Dana International won the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest in Birmingham, performing “Diva” for Israel. The song received 172 points and finished first among 25 entries, giving Israel its third victory after “A-Ba-Ni-Bi” (1978) and “Hallelujah” (1979).
The performance and result
“Diva” was composed by Tzvika Pick, with lyrics by Yoav Ginai. Dana International, born Sharon Cohen in Tel Aviv, was already a successful Israeli pop singer when selected to represent Israel. At the final on May 9, 1998, she wore a striking black outfit designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and performed the uptempo song with a group of backing singers. The official Birmingham 1998 final scoreboard lists Israel first with 172 points; the contest profile identifies Dana International and “Diva” as the winner.
The win made Dana International the first transgender and openly LGBTQ winner of Eurovision, as the official Israel profile records. That fact became a defining part of international coverage of the result, alongside the song and performance. The factual point does not require claiming that one contest result transformed laws or attitudes across countries.
From Birmingham to Jerusalem
Israel’s victory meant that the next contest was held in Jerusalem in 1999. Dana International returned to the Eurovision stage at the 1999 final as a guest performer, singing “Free” during the interval. Her win remains one of the four Israeli victories, alongside “A-Ba-Ni-Bi,” “Hallelujah” and Netta’s “Toy.” See the full list of Israeli winners and Israel’s three host cities and years.