Netta Barzilai Israeli singer and looping artist, participant of Eurovision - 2018 Date of Birth: 22.01.1993 Country: Israel

1. Born and Bred in Israel
2. Early Life and Military Service
3. Pursuit of Her Dream
4. Musical Influences
5. Rise to Stardom
6. Style and Inspiration
7. Fashion and Collaboration
8. Israel's Participation in Eurovision

Born and Bred in Israel

Netta Barzilai was born on January 22, 1993, in Hod HaSharon, Israel, and currently resides there. At a young age, she moved with her family to Nigeria and spent four years there before returning to her homeland.

Early Life and Military Service

Barzilai volunteered for a year in the Nahal Infantry Brigade before being drafted into the army, where she served in the Israel Navy Band.

Pursuit of Her Dream

Despite trying her hand at various occupations, including waitress, barista, and kindergarten teacher, Barzilai always aspired to be an artist.

Musical Influences

"My musical tastes have developed and shifted over time," Barzilai shared in an interview with Time Out UK. "I started in the brass band and discovered Aretha Franklin and Etta James."

"Then I moved to R&B and artists like Erika Badu and Lauryn Hill. Later on, electronic music came into my life when I was in high school. Artists like Skrillex and Major Lazer influenced me."

Rise to Stardom

Barzilai reluctantly entered the Ha-Kochava Ha-Ba competition and was almost eliminated in the first round. However, judges used their power to save her from elimination.

Her song "Toy," a fusion of pop, soul, and Mediterranean beats, became a viral hit in 2018, garnering an impressive 23 million views as of May 11, 2018. Israeli songwriters Doron Medalie and Stav Beger composed the track.

"I knew we were doing something very unique and different, but I never in a million years could have thought that this song and video would have such a huge and positive reaction," Barzilai told Time Out UK about "Toy."

Notably, "Toy" was the first Eurovision entry to feature the use of vocal looping. Barzilai is not only a singer but also a looper, utilizing real-time audio sampling in her performances.

Style and Inspiration

Describing her style, Barzilai explains, "It's a mix of many things, like pop, K-pop, electro, soul, and ethnic. I like to mix and I get inspired by many different kinds of art forms."

"I consider my art very visual, so I always look for muses in many different artists from all kinds of different things. From comic book artists to designers and sculptors—the inspiration is everywhere."

Fashion and Collaboration

Barzilai acknowledges her love for fashion and has an impressive team that brings her creations to life. "My stylist is Itay Bezaleli, my makeup artist is Eran Israeli, and my hairdresser is Azi Sade, so they're my holy trinity," she states. "But my everyday style is street, urban style, so I take it seriously but also comfortably."

Israel's Participation in Eurovision

Israel's participation in Eurovision is permitted because its broadcasting authority, the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), is a member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Israel has competed 39 times and has won three times—in 1973, 1979, and 1998.