Contents
Ofra Haza
Bringing Yemenite Jewish song into international pop through Im Nin’alu and her distinctive voice.
Yemenite Songs · Shaday
- Born
- 19 November 1957
- Birthplace
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Died
- 23 February 2000
More people
Ofra Haza
Ofra Haza was an Israeli singer whose work combined songs inherited from her Yemenite family with contemporary arrangements. Her recordings, samples and soundtrack performances reached international audiences.
Early life
Family songs
Grew up in Tel Aviv’s Hatikva neighbourhood with parents who had emigrated from Yemen.
Community theatre
Joined a local theatre troupe as a child, where Bezalel Aloni recognised her talent and later managed her career.
Career
- 1983
Eurovision recognition
Finished second in the Eurovision Song Contest with Chai.
- 1984–1988
International crossover
Yemenite Songs and the later success of Im Nin’alu expanded her audience abroad.
- 1990s
Collaborations and film
Worked with international musicians and contributed vocals to film soundtracks.
Selected work
Yemenite Songs
An album drawing on songs and poetry associated with Yemenite Jewish tradition.
Shaday
Included the internationally successful version of Im Nin’alu.
The Prince of Egypt
Provided the singing voice of Moses’s mother in multiple language versions.
Beyond work
Family roots
Credited her mother’s singing as an important source of her musical direction.
Death and public response
Died from an AIDS-related illness in 2000; news of her illness prompted extensive public discussion in Israel.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Yaakov Saar. CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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