Mira Awad
Encyclopedia
Mīrā ’Anwar ‘Awaḍ is an Israeli Arab singer, actress, and songwriter
.
‘Awaḍ lives in Tel Aviv
, Israel. In 2009, she was chosen to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest
along with Jewish-Israeli singer Achinoam Nini
, singing the song There Must Be Another Way. She was the first Arab
to represent Israel at Eurovision, singing the first Israeli Eurovision song with Arabic
lyrics.
village in Galilee
, Israel to an Arab Christian father from the Galilee (Anwar), a physician by profession, and a Bulgaria
n Christian mother (Снежанка - Snejanka). She studied at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Ramat HaSharon
. She participated in improvisational workshops in Israel and the UK sponsored by the BIArts, British Council
, and studied at the Body Theatre School after receiving a scholarship from the America-Israel Culture Foundation.
. She also appeared in The Bubble
, a film by director Eytan Fox
. She sang the theme songs for the films Forgiveness (directed by Udi Aloni
), and Lemon Tree
(directed by Eran Riklis
).
In 2002, she collaborated with Achinoam Nini in a version of the Beatles song "We Can Work It Out
." She appeared in an album of live performances of Greek singer George Dalaras
. In the summer of 2002 she starred as Eliza Doolittle
in the Israeli Opera production of My Fair Lady
, directed by Micha Levinson, at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center
. She also participated in the Israeli children's song festival "Festigal", performing the song Take the Journey. In 2005, ‘Awaḍ collaborated with The Idan Raichel Project on the song Azini (Comfort Me) on his second album "Mi'ma'amakim."
In 2006 she appeared as an IDF
soldier in the Cameri production of a musical adaptation of Maya Arad's novel in verse "Another Place, a Foreign City".
In 2007 she played a Palestinian
lawyer in the Israeli sit-com "Arab Labor."
In 2008 she played a Palestinian refugee in the stage production of "The Return to Haifa."
‘Awaḍ represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
, along with Achinoam Nini (Known outside Israel as Noa). ‘Awaḍ was the first Arab-Israeli singer to represent Israel in the contest. The song won a place in the Eurovision final on May 16, and eventually finished in 16th place with 53 points. ‘Awaḍ had previously tried to represent Israel in Eurovision 2005
with the song Zman (Time), but landed 8th place in the national final.
On May 15 Noa and ‘Awaḍ released a collaborative album There Must Be Another Way featuring both duets and solo tracks. ‘Awaḍ's debut solo album Acrobat (بهلوان, Bahlawan) was released in June, featuring songs she wrote and composed, in collaboration with Israeli guitarist Amos Ever-Hadani.
In 2010 she was part of a panel that chose the song to represent Israel
in Eurovision 2010 to be sung by Harel Skaat
.
‘Awaḍ participated in the fifth season of Rokdim Im Kokhavim
, the Israeli version of Dancing with the Stars
. Her dancing partner was Dani Yochtman, and they reached the semi-final stage of the competition, coming in 4th place.
She is also starring in the TV drama Noah's Ark, playing Ruthi.
by nationality
and Israel
i by citizenship
. While she has received criticism from both sides of the Arab-Israeli divide, she has many fans in both camps. The debate has exposed the uneasy position of the Arab citizens of Israel
.
During the 2009 national elections in Israel, ‘Awaḍ voiced support for the Israeli Communist party, Hadash
.
Prior to her participation in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest
, Palestinian and Arab intellectuals circulated a petition calling on ‘Awaḍ not to take part in it. The petition failed to deter ‘Awaḍ and Noa, who said, as peace advocates, they were surprised such a petition went around. According to the New York Times, "The antiwar movement, they say, seems to have turned into a Hamas
apology
force." ‘Awaḍ laughed off the suggestion that she might be used as a fig leaf
to cover up the Israeli government's actions. "The government didn't choose to send me to Eurovision. Noa and I agreed because of our eight-year collaboration," she said.
On November 19, 2009, ‘Awaḍ and Noa were awarded the Haviva Reik
Peace Prize from Givat Haviva, to honor their commitment to peace and dialogue between Israelis and Arabs.
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...
.
‘Awaḍ lives 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...
, Israel. In 2009, she was chosen to represent Israel at 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...
along with Jewish-Israeli singer Achinoam Nini
Achinoam Nini
Achinoam Nini , also known by her professional name, Noa, is a leading Israeli international concert and recording artist.-Career:...
, singing the song There Must Be Another Way. She was the first Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
to represent Israel at Eurovision, singing the first Israeli Eurovision song with 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...
lyrics.
Early life
‘Awaḍ was born in RamehRameh
Rameh is a local council in the North District of Israel. It is entirely populated by Arabs, of whom around 51% are Christian, 29% Druze, and a further 20% Muslim...
village in Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
, Israel to an Arab Christian father from the Galilee (Anwar), a physician by profession, and a Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n Christian mother (Снежанка - Snejanka). She studied at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music in Ramat HaSharon
Ramat 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...
. She participated in improvisational workshops in Israel and the UK sponsored by the BIArts, British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, and studied at the Body Theatre School after receiving a scholarship from the America-Israel Culture Foundation.
Career
‘Awaḍ became an instant star on Israeli television after appearing in the sit-com Arab LaborArab Labor
Arab Labor is a sitcom television series, produced in Israel. The series which premiered on Keshet Channel 2 in Israel in 2007 and on Link TV in the Fall of 2008, was created by Sayed Kashua....
. She also appeared in The Bubble
The Bubble (2006 film)
The Bubble is a 2006 romantic drama directed by Eytan Fox telling the story of two men who fall in love, one Israeli and one Palestinian...
, a film by director Eytan Fox
Eytan Fox
-Biography:Fox was born in New York City and moved with his family to Israel when he was two. His father, Seymour Fox, was a Conservative rabbi and a leading professor of Jewish education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His mother, Sara Kaminker-Fox, was the head of the Jerusalem city...
. She sang the theme songs for the films Forgiveness (directed by Udi Aloni
Udi Aloni
Udi Aloni is an Israeli and American filmmaker, writer and visual artist whose works focus on the interrelationships between art, theory,and action. He began his career as a painter, establishing the Bugrashov gallery in Tel Aviv, a home for contemporary art, cultural and political events...
), and Lemon Tree
Lemon Tree (film)
Lemon Tree is a 2008 Israeli drama movie directed by Eran Riklis and codirected by his cousin Ira Riklis. It stars Hiam Abbass, Ali Suliman, Danny Leshman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Tarik Kopty, Amos Lavi, Lana Zreik and Amnon Wolf...
(directed by Eran Riklis
Eran Riklis
Eran Riklis is an Israeli filmmaker. His films include Cup Final , The Syrian Bride , and Lemon Tree . He was born in 1954 and he studied at the National Film and Television School in England. He is married to Dina Riklis and they have two children, a daughter, Tammy, and a son, Jonathan...
).
In 2002, she collaborated with Achinoam Nini in a version of the Beatles song "We Can Work It Out
We Can Work It Out
"We Can Work It Out" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It was released as a "double A-sided" single with "Day Tripper", the first time both sides of a single were so designated in an initial release...
." She appeared in an album of live performances of Greek singer George Dalaras
George Dalaras
George Dalaras , also possibly spelled as Yorgos or Giorgos Dalaras, is a Greek singer. He is of international fame and has recently been selected as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency. He was born in Nea Kokinia, Piraeus. His father was Loukas Daralas, a singer of rebetiko.-Early...
. In the summer of 2002 she starred as Eliza Doolittle
Pygmalion (play)
Pygmalion: A Romance in Five Acts is a play by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. Professor of phonetics Henry Higgins makes a bet that he can train a bedraggled Cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, to pass for a duchess at an ambassador's garden party by teaching her to assume a veneer of...
in the Israeli Opera production of My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady
My Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
, directed by Micha Levinson, at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center
Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center
The Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center is a performing arts center at King Saul Boulevard in Tel Aviv, Israel. It was designed by Israeli architect Jacob Rechter....
. She also participated in the Israeli children's song festival "Festigal", performing the song Take the Journey. In 2005, ‘Awaḍ collaborated with The Idan Raichel Project on the song Azini (Comfort Me) on his second album "Mi'ma'amakim."
In 2006 she appeared as an 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...
soldier in the Cameri production of a musical adaptation of Maya Arad's novel in verse "Another Place, a Foreign City".
In 2007 she played a Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
lawyer in the Israeli sit-com "Arab Labor."
In 2008 she played a Palestinian refugee in the stage production of "The Return to Haifa."
‘Awaḍ represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Israel will participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, as confirmed by the Israel Broadcasting Authority . After much deliberation at the IBA over who would be the Israeli representative, it was announced that Noa & Mira Awad will go to Moscow for Israel.In a national final, Kdam Eurovision...
, along with Achinoam Nini (Known outside Israel as Noa). ‘Awaḍ was the first Arab-Israeli singer to represent Israel in the contest. The song won a place in the Eurovision final on May 16, and eventually finished in 16th place with 53 points. ‘Awaḍ had previously tried to represent Israel in Eurovision 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,...
with the song Zman (Time), but landed 8th place in the national final.
On May 15 Noa and ‘Awaḍ released a collaborative album There Must Be Another Way featuring both duets and solo tracks. ‘Awaḍ's debut solo album Acrobat (بهلوان, Bahlawan) was released in June, featuring songs she wrote and composed, in collaboration with Israeli guitarist Amos Ever-Hadani.
In 2010 she was part of a panel that chose the song to represent Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in Eurovision 2010 to be sung by Harel Skaat
Harel Skaat
Harel Skaat is an Israeli singer and songwriter. He represented Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Milim" ....
.
‘Awaḍ participated in the fifth season of Rokdim Im Kokhavim
Rokdim Im Kokhavim
Rokdim Im Kokhavim is the Israeli version of the popular British TV show Strictly Come Dancing. The show features local celebrities partnered with professional ballroom dancers, competing to be the most successful dancers in the contest. Each week the couple that gains the least votes from the...
, the Israeli version of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
. Her dancing partner was Dani Yochtman, and they reached the semi-final stage of the competition, coming in 4th place.
She is also starring in the TV drama Noah's Ark, playing Ruthi.
Political views
‘Awaḍ identifies herself as PalestinianPalestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
by nationality
Nationality
Nationality is membership of a nation or sovereign state, usually determined by their citizenship, but sometimes by ethnicity or place of residence, or based on their sense of national identity....
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i by citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
. While she has received criticism from both sides of the Arab-Israeli divide, she has many fans in both camps. The debate has exposed the uneasy position of the Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel
Arab citizens of Israel refers to citizens of Israel who are not Jewish, and whose cultural and linguistic heritage or ethnic identity is Arab....
.
During the 2009 national elections in Israel, ‘Awaḍ voiced support for the Israeli Communist party, Hadash
Hadash
Hadash is a Jewish and Arab socialist front of organizations that runs for the Israeli parliament. It currently has four members in the 120-seat Knesset.-Background:...
.
Prior to her participation in the 2009 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...
, Palestinian and Arab intellectuals circulated a petition calling on ‘Awaḍ not to take part in it. The petition failed to deter ‘Awaḍ and Noa, who said, as peace advocates, they were surprised such a petition went around. According to the New York Times, "The antiwar movement, they say, seems to have turned into a 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...
apology
Apologetics
Apologetics is the discipline of defending a position through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers Apologetics (from Greek ἀπολογία, "speaking in defense") is the discipline of defending a position (often religious) through the systematic use of reason. Early Christian writers...
force." ‘Awaḍ laughed off the suggestion that she might be used as a fig leaf
Fig leaf
A fig leaf is the covering up of an act or an object that is embarrassing or disagreeable. The term is a metaphorical reference to the Biblical Book of Genesis, in which Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover "their nakedness" after eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and...
to cover up the Israeli government's actions. "The government didn't choose to send me to Eurovision. Noa and I agreed because of our eight-year collaboration," she said.
On November 19, 2009, ‘Awaḍ and Noa were awarded the Haviva Reik
Haviva Reik
Haviva Reick was one of 32 or 33 Palestinian Jewish parachutists sent by the Jewish Agency and Britain's Special Operations Executive on military missions in Nazi-occupied Europe....
Peace Prize from Givat Haviva, to honor their commitment to peace and dialogue between Israelis and Arabs.