholm on April 14 After several revisions, Eden's song October Rain was renamed as Hurricane and now tells the story of a woman emerging from a personal crisis Eden says she was shocked and confused by the controversy over the song's lyrics After several revisions, October Rain was renamed as Hurricane and now tells the story of a woman emerging from a personal crisis. ‘Once, I got told to change my Jewish-sounding name: “You won’t get far with that name.” Some of the kids in my school would draw a poop emoji next to the word “Jews” on the whiteboard.’ Eden’s family had always intended to return to Israel one day and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provided the catalyst.