Miri Mesika
Encyclopedia
Miriam "Miri" Mesika (born May 3, 1978) is an Israeli singer and actress. She won several Israeli Female Singer of the Year awards. She has sold more than 100,000 copies of her albums in Israel.
. As a child she studied music, and played the guitar
and the recorder
at the city music school. In 1994 she was accepted to HaYovel High School, where she studied theatre and music. She served as an operations
NCO
in the IDF
's Infantry Corps.
, the leading music school in Israel
that exported many Israeli singers such as Noa
and Aviv Geffen
. She was part of the "magic class", studying together with Keren Peles
, Aya Korem
, Ohad Hitman and Eric Berman that went on to be popular singers.
During her studies at Rimon, she participated in several ensemble
s. In one of them she met the musician Ori Zakh, who went on to become her husband and record producer
. Miri and Ori married on June 2, 2005.
She took part in the Shirimon song contest, a song contest of the Rimon School, and won the first place with David De'or's song Mishehu Kayam produced by Zakh.
At Rimon School Mesika met the songwriter Keren Peles
(who later also became a singer), with whom she started working on songs for Mesika's debut album. After graduating, Mesika created a live show based on songs by Keren Peles. The show, produced and engineered by Ori Zakh, included the songs November and LeSham. The show was warmly received by the audience, and immediately afterwards Mesika was offered a recording contract
with Hed Arzi Music under the Anana label.
After finishing the music studies in Rimon, Mesika began studying Acting
at the Sofi Moskovich School of Performing Arts. During her studies she acted and sang in various plays
, including the main character in The Night of the Iguana
and Blood Wedding.
Meanwhile, she participated as the soloist
in tribute evenings to different poets, such as Hayyim Nahman Bialik
, Natan Yonatan
, Nurit Zarchi
and Itzik Manger
. Mesika and Zach also created a show composed of songs by the songwriter
Tzruya (Suki) Lahav
as part of the Piano Festival in Tel Aviv
.
, November (נובמבר, January 2005) and LeSham (לשם, "To There", March 2005) were huge radio hits. LeSham won the Galgalatz award as Song of the Year.
The album saw light of day in March 2005 under the Anana label. More singles from the album were released afterwards. The song Ba'a Eleikhem (באה אליכם, "Coming to You") was released in July, and also gained much popularity. The lyrics describe a trusting relationship between a daughter and her parents, and the song has an up-tempo ethnic rhythm. Another single released in July 2005 is Af Akhat (אף אחת, "No one"), a song of a lover who would not give up her loved one, written by Tzruya (Suki) Lahav. The next single (November 23, 2005) was Shir LeShira (שיר לשירה, "A Song to Shira"), a cover version
of Korin Alal's song. It is an emotional song of a mother promising to give a "new and good world" to her baby daughter, with lyrics written by Yehonatan Geffen
. The last single from the album was the romantic song Ten Li Siman (תן לי סימן, "Give Me a Sign"), released in February 2006.
Besides having the Song of the Year, Miri Mesika won the Female Singer of the Year award on Galgalatz
, and the Discovery of the Year award both on Galgalatz and on Reshet Gimel. The album went double platinum with over 80,000 copies. In 2006 Mesika won another Female Singer of the Year award, this time at the Ami Awards of Music Channel 24
.
King Solomon and Shalmai the Shoemaker. The musical was widely praised and won the Musical of the Year award at the 2005 Israeli Theatre Awards.
In November 2006 she played in the drama film
Shalosh Imahot ("Three Mothers"), also starring Yoram Hatav and Yehezkel Lazarov
. In the film she performed two new songsEikh Hayinu (איך היינו) and Birkat HaMelekh (ברכת המלך)and cover versions of Ilana Rovina's Bikashti Esh (ביקשתי אש) and Geula Gil's Daber Elay BiFrahim (דבר אליי בפרחים). In the same year she recorded the song HaAviv Sheli Yagi'a (האביב שלי יגיע, "My Spring Will Come") for the drama film Aviva Ahuvati ("Aviva My Love").
, which appeared on their album Radio/Musika/Ivrit.
Miri Mesika's second album, Shalom LaEmunot (שלום לאמונות, "Good-bye Beliefs"), appeared in February 2007. The release included a limited edition bonus CD of the songs from the movie Shalosh Imahot. Mesika went on a performance tour following the release of the album, and in May 2008 the album went platinum. This album, as the first one, was produced and mixed by Mesika's husband Ori Zakh, and included songs written by various songwriters, such as Aya Korem
, Keren Peles
, Eric Berman and Itay Perl.
Shalom LaEmunot gave Miri Mesika another win as Female Singer of the Year, this time both on Galgalatz and on Reshet Gimel. The song Akhshav Ata Hozer BeHazara (עכשיו אתה חוזר בחזרה, "Now you're coming back"), written by Eric Berman, won the Reshet Gimel Song of the Year award. At the 2008 Ami Awards of Music Channel 24 Mesika received another Female Singer of the Year award.
In 2007 Miri Mesika also took part in Amos Gitai
's film "The Dybbuk in Haifa" and in the Festigal
festival of children's songs.
In March 2008 she released a cover for Berry Sakharof
's song Kakha ze (ככה זה, "This Is How It Is") for the second edition of the project Hebrew Labor, dedicated to Israel's 60-year anniversary.
In September Miri Mesika and Eric Berman released the song Erev Hag (ערב חג, "Holiday Eve"), written by Berman and dedicated to Gilad Shalit
, an Israeli soldier who has been held hostage by the Hamas
for over two years. In the same month Mesika's duet with Ofer Bashan HaOr Yizrah Gam Benifrad (האור יזרח גם בנפרד, "The Light Will Keep Shining Separated") appeared on Bashan's second album.
In 2008 Mesika played the narrator in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
staged by Habima Theatre.
In November 2008 she went on a tour of unplugged
performances around Israel.
, the Israeli version of American Idol
.
Background
Miri Mesika was born and grew up in HerzliyaHerzliya
Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²...
. As a child she studied music, and played the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and the recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
at the city music school. In 1994 she was accepted to HaYovel High School, where she studied theatre and music. She served as an operations
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
NCO
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
in the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
's Infantry Corps.
Beginning of career
In 1999 Mesika started her studies at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Ramat HaSharonRamat Hasharon
Ramat HaSharon is a city located on Israel's central coastal strip in the south of the Sharon region, bordering Tel Aviv to the south and Herzliya and Kibbutz Glil Yam to the north. It is part of the Tel Aviv District, within Gush Dan metropolitan area...
, the leading music school in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
that exported many Israeli singers such as Noa
Achinoam Nini
Achinoam Nini , also known by her professional name, Noa, is a leading Israeli international concert and recording artist.-Career:...
and Aviv Geffen
Aviv Geffen
Aviv Geffen is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist and guitarist. He is the son of writer and poet Yehonatan Geffen and Nurit Makover, brother of actress Shira Geffen, and an alumnus of Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.Geffen was and is extremely popular...
. She was part of the "magic class", studying together with Keren Peles
Keren Peles
-Music career:Peles graduated from the Rimon music school. In 2005 she became famous for her songwiriting for Miri Mesika and Shiri Maimon.Her debut album, If This Is Life was released in July 2006 and was certified gold after selling 20,000 copies. Peles wrote all of the songs on the album...
, Aya Korem
Aya Korem
Aya Korem is an Israeli pop/rock singer and songwriter. She was the runner-up for two Female Singer of the Year awards in 2006.-Background:Aya Korem was born on January 7, 1980 in Nazareth Ilit and spent her childhood there. She served as an instructor at the IDF's Armored Corps.Since childhood...
, Ohad Hitman and Eric Berman that went on to be popular singers.
During her studies at Rimon, she participated in several ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
s. In one of them she met the musician Ori Zakh, who went on to become her husband and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. Miri and Ori married on June 2, 2005.
She took part in the Shirimon song contest, a song contest of the Rimon School, and won the first place with David De'or's song Mishehu Kayam produced by Zakh.
At Rimon School Mesika met the songwriter Keren Peles
Keren Peles
-Music career:Peles graduated from the Rimon music school. In 2005 she became famous for her songwiriting for Miri Mesika and Shiri Maimon.Her debut album, If This Is Life was released in July 2006 and was certified gold after selling 20,000 copies. Peles wrote all of the songs on the album...
(who later also became a singer), with whom she started working on songs for Mesika's debut album. After graduating, Mesika created a live show based on songs by Keren Peles. The show, produced and engineered by Ori Zakh, included the songs November and LeSham. The show was warmly received by the audience, and immediately afterwards Mesika was offered a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Hed Arzi Music under the Anana label.
After finishing the music studies in Rimon, Mesika began studying Acting
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
at the Sofi Moskovich School of Performing Arts. During her studies she acted and sang in various plays
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, including the main character in The Night of the Iguana
The Night of the Iguana
The Night of the Iguana is a stageplay written by American author Tennessee Williams, based on his 1948 short story. The play premiered on Broadway in 1961. Two film adaptations have been made, including the Academy Award-winning 1964 film of the same name....
and Blood Wedding.
Meanwhile, she participated as the soloist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
in tribute evenings to different poets, such as Hayyim Nahman Bialik
Hayyim Nahman Bialik
Hayim Nahman Bialik , also Chaim or Haim, was a Jewish poet who wrote in Hebrew. Bialik was one of the pioneers of modern Hebrew poets and came to be recognized as Israel's national poet.-Biography:...
, Natan Yonatan
Natan Yonatan
Natan Yonatan was an Israeli poet.His poems have been translated from Hebrew and published in more than a dozen languages, among them: Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Yiddish....
, Nurit Zarchi
Nurit Zarchi
Nurit Zarchi is an Israeli poet and author for adults and children....
and Itzik Manger
Itzik Manger
Itzik Manger was a prominent Yiddish poet and playwright, a self-proclaimed folk bard, visionary, and ‘master tailor’ of the written word...
. Mesika and Zach also created a show composed of songs by the songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
Tzruya (Suki) Lahav
Suki Lahav
Tzruya "Suki" Lahav is an Israeli violinist, vocalist, actress, lyricist, screenwriter, and novelist. Lahav was a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band from September 1974 to March 1975, then returned to Israel and found success there.-Biography:Tzruya Lahav was born and raised in Kibbutz...
as part of the Piano Festival in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
.
2004-2005: Debut album
Mesika became known in public in 2004 with her first album, Miri Mesika, produced and mixed by Ori Zakh and Shmulik Neufeld. Miri Mesika's first single, Tipa Tipa (טיפה טיפה, "Little by Little"), dealing with the recovery from a lost love, was released in November 2004 and achieved moderate success. However, the next two singles written by Keren PelesKeren Peles
-Music career:Peles graduated from the Rimon music school. In 2005 she became famous for her songwiriting for Miri Mesika and Shiri Maimon.Her debut album, If This Is Life was released in July 2006 and was certified gold after selling 20,000 copies. Peles wrote all of the songs on the album...
, November (נובמבר, January 2005) and LeSham (לשם, "To There", March 2005) were huge radio hits. LeSham won the Galgalatz award as Song of the Year.
The album saw light of day in March 2005 under the Anana label. More singles from the album were released afterwards. The song Ba'a Eleikhem (באה אליכם, "Coming to You") was released in July, and also gained much popularity. The lyrics describe a trusting relationship between a daughter and her parents, and the song has an up-tempo ethnic rhythm. Another single released in July 2005 is Af Akhat (אף אחת, "No one"), a song of a lover who would not give up her loved one, written by Tzruya (Suki) Lahav. The next single (November 23, 2005) was Shir LeShira (שיר לשירה, "A Song to Shira"), a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Korin Alal's song. It is an emotional song of a mother promising to give a "new and good world" to her baby daughter, with lyrics written by Yehonatan Geffen
Yehonatan Geffen
Yehonatan Geffen also known as Yonatan Gefen, is an Israeli author, poet, songwriter, journalist, and playwright.- Biography :...
. The last single from the album was the romantic song Ten Li Siman (תן לי סימן, "Give Me a Sign"), released in February 2006.
Besides having the Song of the Year, Miri Mesika won the Female Singer of the Year award on Galgalatz
Galgalatz
Galgalatz is a popular Israeli radio station operated by Israel Defense Forces Radio. This is the second of two Israel Defense Forces-operated stations, while the first one is Israel Defense Forces Radio/Galatz. The station was established in 1993 and broadcasts primarily nonstop pop music and...
, and the Discovery of the Year award both on Galgalatz and on Reshet Gimel. The album went double platinum with over 80,000 copies. In 2006 Mesika won another Female Singer of the Year award, this time at the Ami Awards of Music Channel 24
Music 24
Music 24 is an Israeli popular music channel which was launched on July 20, 2003 and broadcasts music videos by Israeli musicians. Apart from music videos, the channel has different music-related shows, including interviews with musicians, live performances, music-oriented talk shows and programs...
.
2005-2006: Beginning of acting career
In 2005 Miri Mesika took part in the Habima Theatre production of the musicalMusical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
King Solomon and Shalmai the Shoemaker. The musical was widely praised and won the Musical of the Year award at the 2005 Israeli Theatre Awards.
In November 2006 she played in the drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
Shalosh Imahot ("Three Mothers"), also starring Yoram Hatav and Yehezkel Lazarov
Yehezkel Lazarov
Yehezkel Lazarov is an Israeli actor, dancer and choreographer. He played in Three Mothers next to Miri Mesika and The Debt.-Biography:...
. In the film she performed two new songsEikh Hayinu (איך היינו) and Birkat HaMelekh (ברכת המלך)and cover versions of Ilana Rovina's Bikashti Esh (ביקשתי אש) and Geula Gil's Daber Elay BiFrahim (דבר אליי בפרחים). In the same year she recorded the song HaAviv Sheli Yagi'a (האביב שלי יגיע, "My Spring Will Come") for the drama film Aviva Ahuvati ("Aviva My Love").
2006-2008: Second album
In 2006 Miri Mesika recorded the song Kluv shel Zahav (כלוב של זהב, "A Golden Cage") with TeapacksTeapacks
Teapacks was an Israeli band that formed in 1988 in the southern Israeli city of Sderot. Originally the band was named after the correction fluid Tipp-Ex, but the name was then changed so as not to infringe on the well-known brand....
, which appeared on their album Radio/Musika/Ivrit.
Miri Mesika's second album, Shalom LaEmunot (שלום לאמונות, "Good-bye Beliefs"), appeared in February 2007. The release included a limited edition bonus CD of the songs from the movie Shalosh Imahot. Mesika went on a performance tour following the release of the album, and in May 2008 the album went platinum. This album, as the first one, was produced and mixed by Mesika's husband Ori Zakh, and included songs written by various songwriters, such as Aya Korem
Aya Korem
Aya Korem is an Israeli pop/rock singer and songwriter. She was the runner-up for two Female Singer of the Year awards in 2006.-Background:Aya Korem was born on January 7, 1980 in Nazareth Ilit and spent her childhood there. She served as an instructor at the IDF's Armored Corps.Since childhood...
, Keren Peles
Keren Peles
-Music career:Peles graduated from the Rimon music school. In 2005 she became famous for her songwiriting for Miri Mesika and Shiri Maimon.Her debut album, If This Is Life was released in July 2006 and was certified gold after selling 20,000 copies. Peles wrote all of the songs on the album...
, Eric Berman and Itay Perl.
Shalom LaEmunot gave Miri Mesika another win as Female Singer of the Year, this time both on Galgalatz and on Reshet Gimel. The song Akhshav Ata Hozer BeHazara (עכשיו אתה חוזר בחזרה, "Now you're coming back"), written by Eric Berman, won the Reshet Gimel Song of the Year award. At the 2008 Ami Awards of Music Channel 24 Mesika received another Female Singer of the Year award.
In 2007 Miri Mesika also took part in Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai
Amos Gitai , born 11 October 1950 in Haifa, Israel, is an Israeli filmmaker and director. He is mainly known for making documentaries and experimental / minimalist feature films...
's film "The Dybbuk in Haifa" and in the Festigal
Festigal
Festigal is an annual Israeli singing show for audience of children and their parents during the Hanukkah vacation time. Initially designed as a song contest, its format was gradually expanded, with famous Israeli singers and actors taking part in it. Now the Festigal event is built around some...
festival of children's songs.
In March 2008 she released a cover for Berry Sakharof
Berry Sakharof
Berry Sakharof is an Israeli rock guitarist, songwriter and singer.-Biography:Sakharof was born in Izmir, Turkey in 1957. His family immigrated to Israel when he was 3 years old.-Start of career:...
's song Kakha ze (ככה זה, "This Is How It Is") for the second edition of the project Hebrew Labor, dedicated to Israel's 60-year anniversary.
In September Miri Mesika and Eric Berman released the song Erev Hag (ערב חג, "Holiday Eve"), written by Berman and dedicated to Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit
Gilad Shalit is an Israeli – French citizen and Israel Defense Forces soldier. On 25 June 2006, he was captured inside Israel by Hamas militants in a cross-border raid via underground tunnels near the border with Gaza. The Hamas militants held him for over five years, until he was released on...
, an Israeli soldier who has been held hostage by the Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
for over two years. In the same month Mesika's duet with Ofer Bashan HaOr Yizrah Gam Benifrad (האור יזרח גם בנפרד, "The Light Will Keep Shining Separated") appeared on Bashan's second album.
In 2008 Mesika played the narrator in the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
staged by Habima Theatre.
In November 2008 she went on a tour of unplugged
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
performances around Israel.
Television career
In 2011, Messika will be a judge in Kokhav NoladKokhav Nolad
Kokhav Nolad is an Israeli reality television show searching for talented new vocalists based on the British Pop Idol and American Idol model. Since its debut on Israeli Channel 2 in 2003, Kokhav Nolad has achieved great popularity and turned out many new musical stars...
, the Israeli version of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
.
Albums
| Year | Album | Israel Certificate | Sales Sales A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity.... |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Miri Mesika | Double platinum | +80,000 |
| 2007 | Shalom LaEmunot | Platinum | +40,000 |
| 2010 | Hadashot Tovot |
External links
- Miri Mesika on MySpace Music including videos of LeSham
- Василиска привет!