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By Eman IsadiarLOS ANGELES—Beloved Israeli pop star RITA left an indelible mark in LA after an impressively well-attended single performance at the Fred Kavli Theater of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on March 21. The LA concert was the last in RITA's US tour, which included a special charity benefit in Great Neck, New Jersey, and shows in New York, Philadelphia and Miami.
RITA's LA concert also included a brilliant performance by the talented Israeli-American dance ensemble Keshet Chaim (“Rainbow of Life”) to the beat of drumming troupe Naked Rhythm.
But who exactly is this enigmatic RITA, and why has she risen to such unprecedented heights of popularity and stardom back in Israel?
Aside from the obvious ingredients of talent and opportunity, RITA's success may also be linked to Israel's own development as a nation. While earlier generations of Israelis were deeply divided along lines of national and cultural origin, RITA represents Israel's longing for a single, unified nation.
Being a household name since the '80s, RITA's artistic longevity has also given the Israeli people a sense of stability and permanence in a country where unrest and conflict are part of everyday life.
Whatever may have led to the rise of the phenomenon that is RITA, she has the unique and unmistakable mark of a true star—she can connect with each and every one of her fans on a deep, genuine and personal level.
In her early days, RITA was part of a group of performers during her service in the Israeli Army. She competed twice to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest, attracting more attention each time with her unique voice and captivating stage presence. Her second attempt garnered a victory in the national qualifying contest, which sent her to Zagreb, Yugoslavia in 1990.
Although RITA didn't win Eurovision, she became a national sensation four years later with the release of her fourth album “Ahava Gdola” (“Great Love”). Since then, she has released seven other albums, many of which have topped the charts with record-breaking sales and airplay.
While trying to stay clear of volatile Israeli politics, RITA has remained an outspoken advocate against violence of all kinds. She participates frequently in charity benefit concerts, and a percentage of proceeds from her non-benefit performances are also often donated to children's organizations.
RITA has also become something of an icon to Israel's gay community after her song “Bo” (“Come”) was featured in Eytan Fox's award-winning film “Yossi and Jagger.” The English version of this same song was released in the US as the single “Love Has Begun,” which recently earned RITA the title of “Top 40 Breakthrough Artist” by New Music Weekly.
From the moment she set foot on stage at the Kavli Theater, RITA sang her most memorable hits, which even included her 1990 Eurovision entry “Shara Barkhovot” (“Singing in the Streets”). Some of the evening's highlights were “Erev Kakhol Amok” (“Deep, Blue Evening”), “Mehaka” (“Waiting”), “Tiftakh Khalon” (“Open A Window”), and of course, “Love Has Begun” in both English and the original Hebrew.
Honoring her Persian ancestry, RITA sang a song in Farsi titled “Gole Sangam” (“I'm a Stone Flower”), and ended the concert with Shlomo Bar's satirical song—and one of RITA's own biggest hits— “Yeladim Ze Simkha” (“Children are a Joy”).
The most pleasant surprise of the evening, however, was an operatic number—“Chi vuol la zingarella?” (“Who Desires the Little Gypsy Girl?”) from Giovanni Paisello's opera “Zingari in Fiera” (“The Gypsy Fair”). Here, RITA showed an entirely different side of her talent, and by her own admission, years and years of classical training as a youngster. She said that she recently sang the same aria for the Italian prime minister during his latest visit to Israel.
RITA's comments from the stage—mostly in English with a dash of Hebrew—were remarkably funny and philosophical at the same time. In a tearful moment, she offered hope and optimism by stating that the darkest moment is the instant just before the break of dawn, which she attributed to the Kabbalah. The message of hope, patience and perseverance is a recurring theme in most of RITA's music.
Another striking aspect of the concert was that the audience seemed to know every word to RITA's songs. In fact, on multiple occasions, RITA turned the microphone to the audience for almost the whole length of the song. This was a reminder that RITA is no ordinary artist with a handful of successful hits—she seems to have built her entire career on one blockbuster hit after another.
How appropriate that this immensely gifted woman from the Middle East should bring her songs of hope and love to us on this first day of spring after a difficult El Niño winter. Hopefully, the rest of the world will soon discover RITA, and likewise, take her message to heart.
Eman Isadiar is a San Francisco-based pianist and music writer.
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But who exactly is this enigmatic RITA, and why has she risen to such unprecedented heights of popularity and stardom back in Israel?
Aside from the obvious ingredients of talent and opportunity, RITA's success may also be linked to Israel's own development as a nation. While earlier generations of Israelis were deeply divided along lines of national and cultural origin, RITA represents Israel's longing for a single, unified nation.
Being a household name since the '80s, RITA's artistic longevity has also given the Israeli people a sense of stability and permanence in a country where unrest and conflict are part of everyday life.
Whatever may have led to the rise of the phenomenon that is RITA, she has the unique and unmistakable mark of a true star—she can connect with each and every one of her fans on a deep, genuine and personal level.
In her early days, RITA was part of a group of performers during her service in the Israeli Army. She competed twice to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest, attracting more attention each time with her unique voice and captivating stage presence. Her second attempt garnered a victory in the national qualifying contest, which sent her to Zagreb, Yugoslavia in 1990.
Although RITA didn't win Eurovision, she became a national sensation four years later with the release of her fourth album “Ahava Gdola” (“Great Love”). Since then, she has released seven other albums, many of which have topped the charts with record-breaking sales and airplay.
While trying to stay clear of volatile Israeli politics, RITA has remained an outspoken advocate against violence of all kinds. She participates frequently in charity benefit concerts, and a percentage of proceeds from her non-benefit performances are also often donated to children's organizations.
RITA has also become something of an icon to Israel's gay community after her song “Bo” (“Come”) was featured in Eytan Fox's award-winning film “Yossi and Jagger.” The English version of this same song was released in the US as the single “Love Has Begun,” which recently earned RITA the title of “Top 40 Breakthrough Artist” by New Music Weekly.
From the moment she set foot on stage at the Kavli Theater, RITA sang her most memorable hits, which even included her 1990 Eurovision entry “Shara Barkhovot” (“Singing in the Streets”). Some of the evening's highlights were “Erev Kakhol Amok” (“Deep, Blue Evening”), “Mehaka” (“Waiting”), “Tiftakh Khalon” (“Open A Window”), and of course, “Love Has Begun” in both English and the original Hebrew.
Honoring her Persian ancestry, RITA sang a song in Farsi titled “Gole Sangam” (“I'm a Stone Flower”), and ended the concert with Shlomo Bar's satirical song—and one of RITA's own biggest hits— “Yeladim Ze Simkha” (“Children are a Joy”).
The most pleasant surprise of the evening, however, was an operatic number—“Chi vuol la zingarella?” (“Who Desires the Little Gypsy Girl?”) from Giovanni Paisello's opera “Zingari in Fiera” (“The Gypsy Fair”). Here, RITA showed an entirely different side of her talent, and by her own admission, years and years of classical training as a youngster. She said that she recently sang the same aria for the Italian prime minister during his latest visit to Israel.
RITA's comments from the stage—mostly in English with a dash of Hebrew—were remarkably funny and philosophical at the same time. In a tearful moment, she offered hope and optimism by stating that the darkest moment is the instant just before the break of dawn, which she attributed to the Kabbalah. The message of hope, patience and perseverance is a recurring theme in most of RITA's music.
Another striking aspect of the concert was that the audience seemed to know every word to RITA's songs. In fact, on multiple occasions, RITA turned the microphone to the audience for almost the whole length of the song. This was a reminder that RITA is no ordinary artist with a handful of successful hits—she seems to have built her entire career on one blockbuster hit after another.
How appropriate that this immensely gifted woman from the Middle East should bring her songs of hope and love to us on this first day of spring after a difficult El Niño winter. Hopefully, the rest of the world will soon discover RITA, and likewise, take her message to heart.
Eman Isadiar is a San Francisco-based pianist and music writer.
