It's been way too long since an update - sorry!

The biggest, best Dana news from the last few months comes from an article about Israeli pop stars on Ynet from October 14, in which Dana revealed exciting details about new music! The article notes that there was "a project that was supposed to finish out this year [2011], but was suspended due to" Dana's Eurovision bid. In a short interview in the article, Dana said she is "working on a new album, which will include several collaborations with artists from abroad." She went on to say that she wants to go back to her musical roots "after all these years. Get something crazy, wild and party more." The interview closed with a question from the interviewer about a possible Greatest Hits compilation, and Dana responded, "not yet. More important to focus on new materials." So Dana was going to have new music out in 2011 but had to put that on hold for Eurovision; now, from this article, we have confirmation that Dana is working on a new album! It's been almost 5 years since Dana's spectacular Hakol Ze Letova - from her comments in the article, I bet whatever she has in store for her next release will be fantastic!

Now, here's what's been going on with the Diva since May:

• Though Dana gave a great performance of "Ding Dong" in the second semi-final (watch it here, courtesy of EurovisionHouse), she unfortunately did not qualify for the 2011 Eurovision final. Israel's Opposition Chairwoman, Tzipi Livni, phoned Dana after the semi-final to offer her support and encouragement, as Ynetnews noted on May 16. Also as reported by Ynet, Dana accepted the defeat gracefully: translated from Hebrew to English by Google Translate, she explained to Ynet that "I knew the past, the feeling of winning. It's much more pleasant and fun, but such is life. Now I'll deal with sadness and disappointment. I hope so not to disappoint anyone, but it will take me a day or two and come back to myself, and I hope they get me with a smile."
• Dana kept a low profile after May, but she attended what I think was a charity event (Google Translate didn't help much this time!) on October 5. (Read more and see pictures from the day on Ynet; this article from Walla! also has more info.) Asked about her five-months-long absence from the media, Dana said that she's "very domestic and prefer[s] to be home."
• An AbbaNibi.com post from October 6 talks about a performance Dana gave that week in Tel Aviv, during which Dana joked about her new boyfriend - Botox! - and gave a ratings-referencing prayer. Walla! also reported on this performance.
• The Internet is a wonderful resource - but it can be a breeding ground for nasty rumors, too! On October 25, Walla! and Mako both reported on a story that surfaced on the 'net: apparently Dana had committed suicide. Dana's manager, Shai Kerem, debunked that terrible rumor, telling Mako that this sort of tall tale "happens about every other month," but "everything's fine... Do not worry, Dana'll outlive us all."
• A November 10 Walla! article talks about the troublesome filming of a Ukrainian TV show that Dana appeared on; one of the guests was taken out by security because she was clinging to Dana and wouldn't let go. Between this and the death rumor, Dana had a very bizarre couple of months!!
• On November 24, a Mako article detailed the end of Fashion Week, held in Tel Aviv, which Dana brought to a stunning close in . (See more photos in the Events Gallery!)
• In late November, Dana performed "Diva" and "I Need Your Love" with NeAngely on a TV special celebrating 15 years of the Ukrainian channel Inter. Walla! posted links to YouTube videos of the "Diva" and "I Need Your Love" performances, so check 'em out!
• Dana penned a piece for Ynet, published on December 28, advocating for continued efforts to end exclusion against women and discrimination in general, but stressing that it be done "wisely and with love." (A response article from Mako took issue with her call for less generalizations about Orthodox Jews.) Turns out Dana's not only a fine Diva, but also an eloquent writer! :)

Updates! :)

First, the official Dana International website now links to a new, official English version of the site, which has a lot of neat things to read and view, like a bio and nifty photo gallery! Dana also now has official Facebook pages in both Hebrew and English, so be sure to visit and click "Like"! :)

Now, updates on Dana's participation in Eurovision! :) Just a reminder - as the FAQ page of Eurovision.tv says, "The upcoming Eurovision Song Contest will take place at the Düsseldorf Arena, in Düsseldorf, Germany. The two Semi-Finals will take place on 10th and 12th of May, the Final on the 14th of May, 2011." So it's not too long now before Dana will take the stage (and win, I hope!!)! :)

• The super glamorous video for the new, official version of "Ding Dong" has been released on Dana's official YouTube channel. Also check out the official remix, by The VOOZ Brothers (aka Danny Tuval and Ziv "Zigo" Goland), on DingDongDanaInt!
• Dana appeared on Irish channel RTÉ One's The Saturday Night Show on April 16 as both an interview guest and musical performer. You can watch the full interview and performance, both very kindly uploaded to YouTube by Betula.
• alca-gr.blogspot.com featured some neat info about Dana's dress choices for Eurovision - she's working with Jean Paul Gaultier again! Check out the behind-the-scene photos at the site of her meeting with the famed fashion designer!
• Eurovision.tv, the official Eurovision website, has posted several excellent news updates about Dana's participation in the contest over the past few weeks: April 22, May 4, and two reports on May 7 - 1 (with accompanying rehearsal footage!) and 2!
• Ynet.co.il has footage of Dana's May 7 Eurovision press conference (you can also read about the press conference at the second May 7 Eurovision.tv link above).
• Esctoday.com has a great interview with Dana on YouTube!
• In April, israelnews on YouTube posted an interview with Dana on Channel 2 News.

Just a quick note that I've added a few more pictures to the Eurovision 2011 gallery, and have made a few icons using several of those images. :) There have also been a bunch of news articles posted around the 'net since Dana was chosen to represent Israel in Eurovision 2011, including BBC News and Ynetnews, which features a quote from the Diva herself!

Dana's going to Eurovision! After performing "Ding Dong" at Kdam Eurovision 2011 on March 8, eurovision.tv reports that Dana "won the jury voting of the night as well as the special fan voting." This means that Dana will represent Israel with "Ding Dong" at the Eurovision Song Contest 2011! To watch Dana's March 8th performance, check out EurovIL, Israel's official Eurovision site, or visit YouTube: thanks to EurovisionBelgium for posting the performance, and to mica532 for posting the full introduction + performance!

Congratulations, Dana!! :)

(Also, I've added a gorgeous new picture of Dana, from eurovision.tv, to the Eurovision 2011 gallery.)

Fantastic news! IBA (Israel Broadcasting Authority) confirms that Dana will be participating with the song "Ding Dong" in Kdam Eurovision 2011 on March 8, when it will be decided who will represent Israel in Eurovision 2011. Eurovision.tv, esctoday.com, Walla!, Ynet, and Mako (Feb. 8; Feb. 28) have more information, and you can listen to the song on YouTube! New photos of Dana at the Feb. 28th press conference about the finalists for Kdam Eurovision 2011, taken from news articles, have been added to the Eurovision gallery.

And Walla! recently posted an article featuring Dana out and about at an event in February.

Also, be sure to check out the awesome revamped version of danainternational.com - it's now on Facebook, so don't forget to "Like" it! :)

Long time, no updates! :( (Sorry about that!)

It's kind of a quiet period for news right now - but here's what Dana's been up to! :)

• ynet.co.il reported in June that Dana had to cancel several concert appearances in Spain and Turkey because of security concerns.
• Dana continued her role as a judge on A Star Is Born, which concluded its eighth season on September 4 2010.
• According to two Reverso-translated articles at walla.co.il and mouse.co.il, Dana will take part in a new show, roughly translated as Number 1 Fan, that apparently started Oct. 22 on Channel 24 in Israel.

Lots of things have been happening with Dana recently - here are the details! :)

• Dana guest-starred as herself on the popular BBC comedy Beautiful People in November (2009). Esctoday.com, nrg.co.il, e.walla.co.il, and ynet.co.il all have info about the guest spot, and you can watch the clips with Dana on YouTube! Dana is also in a behind-the-scenes video here!
• Dana and Israeli rapper Subliminal released a fantastic club banger in late 2009 - "Alay"! Check out the nifty video and see the behind-the-scenes footage here! Read more about the song here and here, and listen to the Mash & Droub remix here.
• Now - about the new album! In late October 2009, philip1123 commented at the official forum that Dana's new album looks like it might see a spring/summer 2010 release date. An update from מושיקו משה in mid-November 2009 reveals that Dana is going in a new direction with this album.  Another update later in November from מושיקו משה indicates that Dana will be experimenting with an R&B sound and Subliminal might be one of the contributing producers.

Dana has been busy, busy, busy! Along with acting as a judge on this season's A Star Is Born (see photos from the show here), she has also performed and appeared at various events. Check out photos from the last few months here and here!

Some troubling news - According to a July 8 article on jpost.com, Dana was accused of making racist comments and threats at a woman while at a café in Tel Aviv. Dana's manager, Shai Kerem, denied the accusations and said: "The whole thing is a lie... One of Dana's friends filmed the incident on a cellphone. Dana is consulting with a lawyer and planning on suing for slander." Let's hope that this all gets sorted out and settled soon!

Dana was one of the performers at a rally in Tel Aviv in remembrance of the two killed and others injured in the tragic Tel Aviv gay center shooting. Dana posted a moving message on her official forum on August 5 regarding the incident; based on a rough Hebrew-to-English online translation, she believes it's "time to demonstrate unity and brotherhood" and invited "all lovers of life" to join the memorial rally.

Dana is featured on the cover of an Israeli magazine which also includes an interview with the diva, accompanied by gorgeous new photos. מושיקו משה clarified on the official forum that these photos are not promotion for a new album, but are just for the magazine and interview, which mainly concerns A Star Is Born. מושיקו משה also noted that Dana "will start to work on a new album soon"! See the lovely new photos from Pnai Plus magazine, and the cover, here!

And that's it for now! :)

Dana is going to be a new judge on the forthcoming new season of A Star Is Born, a popular television show in Israel! The show is similar in format to American Idol in the USA and Pop Idol in the UK. Visit the official site here, read an article about how Dana will fit in with the current judges, and read an English article here!

Also at mako.co.il - you can watch and listen to Dana singing an orchestral version of "Ani Lo Yechola Biladecha" and see a recent interview.

At a celebration for Tel Aviv's 100th birthday on April 4, Dana performed a song called "Lo Nirdemet Tel Aviv" (loosely translated as "Tel Aviv Doesn't Sleep") to a huge crowd! Also, check out a short news clip featuring comments from Dana (skip ahead to 2:05 to see her!) at the event.

At another celebration for Tel Aviv's 100th birthday, this time on April 28 in כפר יונה, Dana performed a number of her hits, including "Cinque Milla 2003" (also known as the remix called "This Is My Dome")!

And finally - read a sweet message from Dana to the official forum! If the online translator is right, basically Dana wishes everyone a wonderful spring! :)

Pictures from both Tel Aviv celebrations can be found in the live section of the picture gallery. :) More photos from the video shoot of the NeAngely collaboration, "I Need Your Love," have been added to the Music Video section of the gallery as well.

Hey Dana fans! So so sorry for the total lack of updates. :( Blame school! ;)

Here's what's been going on with Dana since the last update:

• Dana's new album, which she is in the studio working on, is likely to be released sometime in 2009. It was rumored last year that December 2008 was going to see the release of the album, but that was clarified by Dana's MySpace.
• Dana filmed a mock reality show called Dana Kama/Nama. It was the first "reality" series released for mobile phones, and was available to Cellcom subscribers and also on the Cellcom website. You can read a little more about the show here. See pictures from the show here and watch a clip here. (Thanks to the Dana International Facebook for this info!)
• Dana and NeAngely's collaboration, "I Need Your Love," was released in September 2008 - watch the fabulous video here!
• An amazing summary of Dana news in 2008 was posted on the official forum!
• Earlier this year Dana appeared and sang at a campaign event in support of Kadima chairwoman Tzipi Livni. Read more about the event here.
• And very sadly, Dana's beloved dog has passed away. :(

• Dana does stand-up comedy!
• A bit of a bizarre interpretation of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" featuring an angelic Dana hovering in midair!

• Extazy (demo of unreleased song "Agada")
• Say It Again (English version of "Yom Aher")
• Hold Me (leaked in 2009; anyone have anymore info?)

A lot has been happening with our favorite diva in the last few months!

• An interesting bit of trivia - 'Hakol Ze Letova' (Amir Afergan Mix) was used in the recent Adam Sandler movie You Don't Mess With The Zohan. :)
• Dana performed 'Diva' at Europride in Stockholm, which was held from July 25 to August 3. See amateur video of her performance at YouTube and a picture here!
• Dana is collaborating with members of Ne Angely, a Ukrainian pop group, on a song called 'I Need Your Love.' They appeared together at a press conference and have already filmed the video. (Thanks to ChristopherP @ FlopPop for the group info!)
• Perhaps the biggest Dana news is that she has recorded, released, and made a video for a new single! The song is called 'Mifrats Ha'ahava' ('The Love Bay') and was recorded for an Israeli reality TV show. Watch the making of the video here and the actual video here. Visit Dana's official MySpace to hear the song!
• According to Dana's MySpace, she is in the studio working on her new album, which will be released sometime in late 2008. Exciting news!

Phew! I've added several new things to the site, including a new layout - hope you like it!

There are new pictures in Promotional Photos, early 00s; Promotional Photos, 2007; Live Performances 2008; Events; Music Video Photos (plus some re-organization there); and Miscellaneous Photos. Dana looks fab!

Three new remixes have been added to the Media section - Saida Sultana (Scarlett's Epic Ambient Dub); Lo Ma'amina (Scarlett's Mighty Tribal Remix); and my personal favorite, Hakol Ze Letova (Scarlett's Album Megamix). I really hope you like the mixes - I had a lot of fun making them!

Hope everyone's having a great summer! :)

I am so sorry for the lack of updates to the site. I can't really excuse myself - I've been very busy with university and some personal stuff, but I should have at least put up a note to explain!

As soon as possible I will update with news about Dana. I'll try to briefly recap what's been going on with our favorite Diva, though:

• Dana wrote the music and lyrics (with Shai Kerem) for Israeli Eurovision contender Boaz Mauda's entry to the contest. This haunting song is titled "Ke'ilo kan" and roughly translates to "The Fire In Your Eyes" and you can listen to it here. Boaz says in an esctoday.com interview that "it's an honour that Dana International wrote [the song] especially for me" and that Dana will come with him to Belgrade.
• Dana covered a song by Esther Shamir (who also wrote "Ot Mishamayim") called "Bamakom Hachi Namooch Be'e Tel Aviv" ("At the Lowest Place In Tel Aviv") for Avoda Ivrit 60, a 4-CD compilation of new recordings of Israeli hits by Israeli artists to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary. You can buy the album here or download it (or just Dana's contribution) on the US iTunes.