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Mizrahi music (Hebrew: מוזיקה מזרחית muzika mizrachit Hebrew pronunciation: [ˈmuzika mizraˈχit], "Eastern music/Oriental music") refers to a music genre in Israel that combines elements from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa; and is mostly performed by Israelis of Mizrahi Jewish descent. [1]
Why did Mizrahi artists have such a hard time breaking into Israel’s mainstream music scene? Over just a few decades, Mizrahi music crossed cultural and soci...
- 6 min
- 71.2K
- Unpacked
Music of Mizrahi (Oriental) Jews sung in Hebrew and Arabicמוסיקה יהודית מזרחיתمزراحي موسيقى يهودية.
- 71 min
- 54.3K
- Radio Rimmon
- Omer Adam
- A-Wa
- Nasrin Qadri
- Eden Ben-Zaken
- Pe’er Tasi
- Amir Benayoun
- Sarit Hadad
- Zohar Argov
- Ofra Haza
The current unrivaled ruler of the Israeli charts. Adam is the most mainstream Mizrahi artist to ever grace the airwaves. He’s come out with bop after bop, incorporating the traditional Mizrahi ululations with truly addictive melodies and a soulful voice. He’s known for his ability to convert even those who’ve previously disavowed Mizrahi music int...
These three sisters are on another level, IMHO. They take the folk songs of their Yemenite ancestorsand pair them with striking visuals, sick beats, and immaculate harmonies. In their music videos, you’ll find bright pink burqas and traditional Yemenite dances mixed with hip hop. Their music is a gift that will transport you to another reality. Rec...
Qadri is something of a novelty in Israel — an Arab-Israeli who sings in both Hebrew and Arabic. She was the winner of a popular Mizrahi singing competition and has been a fan-favorite ever since. When people say “music builds bridges,” they mean music like Qadri’s. Recommended songs: “Albi Ma’ak” (My Heart is With You), “Lomedet Lalechet” (Learnin...
She may have risen to Israel’s 2013 X-Factor, but over the past seven years, Eden Ben-Zaken became something of a national sweetheart. I still remember watching her march onto that X-Factorstage wearing a 20-shekel animal print jumpsuit and belting her heart out. She has a sort of effortless charm, and a truly ethereal voice. Recommended songs: “Ch...
Tasi is most known for his 2014 hit, “Derech HaShalom,” which took the entirety of the Middle East by storm and garnered the most YouTube views out of any other Israeli song that year. He’s also got a smile that could melt a thousand icebergs. Recommended songs: “Derech Hashalom” (HaShalom Road), “Kol Hair Shelanu” (The City is Ours)
Benayoun elicits heaps of emotion in his music — yes, you might be literally moved to tears while listening to him, so make sure you have a tissue in hand. His songs are a true embodiment of what Mizrahi music is all about — a communal demonstration of emotion, be it grief or joy, that brings people together. Recommended songs: “Nitzacht Iti HaKol”...
She’s been on the scene for a long time, and she’s not going anywhere. Hadad emerged as a pop-Mizrahi sensation in the ‘90s but has since evolved into a mature artist who delivers consistently timeless ballads. Recommended songs: “BaChom Shel Tel Aviv” (In the Tel Aviv Heat), “Hayiti B’Gan Eden” (I Was in Heaven)
Argov is known in Israel as “the King.” He’s not exactly Elvis, but he has a cult-like following in Israel, based on his work in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Sadly, he passed away in 1987, but his music remains popular and beloved as ever. Recommended songs: “HaPerach B’Gani,” (The Flower in My Garden), “Tsel Etz Tamar” (Shade of a Palm Tree)
If Zohar was the King, Ofra was undoubtedly the Queen. At one time, she was called “the Madonna of the Middle East,” and toured Europe and the U.S. with her album Yemenite Songs. Her music is a hybrid of liturgical Yemenite poetry and ‘80s electronic beats. She’s also my third cousin (#humblebrag), so give her a listen. Recommended songs: “Im Nin’A...
Nov 7, 2021 · The band A-Wa ('yes' in Arabic) fuses Arabic traditions and lyrics with hip-hop rhythms to bring Mizrahi music to younger generations. Their song "Habib Galbi" ("Love of My Heart") was the first song in Arabic to make it to number one on the Israeli pop charts.
Playlist · The Sound of Mizrahi · 101 items · 244 likes.
We’ll take you on a journey from Zohar Argov and Ofra Haza’s bootlegged cassette tapes in the 1970s and 80s to today’s Israeli superstars like Omer Adam, A-WA, and Static and Ben El who are making Mizrahi pop the soundtrack of modern Israel. You can find this video on our YouTube channel Unpacked.
