May 21 was a particularly happy day for Anna Zack. After six years of hard work, punches from critics and quite a bit of disrespect for her musical abilities, the singer announced for the first time in her career the opening of box office for a big show.
"It all started with a very cool app I built for my audience, with a lot of beautiful things. While working on the app, an offer came to do a show," she says for the first time about the sequence of events surrounding that show. "For me, opening a show was something that really scared me, but also really moved me. It was something I had been waiting for a long time and I was constantly asked about it. I was very insecure, but I felt like it, and with all the fear, I felt I was ready, and off we went."
Did you start working on the show?
"We started working on everything and I also started imagining and thinking about what I wanted it to look like. We made an official announcement, started rehearsals and filming, and canceled the whole month of June, which is my strongest month, to focus only on the show. Everything came together into this performance and all the energy, thoughts and time were invested in it. I knew I wanted everything to be perfect because it was my first show and also because I felt and knew that all eyes would be on me, to see what would be there."
Do you feel like you're being examined with a magnifying glass?
"I think there are those who want me not to succeed and I'm aware of that, and I also feel that there are those who are waiting to see if it's real or not. I remember when the announcement came out I was in the clouds, both because it was a moment I was really waiting for and because a lot of people were excited for me."
The date chosen for the biggest day of her life was July 3, but the show, as we know, did not take place - and Zack's world collapsed on her.
"The tears just came down"
"Four days after the announcement of the show, everything fell apart in front of my face," she recalls. "I don't think there are words that can describe the disappointment. A few days before we announced I was very nervous, and I was really working on myself to start enjoying it, but as soon as I started enjoying myself everything fell apart. I can't explain this feeling in words. I just wanted to disappear."
How did the days after go for you?
"It's been a very difficult few days. From one moment when I was all working on the show, I moved on to the moment I started working on the cancellation.
"Canceling a show is horrific, you have to do everything not to cancel. I remember sitting crying, while writing a message to the staff that it was all over and thank you for the work. Right after that, I wrote a post to my followers, because it was important to me that they hear it from me."
"I'm here to make music." Zack in concert, photo: Coco
Take me back to the moment when you realized the show was canceled.
"Omri and Ofir (Zack's agent and personal manager; P.S.) called me in for a chat and reflected to me that the show wasn't going to be the way I imagined. They told me that what they promised would not happen, and that the question now was whether to compromise on it, or cancel everything. I sat there in shock. They talk and I sit in shock, listening to them, looking at them and not believing. As soon as they said they were offering to cancel, the tears just went down."
What actually happened there?
"The show was supposed to take place with partners and we had all kinds of misunderstandings and things that didn't work out and got complicated. For me it was my first show, I waited a long time for it and I wanted to fulfill all my dreams ever.
"It was obvious to me that I wanted to give my million percent there, and suddenly when we shifted gears and wanted things to happen a certain way, they happened in a different way and it started to feel less complete and less true, and at one point very scary."
Didn't you understand it before, at the initial stage?
"In one of our conversations, when we transferred theory to practice, I discovered the gaps between the plan I imagined and how they see it. There was a stage when I worked with the artistic director, we sat down with everyone about the vision of the show and there were agreements, but from the moment we announced, they started saying, 'It's not going through the budget, it can't happen' and all sorts of things.
"At first I compromised, but there came a point when I couldn't anymore. I do believe that there are things that need to be compromised, but here it was too much. I wanted to give my audience the best there is, and I felt that in the climate that existed, that's not what would happen. I had to be at peace with the show, and when I felt like I wasn't, we stopped everything."
The initial hypothesis was that you didn't sell enough tickets.
"At the meeting where we talked about the cancellation, they told me that everyone would think I didn't sell tickets, but anyone who works in the music industry knows that they don't decide whether a show sold tickets or not after four days. Apart from the official announcement, there was no campaign at all, and nevertheless there was a good sale at a good pace.
"I remember telling them, if we sell, tell me, and if not, don't update me. I also remember that the first 1,500 tickets were sold and I said, OK, a big place I'm closing, maximum passes."
Were you disappointed that they thought it was because you didn't sell?
"I understand why they thought that, but I have to say I wasn't too excited. I know it's not true, and once I understand it, it's okay. If anything, I was disappointed that cultural figures came to the wrong conclusions and rushed to write them, without checking."
Are you already working on a new show, or do you prefer to take your time in the meantime?
"I learned a lot from this case. Now I know we're doing the show on our own and exploring the area well, until everything goes well. After I finish the festival, I'll go back to work on the show again, and until then there will be new songs – this time without cancellations."
"Suddenly a new language"
Zack, believe it or not, is only 22 years old. With a six-year career behind her, during which she has amassed more than six million followers on TikTok and Instagram, those who disparaged the network star have received her at the top of the charts over the past year with "Go to Sleep" (for which she recently won an ACUM Award), "Who Is It," and most recently "All-Star and jerseys." Together, the three of them, by the way, have more than 50 million views on YouTube.
In the process, she managed to accumulate a large musical mileage, which included, among other things, the song "What I Have Left of You" together with Aviv Geffen, as well as performances all over the country, for example one recently in the "Big Brother" house.
"People don't realize how hard this job is." Zack on Instagram,
She was born in Russia and immigrated to Israel when she was 10 years old, so in fact almost half of her life grew up in Sochi.
"My life is divided into two, because there it's a completely different world," she recalls. "I came here and didn't know the language, except for 'good morning' and 'hello.' Our aliyah was quite spontaneous, and suddenly at the age of 10 I have a new language, a new culture, a new life.
"I came here with confidence on the floor and stopped singing. I remember going to a voice teacher just because I loved singing, but I was embarrassed to sing in front of others."
After how long did you get the confidence to return to singing?
"The first time I went on stage in Israel was at the age of 12, when I participated in a singing competition in Eilat. I had a blackout there on stage and ran away. It was a trauma that caused me to stop singing for four years. At that moment I was sure I wouldn't sing at all again, and it wasn't until I was 16, after I already had an audience, that I felt confident to do it again."
What would 22-year-old Anna have said to 12-year-old Anna at that moment?
"Today I would tell her that things that don't work out are part of the way, and don't take it hard. I'd tell her, 'Anna, what are you excited about? It's all good.' These moments, which are sometimes perceived in our minds as failures, are not really failures but moments along the way.
"I feel that my path has been very special and challenging. I started with things that had nothing to do with what I do today, like modeling and social media, and when I started releasing songs, people raised eyebrows. It took me a long time to prove that I wasn't a gimmick, that I didn't come for a moment, that I was here to make music."
"When I started releasing songs, people raised their eyebrows." Zak, Photo: Tal Abudi
Why did you delay with the music?
"In Russia, that's what I did. I studied music and was in a girl group, but when I came to Israel I didn't have the confidence to do it. I remember when we came to Israel I told my parents, 'You ruined my career.'"
If you had stayed there, would you be a singer today?
"I ask myself this question and think about it many times. What would have happened to me today? Would I do social media? Would I stay in the band? I have no way of knowing. I'm also interested in what my music teacher would say about my music."
Would you like to sing in Russian?
"I like to sing in Russian."
"Leave something behind"
Like it or not, Anna Zack is an old-new world cultural phenomenon. The first TikTok star in Israel to make the transition to a singer, who enters all the radio playlists. Bigger, older singers can only envy the millions of followers she's amassed on TikTok, an audience that serves as an asset in her own right.
An audience of millions of followers that is an asset in itself. Zack on TikTok,
Like any groundbreaking cultural phenomenon, you have also received quite a few criticisms. How did you feel?
"It's never fun. There really were a lot of teasing and criticisms that lowered my confidence. At first, I was moved by the reviews, and when I felt I was immune, another review came along that knocked me down and broke me again. I think it's something that will haunt me for the rest of my life, but I do learn to take things in proportion. I know I shouldn't get hurt, because I know what I'm capable of and how hard I work."
Were there moments when you thought it wasn't a profession for you?
"There wasn't a moment when I said, 'I'm stopping singing,' but there were moments when I stopped to think about how I handled the criticism. There are also pertinent reviews that I have taken to heart. Let's say, at the beginning I had a lot of singing effects, they commented on it and I said, 'Right, we'll do less.'"
Do you feel more immune to criticism today?
"I think what balanced me was the reaction of the audience. Even if they killed me and the songs, when a person comes in front of me and says he loves them, or when people sing them at concerts, it balances the criticism. I know I was meant to do it, I'm constantly evolving and want to leave something behind."
בעוד עשר שנים אני עדיין אראיין אותך כזמרת?
"בוויז'ן שלי כן, והראיון יהיה בחו"ל".
מה את מדמיינת?
"אני חולמת בהכי גדול, על הבמות הכי גדולות שיש. אני רוצה ארה"ב, אבל אפשר גם להתחיל באירופה".
מה את עושה כדי שזה יקרה?
"אנחנו בוחנים את השטח ולא ממהרים לשום מקום. אני רוצה לעשות את זה מדויק, עם האנשים הנכונים".
"מרגישה במבחן"
כשמצד אחד היא חולמת על הכי גדול שיש, זק עדיין נפגעת מביקורות וחשה אולי גם קצת חוסר ביטחון.
"בתקופה האחרונה היו לי הרבה רגעים של חוסר ביטחון, והיום אני יודעת שזה חלק ממני", היא אומרת. "הרגע המשמעותי ביותר היה אחרי ביטול ההופעה, אבל זה יכול לקרות גם בדברים קטנים יותר".
יש פער מאוד גדול בין איך שאת נראית ומה שאת משדרת לבין זה שאת חשה חוסר ביטחון.
"זה נכון, אבל לאורך כל הדרך יש לי מקומות שבהם אין לי ביטחון. כשכל הזמן אומרים לך 'אתה לא, אתה לא, אתה לא', מתישהו זה חודר והמקום של להוכיח הוא מקום מאוד מלחיץ ולא נוח. אני תמיד מרגישה במבחן וזה פוגע בביטחון. כל דבר שאני עושה מרגיש לי בראש גדול יותר, גם כי גרמו לי כמה פעמים לפקפק בעצמי ולחשוב שאולי אני לא מספיק טובה. אבל אני שמחה שהתעקשתי ואמשיך להתעקש".
את מבינה למה זה עשוי להפתיע כמה מהקוראים?
"אני בן אדם. אנשים חושבים שהכל יפה ומושלם, אבל אין דבר כזה. אני עוברת המון עליות וירידות, דרמות ושינויים, וברור שיש לי חוסר ביטחון. יש ימים גרועים וימים מדהימים, אבל גם אחרי יום מדהים יש איזו ירידה. כל מי שעובד בתעשייה הזו עובר בה המון ואף אחד לא מכין אותנו לזה. אין שום בית ספר למה לעשות ומה לא לעשות, למדתי את הטוב ואת הרע על בשרי".
מתי הרגשת שהקריירה המוזיקלית שלך מתניעה?
"אני חושבת שבשיר 'בלוק' אנשים הבינו שיש משהו, אבל עוד לא הבינו מהו. בשיר 'קוביות', שהיה הפעם ראשונה ששיתפתי פעולה עם סטטיק ובן־אל, אנשים בהתחלה לא הבינו איך הם עשו איתי שיתוף פעולה, אבל זה עבד יפה והשיר היה טירוף. החותמת הסופית, עם הערכה גדולה, היתה כשיצא 'לך לישון'. הקהל שלי התרחב ופתאום זה לא היה רק לבני נוער".
זה גם השיר הראשון שנכנס לפלייליסט גלגלצ.
"הוא נכנס לכל מקום וגם היה במקום הראשון כבר בשבוע הראשון. כשאת מושמעת ברדיו זה שובר את הסטיגמה של 'רק כוכבת רשת', וזה משהו שהיה חשוב לי. כשקיבלתי את ההערכה הזאת אני חושבת שזה שינה גם את התפיסה כלפיי".
היום את יותר זמרת או כוכבת רשת?
"אני עושה מוזיקה. לי זה כל כך מובן, אבל אני מבינה למה לאנשים זה לא מובן לגמרי. אני יודעת מה הדרך שלי, אבל אני גם יודעת למה אנשים חושדים, ומקבלת את זה".
את לא אוהבת שאומרים שאת כוכבת רשת?
"אין לי לאן לברוח מזה ואני לא רוצה לברוח מזה, כי אני גם, גם וגם. הרשת היא חלק גדול מהדרך שלי, שם צברתי את הקהל הראשוני ושם קיבלתי את הביטחון לעשות את המוזיקה שלי. אני לא עושה את ההפרדה הזאת".
"היה טירוף". עם סטטיק ובן־אל, צילום: רפי דלויה
"הכי מתאים שנתחבר"
כשמדברים עם אנה זק, אי אפשר שלא לדבר על מי שהוכתרה בתקשורת כנמסיס שלה, נועה קירל. אחרי שמועות על סכסוך ויריבות בין השתיים, הפתיעה זק כשהעלתה סטורי פרגון ותמיכה אחרי הופעתה של קירל באירוויזיון בליברפול.
"היא נתנה הופעה מהממת והיה נראה לי מאוד הגיוני לפרגן לה, אפילו מתבקש", מסבירה זק. "היה משהו בהופעה של נועה שאיחד את כולנו לחבק אותה".
אחר כך היא פרגנה בחזרה לסינגל שלך. הופתעת?
"כן, זה הפתיע גם כי זה לא קרה קודם, וזה היה ממש כיף".
"נתנה הופעה מהממת". נועה קירל באירוויזיון, צילום: אי.פי
What is actually going on between you?
"A big media story has been created, and when there's a lot of talk out there, it also trickles down, but in practice none of us really knows what the story is and nothing actually happened between me and her. Noa and I are not in touch, and I also know that if something is written it is not necessarily true, but because they dealt with it, a strange situation was created in which I was afraid that she thought I thought something bad about her. I actually got into a fight with someone I didn't even know well enough to fight with.
"I understand that people like it, and even though nothing happened, I realized it bothered me, because suddenly I started thinking that maybe she was hurt by me. The bottom line is, I don't know her well enough to be in conflict with her."
There were reports, among other things, that her managers prevented performances in shared places. Did it get to you?
"All along the way I used to get feedback that she vetoed me at various shows, but I can't know what's right and what's not, and that's where the tension is created. Suddenly, a show would be cancelled and I didn't understand why, but I preferred to believe that it wasn't true, and even if it did, that it had nothing to do with her. On the other hand, the very rumor already sucks."
It was reported that you refused to stay with her in Yarkon Park, is that true?
"That's not true. She wrote me a stunning message, we corresponded and I told her that I was supposed to be abroad during this time, but let's see what happens and how it works out. We haven't given a final answer yet, and as soon as we get the schedule, we'll make a decision. As far as we're concerned, it's still on the table."
Were you surprised it leaked?
"Yes, because I didn't refuse. I'm used to it and understand why it's interesting, but the wrong things bother me."
"Noa approached Anna and offered her, Anna told her to check and didn't refuse, and two days before the press conference it was reported that she refused," explains Omri Yaari, Zak's agent, who has been with her since she was 15.
"Noa is a superstar," Zack continues. "She's a crazy stage animal, talented at levels, and I really appreciate her work. It was also very important for me to tell her that. People don't realize how hard this work is.
"I feel like I'm going through the same things, and it's from this place that I think it's best for us to connect. I know what she's been through, you can't help but appreciate it, and Eurovision was the highlight."
Would you be interested in doing Eurovision?
"Absolutely, yes, it's something I'd really like. It's a great honor to represent the country on this crazy stage, but it also depends on a lot of things."
"Complete and correct decision"
Before music, in the early years of her career she led campaigns and starred online, with her unusual beauty attracting a lot of attention and also drawing questions. For example, after she disappeared for a while about two years ago, and later it was discovered that she had Bell's palsy, which caused a deformity in her face.
Today, sitting makeup-free and it's very hard to take your eyes off her, Zack makes it unequivocally clear that "everything about me is real and I haven't made any changes.
"I'm afraid of the act of change itself, but if I feel like I need a change, I think I will. I'm also afraid to change something and then if I don't like it, how do I go back? I assume that there will come a stage for external changes, but I'm not there yet."
She also recently made headlines following her split from her partner of three years, singer Roy Sandler.
"Our separation came after a period in which we realized that something bad was happening in the relationship," she says. "We talked about things and came to the conclusion that it's better to be separate. There was no specific event, and our communication was good too. We kept talking about things, until we made a decision. You have to know how to stop when it's not good."
Who initiated the separation?
"It was clear to both of us that this was going to be a breakup. I remember we had a farewell call, we said we both loved and didn't fight, and we were really sad. A few months earlier we had moved in together and he was my best friend, but there was a moment when we both realized it was over."
In one of his interviews, he hinted that you weren't by his side enough while dealing with a health issue. What did you think of that?
"I don't look at things that way. I saw that he said it and I think he's mature and I can't interfere with his feelings, but I know I did my best to be there for him. I love him very much and it was important for me to be there with him in those moments. I'm sad to hear if he felt differently."
"We realized it was over." With ex-partner Roy Sandler, photo: from Instagram
Are you in touch?
"When we need to close a corner or sort something out."
When did you last speak?
"I saw him somewhere. I feel really okay with the breakup because the decision is complete and right. I see it blossoming and good things happen to me too, so everything is fine."
Do men start with you?
"Yes, I get started a lot on Instagram, but it's a little weird to me. I prefer to get to know people around me that I know."
Where do I get started?
"There are those who get smart and send funny things, and there are those who go straight to the point. There was one who recently sent me a bunch of flowers home, and I don't know who it is. There wasn't a store note or anything from it, and anyone who knows me knows I'm a murder coward, so I put the flowers on the porch because I was afraid I was being recorded. I'm anxious about these things."
There were also rumors about Seoul Dawn, is there anything?
"I know these rumors, but Dawn and I are good friends, not beyond."
Do you feel ready for your next relationship?
"A few days ago I told myself that I want to be single and not built for a relationship right now, but on the other hand I do miss it a bit. I'm a couple person. I had one partner before Roy and then I was with Roy, and it makes me feel good to have my person and I'm not alone.
"In short, I feel like it and I don't feel like it, and I believe that when it comes, it will come, but I'm not looking for it right now."
Noa and you went single together.
"Yes, maybe that's another sign of us connecting. We will exchange experiences at Festigal."
erans@israelhayom.co.il
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