Michael Ben David

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Michael Ben David

| native_name = מיכאל בן דוד

| native_name_lang = he

| image = File:Michael Ben David.jpg

| caption = Ben David in 2022

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|7|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Ashkelon, Israel

| genre = Pop

| occupation = Singer

| instrument = Vocals

| years_active = 2021–present

| website =

| image_size = 250

}}

Michael Ben David ({{Langx|he|מיכאל בן דוד}}, {{IPA|he|miχaˈʔel ben daˈvid|IPA}}; born 26 July 1996) is an Israeli singer who represented {{esccnty|Israel|y=2022|t=his country}} in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2022/02/05/michael-ben-david-wins-x-factor-israel-for-eurovision-2022-im/269370/|title=Michael Ben David will represent Israel at Eurovision 2022 with "I.M" after winning X Factor Israel|date=5 February 2022|website=Wiwibloggs|accessdate=5 February 2022|archive-date=23 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223214457/https://wiwibloggs.com/2022/02/05/michael-ben-david-wins-x-factor-israel-for-eurovision-2022-im/269370/|url-status=live}} 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.{{Cite web | url=https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-695679/amp | title=Michael Ben-David winning Israel's Eurovision contest divides fans | access-date=16 February 2022 | archive-date=24 February 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224084038/https://m.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-695679/amp | url-status=live }}{{cite web|last=Carter|first=William|date=2022-02-13|title=Israel: Five Things to Know About Michael Ben David|url=https://www.escunited.com/israel-five-things-to-know-about-michael-ben-david/|access-date=2021-12-14|website=ESCUnited|language=en-US|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215024620/http://www.escunited.com/israel-five-things-to-know-about-michael-ben-david/|url-status=live}} 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.{{cite web|last=Carter|first=William|date=2022-02-05|title=The Chosen People's Chosen Person is…Michael Ben David!|url=https://www.escunited.com/the-chosen-peoples-chosen-person-is-michael-ben-david/|access-date=2021-12-14|website=ESCUnited|language=en-US|archive-date=20 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220210626/https://www.escunited.com/the-chosen-peoples-chosen-person-is-michael-ben-david/|url-status=live}}

class="wikitable"

|+The X Factor Israel Performances

!Song

!Original Artist

rowspan="2" |Audition

|"Juice"

|Lizzo

"Ima" ({{lang|he|אמא}})

|Miri Mesika

Chairs

|"California Dreamin'"

|The Mamas & the Papas

rowspan="8" |Live Shows

|"It's a Sin"

|Pet Shop Boys

"Emor Shalom" ({{lang|he|אמור שלום}})

|Shokolad, Menta, Mastik

"Etz Yarok MiPlastic" ({{lang|he|עץ ירוק מפלסטיק}})

|Margalit Tzan'ani

"Gadal Li Ktzat Zakan" ({{lang|he|גדל לי קצת זקן}})

|Eden Hason

"Efes Ma'amatz" ({{lang|he|אפס מאמץ}})

|Static & Ben El feat. Netta Barzilai

"Bo'er Bi HaShinuy" ({{lang|he|בוער בי השינוי}})

|Marina Maximilian

"Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"

|ABBA

"Idontwannabeyouanymore"

|Billie Eilish

rowspan="2" |Song Selection

|"I.M"

| rowspan="2" |Michael Ben David

"Don't"

rowspan="2" |Final

|"Shnei Meshug'aim" ({{lang|he|שני משוגעים}})

|Omer Adam

"I.M"

|Michael Ben David

== 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. 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.{{Cite web |last=Granger |first=Anthony |date=2022-05-11 |title=🇮🇱 Israel: Michael Ben David Announces Engagement |url=https://eurovoix.com/2022/05/11/%F0%9F%87%AE%F0%9F%87%B1-israel-michael-ben-david-announces-engagement/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=Eurovoix |language=en-GB |archive-date=11 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511173959/https://eurovoix.com/2022/05/11/%F0%9F%87%AE%F0%9F%87%B1-israel-michael-ben-david-announces-engagement/ |url-status=live }}