Going Mental

You know who Lior Suchard is, without even knowing it. That is how good he is. And he is ready to get in your heads during Eurovision 2019 

The exact understanding of a 'mentalist' is not yet a household term and Lior Suchard is the first to admit it, even though he is one. "What is the first word that comes to mind when you hear the word "magician"? he asks me, as we sit together in his modern high rise in an industrial Tel Aviv neighborhood, blasting with traffic, people, and chaos. I answer "David Copperfield" without skipping a beat. Suchard points in my face, excitedly, "Exactly!", he exclaims. "Now what is the first thing you think of when you hear the word 'mentalist'?" My mind goes completely blank and I am at loss for words, which he takes as my answer, and justifiably. "Mentalism, although it has been around forever, is still quite hard to explain. And there is no single person that people can point to as a reference, as it often times falls under this grey category of magic, mind tricks, and intuitive psychic capabilities."

I know what you are thinking. And it is brimming with skepticism. But with a laundry list of die-hard fans like Jerry Seinfeld, Pharrel, J LO, Kanye and Kim, James Cordon (whose show Suchard has performed on several times, most recently with the Jonas Brothers in March), Elton John, and Barbra Streisand (who was so taken with Suchard she invited him on tour with her as a halftime act), and seeing him perform in person, Suchard's abilities are undeniable.

Born the youngest of three children in Haifa, 37-year-old Suchard he has been performing tricks since early adolescence and was the go-to person for uplifting the morale of his combat unit in the Israeli Air Force. But it wasn't until he entered and won the Israeli reality TV show "The Successor" in 2005, which was hosted by the internationally-renowned Israeli illusionist Uri Geller that Suchard's career truly took off - and seemingly overnight. The show was a global hit, and the program was sold and broadcast around the world, including Germany, Poland and Italy.

In 2013, during the elections of the 19^th Israeli Parliament (Knesset), Suchard was invited to predict the results of the elections about 10 days before the vote count. He wrote the results on a note enclosed in an envelope that was placed in a vault under strict guard at Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Center throughout the days leading up to the election. After the votes were counted, it was shockingly revealed that Suchard had accurately predicted the results.

Suchard's entertaining performances, a combination of telepathy, mind-reading, and supernatural stunts paired with a universal sense of humor and full audience participation are a true testament to his otherworldly skills in drawing people into his world and igniting a flame of intrigue, personality, and a shocking and deeply-imbedded understanding of human behavior – things that truly defy explanation. With his success, he has toured Australia, India, Russia, and the United States, and now, he will be performing at Eurovision as a special guest star in the live final act and the Green Room.

Lior will also have solo performances May 24, Beit HaChayal Tel Aviv at 22:30 and May 25, Airport City at 21:30, visit liorsuchard.com