Ishtar (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ishtar is an Israeli-born
pop singer who performs in Arabic, Hebrew, Bulgarian, French, Spanish, and English. She is best known for her work as the front vocalist of the French-based band Alabina
, and her solo pop hits such as C'est La Vie, Last Kiss, and Habibi (Sawah).
and was raised in Israel
. She was born to an Egyptian-Jewish
mother and a Moroccan-Jewish
father, both of Sephardic heritage, who had immigrated to Israel
earlier.
She speaks and sings in Arabic
, Hebrew
, French, Spanish, Russian, and English; in addition, she says she "half-speaks Moroccan".
Ishtar began performing in clubs at age 14 and continued even while enrolled in the IDF
. Though she was born Eti Zach, she chose the name 'Ishtar
', a Mesopotamian Goddess
, because her grandmother called her Ester, which "with her Egyptian accent it sounded like Ishtar
", she said.
It was around this time a friend asked her to join them in France. She soon fell in love with the country and decided to make it her home.
. She joined the group as a lead vocalist and together they performed under the name Alabina
.
Alabina
soon became a worldwide success charting in the top 10 and top 40 several times in the US alone.
Alabina
had found success mixing Flamenco
, Arabic, Pop, and Dance
sounds. Los Niños de Sara
usually sang in Spanish while Ishtar would sing in Spanish, Arabic, French, Hebrew, or a mix of the languages – several songs were sung in Spanish and Arabic.
success, after two albums Ishtar decided to do a solo project of her own (though still a member of the group); Los Niños de Sara
also began to release CDs of their own.
In November 2000 La Voix d'Alabina (The Voice of Alabina) was released. It stepped up the Oriental pop sound while mixing in some traditional Arabic sounds and dance beats. Nine out of the twelve songs were mainly in French though Arabic, Spanish, English, and Hebrew were mixed in on various songs (for example Last Kiss was in English). Several of the tracks found dance floor success, including Last Kiss.
Ishtar also paid a visit to her fans in Israel, where she hosted a few television shows, singing duos with local stars such as Pavlo Rosenberg
, Avihu Medina
, and David D'Or
.
Ishtar continued to tour the world with Alabina
for the next few years as she worked on her second album, Truly Emet, which was released in August 2003 this time with most of the songs being in Hebrew. However she decided to sing more songs in mixes of Arabic and Hebrew to show that there could be harmony between the two cultures. Truly Emet was again a dance floor success especially the songs C'est La Vie, and again Last Kiss.
A few more performances were done with Alabina
, though as of 2005, the group had seemed to disband by no longer actively performing or releasing new music.
Ishtar's third album, Je Sais D'où Je Viens (I know where I come from) was released in November 2005. This time the music was still Oriental pop, however much less dance. More hip hop
-type beats were stirred in with the Arabic music. Most of the songs were sung in Arabic, four were sung in French, and a few in English, while Spanish and Hebrew could be found throughout the album. Again she found dance success with such singles as Habibi (Sawah), which for the first time in her career featured a rapper JMI Sissoko.
Shortly after a greatest hits CD, The Alabina Years, was released, featuring a mix of Ishtar's solo hits, her Alabina hits, and some new English tracks as well.
Ishtar currently lives in France and is working on promoting her album "Best Of".
In 2005, Ishtar released her fifth album, which was recorded in Paris, New-York and Turkey, In this album, Ishtar adapted Arabic music from her childhood with various strains of Spanish and Western Pop music and featuring the artist Jimmy Sissoko.
After this album, she decided to take a break to give birth to her twins in 2007.
In 2009 she recorded the song ‘Yahad’ in duet with Kobi Peretz, which was awarded as ‘Song Of The Year’ at the Apple Music Awards in New York.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
pop singer who performs in Arabic, Hebrew, Bulgarian, French, Spanish, and English. She is best known for her work as the front vocalist of the French-based band Alabina
Alabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
, and her solo pop hits such as C'est La Vie, Last Kiss, and Habibi (Sawah).
Early life
Eti Zach was born on 10 November 1968 in Kiryat Atta, near 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...
and was raised in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. She was born to an Egyptian-Jewish
History of the Jews in Egypt
Egyptian Jews constitute both one of the oldest and youngest Jewish communities in the world. While no exact census exists, the Jewish population of Egypt was estimated at fewer than a hundred in 2004, down from between 75,000 and 80,000 in 1922. The historic core of the indigenous community...
mother and a Moroccan-Jewish
History of the Jews in Morocco
Moroccan Jews constitute an ancient community. Before the founding of Israel in 1948, there were about 250,000 to 350,000 Jews in the country, but fewer than 7,000 or so remain.-Under the Romans:...
father, both of Sephardic heritage, who had immigrated to Israel
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
earlier.
She speaks and sings in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
, French, Spanish, Russian, and English; in addition, she says she "half-speaks Moroccan".
Ishtar began performing in clubs at age 14 and continued even while enrolled 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...
. Though she was born Eti Zach, she chose the name 'Ishtar
Ishtar
Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
', a Mesopotamian Goddess
Goddess
A goddess is a female deity. In some cultures goddesses are associated with Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses also rule over war, death, and destruction as well as healing....
, because her grandmother called her Ester, which "with her Egyptian accent it sounded like Ishtar
Ishtar
Ishtar is the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, and sex. She is the counterpart to the Sumerian Inanna and to the cognate north-west Semitic goddess Astarte.-Characteristics:...
", she said.
It was around this time a friend asked her to join them in France. She soon fell in love with the country and decided to make it her home.
Alabina years
Once she moved to France, Ishtar began working as a backup vocalist for several flamenco type acts. It was here she was discovered by Charles Ibgui who, enamored with her voice, introduced her to Los Niños de SaraLos Niños de Sara
Los Niños de Sara are Spanish-speaking Gypsies from Montpellier, France. They perform on their own, but they are best known for the involvement in the musical group Alabina.-Background:...
. She joined the group as a lead vocalist and together they performed under the name Alabina
Alabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
.
Alabina
Alabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
soon became a worldwide success charting in the top 10 and top 40 several times in the US alone.
Alabina
Alabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
had found success mixing Flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, Arabic, Pop, and Dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
sounds. Los Niños de Sara
Los Niños de Sara
Los Niños de Sara are Spanish-speaking Gypsies from Montpellier, France. They perform on their own, but they are best known for the involvement in the musical group Alabina.-Background:...
usually sang in Spanish while Ishtar would sing in Spanish, Arabic, French, Hebrew, or a mix of the languages – several songs were sung in Spanish and Arabic.
Solo career
Despite Alabina'sAlabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
success, after two albums Ishtar decided to do a solo project of her own (though still a member of the group); Los Niños de Sara
Los Niños de Sara
Los Niños de Sara are Spanish-speaking Gypsies from Montpellier, France. They perform on their own, but they are best known for the involvement in the musical group Alabina.-Background:...
also began to release CDs of their own.
In November 2000 La Voix d'Alabina (The Voice of Alabina) was released. It stepped up the Oriental pop sound while mixing in some traditional Arabic sounds and dance beats. Nine out of the twelve songs were mainly in French though Arabic, Spanish, English, and Hebrew were mixed in on various songs (for example Last Kiss was in English). Several of the tracks found dance floor success, including Last Kiss.
Ishtar also paid a visit to her fans in Israel, where she hosted a few television shows, singing duos with local stars such as Pavlo Rosenberg
Pavlo Rosenberg
Pavlo Rosenberg is an Israeli singer.Pavlo Rosenberg was born in Argentina. His family immigrated to Israel when he was 6 years old...
, Avihu Medina
Avihu Medina
Avihu Medina is an Israeli composer, arranger, songwriter, and singer of Mediterranean Israeli music.-Biography:Medina is the third son of Aaron and Leah Medina. His mother's family immigrated in 1906 and she was born in Jerusalem, and his father immigrated to Israel from Yemen in 1939 when it was...
, and David D'Or
David D'Or
David D'Or is an Israeli singer, composer, and songwriter. A countertenor with a vocal range of more than four octaves, he is a three-time winner of the Israeli "Singer of the Year" and "Best Vocal Performer" awards. He was also chosen to represent Israel in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest, at...
.
Ishtar continued to tour the world with Alabina
Alabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
for the next few years as she worked on her second album, Truly Emet, which was released in August 2003 this time with most of the songs being in Hebrew. However she decided to sing more songs in mixes of Arabic and Hebrew to show that there could be harmony between the two cultures. Truly Emet was again a dance floor success especially the songs C'est La Vie, and again Last Kiss.
A few more performances were done with Alabina
Alabina
Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music.Although the name of the group...
, though as of 2005, the group had seemed to disband by no longer actively performing or releasing new music.
Ishtar's third album, Je Sais D'où Je Viens (I know where I come from) was released in November 2005. This time the music was still Oriental pop, however much less dance. More hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
-type beats were stirred in with the Arabic music. Most of the songs were sung in Arabic, four were sung in French, and a few in English, while Spanish and Hebrew could be found throughout the album. Again she found dance success with such singles as Habibi (Sawah), which for the first time in her career featured a rapper JMI Sissoko.
Shortly after a greatest hits CD, The Alabina Years, was released, featuring a mix of Ishtar's solo hits, her Alabina hits, and some new English tracks as well.
Ishtar currently lives in France and is working on promoting her album "Best Of".
In 2005, Ishtar released her fifth album, which was recorded in Paris, New-York and Turkey, In this album, Ishtar adapted Arabic music from her childhood with various strains of Spanish and Western Pop music and featuring the artist Jimmy Sissoko.
After this album, she decided to take a break to give birth to her twins in 2007.
In 2009 she recorded the song ‘Yahad’ in duet with Kobi Peretz, which was awarded as ‘Song Of The Year’ at the Apple Music Awards in New York.
Albums
(Only solo CDs are listed)- The Voice of Alabina
- Truly Emet
- Je Sais d'où Je Viens
- The Alabina Years
- Best Of Ishtar Alabina
External links
- Official web site
- Ishtar biography, from RFI Musique (in French)
- English translation of RFI Musique biography
- Think Flamenco-Arabian music. Think ALABINA!, from eStart News