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Idan Raichel will be helming a unique artistic experience this month at Rishon Lezion’s “Live Festival”. For four nights (September 5 th , 8 th , 9 th and 10 th ), the singer will be performing to crowds, while Chef Shaul Ben Aderet, one of Israel’s most lauded restaurateurs and owner of eateries “The Blue Rooster” and “Kimmel in the Gilboa”, cooks up delicious bites, and festivalgoers are invited to walk through art and photography exhibitions (notably performances are programmed to intertwine with Raichel’s show as well. “Nowadays, lots of music shows involve gimmicks and pyrotechnics, but in my new show, the focus is on the music and on the connection with the fans. The deep mutual understanding I have developed with my band makes it possible for us to create a musical experience that suffices to itself. Our goal is to create a show that is so powerful that if all the lights and screens were to go out, the audience would still connect with the songs and stories behind the lyrics”, explains Raichel. A new way of making music Over the course of his 20-year career, Idan Raichel (45), has become one of Israel’s most significant musicians, both at home and around the world. His 2002 album, “The Idan Raichel Project”, achieved quadruple-platinum status, the first of many successes to unfold over the years. Raichel of artists Bartzi Goldblatt and Nevo Afek). Other world music

creates music that meshes lyrics written in many different languages – Arabic, German, Spanish, Amharic, Hebrew, French – and by doing so, has gained legions of fans in all four corners of the world. Raichel is also the recipient of some of Israel’s highest cultural and musical honors, as well as of international awards obtained for his social activism, notably the “Unsung Hero Award” in memory of Martin Luther King, from the hands of MLK’s son himself, received for his support of the Israeli Ethiopian community. You’ve received many prizes and awards over the years. Which one do you consider to be the most significant? “Every award is an opportunity to thank the incredible people I work with, and most importantly, the fans without whom nothing of what we do would be possible. Performing in front of former US President Barack Obama and lighting one of the torches at Israel’s Torch-Lighting Ceremony on Independence Day are two deeply significant moments for me, as was performing in front of wounded Israeli soldiers, or at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony”, says Raichel.

EL AL is celebrating 20 years of the Idan Raichel Project with a special exclusive new category on our in-flight entertainment system, replete with Idan Raichel Project albums and live performances

Our quick questionnaire What’s your daily routine? “I only began having a daily routine once my kids were born. Like any regular family, our days are punctuated by

school runs, after-school activities, mealtimes, etc.”.

What do you do in your spare time? “I swim every day. It’s important for me to stay fit so that I can keep giving my all on stage. Anything I do is ultimately connected to music. If I read a book, I always look for how it can inspire me in my work”. What’s your favorite family activity? “What I enjoy most is having conversations with my kids. I find their fresh and innocent outlook on life inspiring and full of insight”. What might people not know about you? “I have a paralyzing fear of cockroaches. If I see a cockroach on stage, I won’t go up until he’s been removed. And if one appears at home, my wife or daughter take care of getting rid of it”. What would you be doing had you not become a musician? “I would have liked to learn how to cook and work in an itinerant restaurant, one that stays open in one country for a certain time period, before moving on to the next”.

The passion for musical creation

Raichel is not one to rest on his laurels. Alongside his work with his band, he has several ongoing solo and collaborative projects and has no intention of slowing down. “Though it may seem difficult to

"Nowadays, lots of music shows involve gimmicks and pyrotechnics, but in my new show, the focus is on the music and on the connection with the fans"

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ATMOSPHERE SEPTEMBER 2022