Shiri Maimon
Encyclopedia
Shiri Maimon is an Israeli pop
/R&B singer, TV show host and actress, who rose to fame as the runner-up in the TV show Kokhav Nolad
. She represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005
.
, Israel
, and raised in Kiryat Haim
. She is of Sephardi Jewish descent and was born to a father of Tunisia
n and Greek
descent and a Moroccan
mother; both parents are Jewish refugees from Arab countries. She made her debut at the age of ten, at a children's song festival. She joined the Israel Defense Forces
, where she sang with the Israeli Air Force
entertainment troupe. In 2001, she featured on a music video
by the band Teapacks
. Later, she worked a year and a half as a singer and bartender in Eilat. In 2003, she auditioned for Kokhav Nolad
and ended up the first runner-up.
In 2005, Maimon took part in the Kdam Eurovision, the pre-Eurovision song contest at which Israel's national entry is selected, and was not the favorite to win. She won first place for her performance of HaSheket SheNish'ar
(The Silence that Remains). Thus she became Israel's representative at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev
. She initially rebuffed suggestions that parts of the song should be performed in English. In the end, considering that foreign language songs had not been successful in the past, she agreed to sing half in Hebrew and half in English. She was placed fourth in the contest, winning 154 points.
In September 2005, Maimon released her eponymous debut album, Shiri Maimon
which went gold within a few months, selling over 20,000 copies. She appeared on the soap opera Yeladot Ra'ot (Bad Girls) on the Israeli Music Channel
, where she played the role of Maya Gold, a talented singer and recording star trying to balance her career and her love life with caring for her drug addicted brother. Her first single out of her second album, was released in December 2007, entitled "Yoter Tov Lisloach" (Better to Forgive), and became a hit. In March 2006, she began starring in a musical version of an Israeli cult movie "The Band" in the Habima theater. In January 2008 her second album Rega Lifney She...
(Just Before...) was released.
Winning the MTV Europe Awards as Best Israeli Act, she went to Liverpool
, where she performed a new single, "Now That You're Gone". In competition for the "Europe's Favourite Act", she finished in 3rd place, before the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest
2008 Dima Bilan
, and the famous British
singer Leona Lewis
. She was also chosen to take part in the Global One project, a worldwide project to record songs with successful local artists in their native languages in over 20 countries panning five continents around the world.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
/R&B singer, TV show host and actress, who rose to fame as the runner-up in the TV show Kokhav Nolad
Kokhav 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...
. She represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005
Eurovision Song Contest 2005
The Eurovision Song Contest 2005 was the 50th Eurovision Song Contest, which was held at the Palace of Sports, Kiev, Ukraine. The winner was Greece's My Number One, written by Christos Dantis and Natalia Germanou and performed by Swedish-born Greek singer Elena Paparizou, who scored 230 points,...
.
Early life
Maimon was born in HaifaHaifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and raised in Kiryat Haim
Kiryat Haim
Kiryat Haim is one of the five Krayot suburbs located north of Haifa, Israel. In 2003, Kiryat Haim had a population of 40,000. Kiryat Haim is within the municipal borders of the city of Haifa, and lies on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.-History:...
. She is of Sephardi Jewish descent and was born to a father of Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n and Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
descent and a Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
mother; both parents are Jewish refugees from Arab countries. She made her debut at the age of ten, at a children's song festival. She joined the Israel Defense Forces
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...
, where she sang with the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
entertainment troupe. In 2001, she featured on a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
by the band Teapacks
Teapacks
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....
. Later, she worked a year and a half as a singer and bartender in Eilat. In 2003, she auditioned for Kokhav Nolad
Kokhav 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...
and ended up the first runner-up.
Career
She released her first single, "Until You Understand Me" in 2004. While working on her debut album, she was a presenter on a popular daily youth TV program in Israel, EXIT.In 2005, Maimon took part in the Kdam Eurovision, the pre-Eurovision song contest at which Israel's national entry is selected, and was not the favorite to win. She won first place for her performance of HaSheket SheNish'ar
Hasheket Shenish'ar
"HaSheket SheNish'ar" was the Israeli entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005, performed in Hebrew and English by Shiri Maimon. The song was written by Eyal Shahar and Pini Aharonbayev and Ben Green....
(The Silence that Remains). Thus she became Israel's representative at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. She initially rebuffed suggestions that parts of the song should be performed in English. In the end, considering that foreign language songs had not been successful in the past, she agreed to sing half in Hebrew and half in English. She was placed fourth in the contest, winning 154 points.
In September 2005, Maimon released her eponymous debut album, Shiri Maimon
Shiri Maimon (album)
Shiri Maimon is the debut album by Israeli singer Shiri Maimon, released on September 2, 2005, and certified gold just a few months after its release...
which went gold within a few months, selling over 20,000 copies. She appeared on the soap opera Yeladot Ra'ot (Bad Girls) on the Israeli Music Channel
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...
, where she played the role of Maya Gold, a talented singer and recording star trying to balance her career and her love life with caring for her drug addicted brother. Her first single out of her second album, was released in December 2007, entitled "Yoter Tov Lisloach" (Better to Forgive), and became a hit. In March 2006, she began starring in a musical version of an Israeli cult movie "The Band" in the Habima theater. In January 2008 her second album Rega Lifney She...
Rega Lifney She...
Rega Lifney She... is the second studio album by Israeli singer Shiri Maimon, which was released on January 2008, by Helicon Records...
(Just Before...) was released.
Winning the MTV Europe Awards as Best Israeli Act, she went to Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, where she performed a new single, "Now That You're Gone". In competition for the "Europe's Favourite Act", she finished in 3rd place, before the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
2008 Dima Bilan
Dima Bilan
' is a Russian actor and pop singer . Bilan represented Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with "Never Let You Go", finishing second, and he won the contest in 2008 in Belgrade, with the song "Believe". He has had several Russian no. 1 hits....
, and the famous British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer Leona Lewis
Leona Lewis
Leona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
. She was also chosen to take part in the Global One project, a worldwide project to record songs with successful local artists in their native languages in over 20 countries panning five continents around the world.
Discography
- Shiri MaimonShiri Maimon (album)Shiri Maimon is the debut album by Israeli singer Shiri Maimon, released on September 2, 2005, and certified gold just a few months after its release...
(2005) - Rega Lifney She...Rega Lifney She...Rega Lifney She... is the second studio album by Israeli singer Shiri Maimon, which was released on January 2008, by Helicon Records...
(Just Before...) (2008) - Standing On My OwnStanding On My OwnStanding On My Own is the debut international album by Israeli singer Shiri Maimon, released on January 10, 2008. Like Maimon's last albums, this album also combines elements of pop and soul...
(2008)