Hedva Amrani: "I would have loved to represent Israel at the Eurovision Song Contest, but I'm not sorry I lost"
Hedva Amrani ("I dream of Naomi", "In one heart") has already seen it all, but even at the age of 77 she is still trying to surprise.
Now she's releasing an original version of the Jews' song "Take Me" ("At first I did not like it at all"), and expects to resume the comeback in Japan, which was interrupted because of the corona ("It's yet to come")
Sagi Ben Nun
19/11/2021
Friday, 19 November 2021, 00:07 Updated: 00:19
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Hedva Amrani in a cover version of the song "Take Me" originally performed by the Jewish Band (PR)
In recent years, the singer Hedva Amrani, who is remembered mainly thanks to the huge hit "I dream of Naomi", has returned mainly to the disco period.
In her new mini-album, "On the Roof of the World", she sailed to even more ancient provinces, with a style reminiscent of the 50's, a full orchestra and acoustic arrangements by Eyal Mazig (formerly the Spurs).
Amrani, 77 next month, lives in Los Angeles and is constantly on the transatlantic line between the United States and Israel, and she was inspired by American singers of her generation who released albums with cover versions of old songs.
Thus, the album that will be released towards the end of January will include four cover versions and one original song. In addition, an intriguing mash-up is expected between a beloved Israeli song and a well-known international song. The artistic direction is signed by Alon Amir, who has been working with Amrani for the past 15 years, and he is also the author of the only original song on the album - the theme song. The first single from the album is released today - a wonderful cover version influenced by Bosa Nova for the hit "Take Me" by the Jews, which represents the spirit of the album (watch the premiere of the song and clip - above).
Hedva, have you also been inspired by the successful cover versions of Rod Stewart's albums?
"There's something about it, but it's not exactly his inspiration. Over the years, I've done so many things that remind me of the preliminaries [pre-Eurovision contests - PS], remember me from 'I dream of Naomi' and 'Salam Aleichem', and I wanted to do Something calmer, mature and deep. Something more appropriate for my age, and to do something new and different. That was the direction. "And we all connected. The idea was to come up with something different, to say, 'Wow, who is this?'
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Going back.
Hedva Amrani (Photo: Ian Fischer)
"For years I refrained from doing covers," Amrani adds, "but when this song 'Take Me' came to me, I thought Orit Shahaf was a bombshell, a great singer, a rocker who makes a sah, and I said to myself: how can I even compete with her? But it really was not Eyal explained to me to do something from my direction, and we found the right niche, more bossa nova.Today I really like the song, but at first I did not like it at all, I did not want to do it, and they came down on me and said: 'What are you talking about? Listen to how "So that's it, the song is out."
What connected you to the lyrics of the song "Take Me"?
"In the song of the Jews a young girl sings who still loves the same guy who left her, she wants him terribly. And I came from a more mature place, explaining not to take it so terribly, I want the guy to know me but looking at it from the perspective of someone in years Her 70s,And I supposedly give advice to the young girl on how to deal with life, disappointments and loves. "
"The idea was to come up with something different, to say: wow, who is this?".
Amrani (Photo: Ian Fischer)
Although disappointed love is an interpretation that has already been given to this song, Orit Shahaf said that the opening of the song in general describes her childhood at school, when she was considered "weird" by her classmates, adding that the sentence "If you go then take me", which is thought of disappointed love, In general describes her father who left home as a child.
What connects you personally to these issues?
"So now I understand it differently. I do not know if I was weird, but as a little girl I was very shy and very insecure. Or a lover leaves, you are disappointed and want him to know that you are thinking of him. "
Amrani was half of the duo Hedva and David, in which she acted alongside the late David Tal, and their biggest hit is "I Dream of Naomi" written by Tirza Atar and composed by David Kribushi. The song won first place at Japan's first international song festival in 1970. In addition to the huge success of the song in Japan, which was also reflected in sales, she released as part of the duo and also as a freelance singer seven albums in Japan throughout the 1970s.
Just before the Corona eruption, Amrani released the song "Just Be" in Japanese in March 2020, and also planned to release a compilation album with songs in Japanese - but plans for a comeback in Land of the Rising Sun had to be postponed for two years because of the Corona. This coming March, in honor of the Japanese emperor's birthday and to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and Japan, she will release a Japanese version of the hit "Salam Aleichem."
"A lot of things were supposed to happen in Japan and were canceled because of the corona," she says.
"Apart from the compilation album that will also include my new songs, I was also supposed to be at the opening ceremony of El Al's direct line from Tel Aviv to Tokyo, it was canceled, and it's terribly sad. Japan is still closed, but it will come. We will wait a few more months. Japan for me "It's a second house. I released albums there, a lot of singles and I got respect."
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Great in Japan.
Hedva Amrani (Photo: Ian Fischer)
Against the background of the cover versions you make in the new album: Which cover version of your song have you especially liked over the years?
"In Japan there were about 200 versions of 'Naomi.' "In the name of Laura who did a cover for me, but I do not know if I heard it, so I can not give an opinion."
In a few months it will be 30 years to promote Eurovision 1992 where Anat Atzmon with the song "Hatikva" lost to Dafna Dekel who won with "It's just a sport" - which led to a lawsuit that Dekel's singing exceeded 17 seconds - but Atzmon also lost at trial. This corresponds with Kedem 1978, in which Shirach "Balev Ehad" came to a draw with "Avnibi" by Yizhar Cohen, who won in the end because he got more first places. Who was more upset about the loss - you or Anat? It seems to me that you have answered.
"I'm happy about what happened. This song only did me good. There's no one who plays it. There was a festival in Dizengoff and my friend told me, 'I see people dancing with one heart.' It's a phenomenal thing, heard at every wedding, in discos. "I'm not sorry. I would have died to represent Israel. It's fate. And it's good."
Hedva and David perform "I Dream of Naomi" in Tokyo
Do you know Noga Erez?
"Noga Erez? I do not know who it is."
One of the most successful Israeli singers and musicians in Israel and in the world right now.
As someone who has succeeded overseas, what is your advice to an artist who dreams of it as well?
"Look, it's awfully hard. It's timing. Look what's going on with Gal Gadot now, superstar in America. Such a thing did not happen 50 years ago or 30 years ago. It's timing. I tried a lot in the United States, and I had some nice recordings and good reviews in America. , But it did not explode there. My advice to those who want to succeed in the world is not to give up. The world is much closer now. I listen to singers on 'X Factor for Eurovision' and 'Next Star', and everyone there sings in English no less well than American singers. Unbelievable. Once upon a time there was no such thing. There was a strong accent. And the appearance and the look and the dress were not the same. Today it is different, the world has progressed. Today it is not enough to be a singer, you have to write your songs, know how to play, dance and look good. "You have to come up with something different that they have not heard and say wow, where does it come from? You have to be like Adele and Ed Sheeran and such. So I suggest to those who feel they have the strength and talent - not to give up, persevere and work, work, work."
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