Earlier this year, when Israeli singer Eden Golan performed at Eurovision,”she was forced to sing over a chorus of boos from anti-Zionists in the crowd who opposed her participation in the song contest because of their opposition toward Israel’s war in Gaza. When Golan appeared at Milken East Campus for a powerful three-song concert performance on Nov. 4, the reception was decidedly more friendly and welcoming.
At the Milken East Campus, in fact, there was nothing but love and adoration for the young singer.
Taking the stage at the Gindi Auditorium around 7:30 p.m., before a sold-out crowd of Milken Community School supporters, alumni and community members, Golan kicked off her three-song set with a cover of “Rise Up,” an inspirational ballad by artist Andra Day.
She then debuted her recently released single, “Older,” which she explained was about the way experiences such as those endured by Israelis over the past year force one to grow up far too quickly. Indeed, the song combines introspective lyrics — “Got the whole world on my shoulders,” she croons. “Could you carry it with me?” — with a dancefloor-ready beat.
She concluded the set with “Hurricane,” the song she sang at Eurovision and easily her most well-known number. Encouraging everyone in the dimly lit auditorium to stand up and sing along if they knew the words, Golan proved that the soaring vocal range and the ability to simultaneously convey poise and vulnerability seen at Eurovision was no fluke. Golan, 21, has been singing since the age of nine. She was raised in Russia, where she experienced minor antisemitism, before her family relocated to Israel. Singing had always been a creative outlet, she said.
Her early days in the music industry included a stint in a girl pop group. Not too long ago, a successful appearance on Israeli show “HaKokhav Haba” (Hebrew for “Rising Star”) led to her selection for Eurovision. Even before she appeared on Eurovision, there was controversy. She had originally submitted a song called “October Rain” — a direct reference to the Oct. 7 attack — but the European Broadcasting Union, which operates Eurovision, deemed the song too political. Golan and her team quickly rewrote the lyrics and titled it “Hurricane.”
At Eurovision, with Golan as Israel’s representative, Israel finished second in the audience vote and fifth place overall. The singer overcame an arguably biased panel of judges as well as anti-Israel peers to prove that talent transcends politics.
At Milken, after her performance, Golan sat down for a half-hour Q &A with Milken Community School student Ella Lax, from the class of 2026. The onstage discussion was wide-ranging and underscored why Golan has endeared herself to the pro-Israel Jewish community while being appreciated by music lovers worldwide.
A few highlights:
• On what it was like to be confronted with boos during her recent Eurovision appearance: “It felt amazing,” Golan said. “I would go on that stage being booed at and perform a million more times if I had to.”
• On her love for Israel: “Even with everything that’s happening, every time I’m back from a flight, I land in Israel and I’m like, ‘It’s so good to be home.’ Like, it’s just something about that place.”
Earlier this year, when Israeli singer Eden Golan performed at Eurovision,”she was forced to sing over a chorus of boos from anti-Zionists in the crowd who opposed her participation in the song contest because of their opposition toward Israel’s war in Gaza.
• On appearing at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv alongside families of hostages: “It was my first performance I did after Eurovision, and it was a very important moment for me.”
Milken Head of School Sarah Shulkind also participated in the evening. At the beginning of the night, she explained the concert was not just an opportunity for the local community to see one of Israel’s brightest music stars — it was also the inaugural event at Milken East Campus. The Jewish high school and middle school purchased the site from American Jewish University this year, and it plans to continue holding programming for the community at the campus.
