Noa (singer)

This article is about the Israeli singer. For the Japanese singer born in unknown year, seeNoa (Japanese singer).For the Japanese singer born in 2000, seeNoa (Japanese singer, born 2000).

Noa
Background information
Birth name	Achinoam Nini
Born	(1969-06-23)23 June 1969
Origin	Tel Aviv,Israel
Genres	Pop,world,Hebrew,jazz,blues
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1990–present
Labels	NMC,Geffen Records,Universal Records,Believe Digital,Naïve Records
Website	noasmusic

Achinoam Nini(Hebrew:אחינועם ניני,romanized:Aẖinóʿam Nini;born(1969-06-23)23 June 1969), known professionally asNoa(נועה), is an Israeli singer-songwriter, percussionist, poet, composer, and human rights activistworking internationally. She is accompanied by guitaristGil Dorand often plays the conga drums and percussions as she sings.Noa representedIsraelat theEurovision Song Contest 2009together with singerMira Awad,with the song "There Must Be Another Way".Her music is known to fuse languages and styles. She has performed in 52 countries and was the first Israeli artist to perform in theVatican.

Early and personal life

Noa was born inTel Aviv,Israel, to a family ofYemenite Jewishorigin. She moved toRiverdale, Bronxwhen she was two years old.She attendedSAR Academyand Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein Upper School ofRamaz High School,remaining in New York until her return toIsraelalone at the age of 16.

She completed her mandatory service in theIsrael Defense Forces,serving as a singer in themilitary bandof theNorthern Command.After her release she studied music at theRimon School of Jazz and Contemporary MusicinRamat Hasharon,Israel, where she met her long-time partner and collaboratorGil Dor,then a faculty member of the school.

Noa is married to Asher Barak, an Israelipediatrician.They have three children.

Music career

Noa performs at the Zappa Club, Herzeliya, October 2018

Noa has performed in a variety of locations around the world, includingCarnegie HallandAvery Fisher Hallin New York City,Olympiain Paris, Rome'sColosseum,The Barbicanin London,Zellerbach Auditoriumin Berkeley, California, theRavinia Festivalin Chicago, theMontreux Jazz Festivalin Switzerland, theNorth Sea Jazz Festivalin the Netherlands, theStockholm Water Festivalin Sweden,Palau de la Música CatalanainBarcelonaandTeatro RealinMadrid.

Noa has recorded songs in English, Hebrew,Yemenite Hebrew,Spanish, Neapolitan, French, Italian, Sardinian, Galician, and Arabic. Noa and Gil Dor have had various ensembles since their early days as an acoustic duet. Noa and Dor's ensembles vary from album to album, ranging from collaborations with musicians such as:Zohar Fresco,Steve Rodby,Solis String Quartet,Hila Carniand symphonic orchestras around the world. Noa's music is influenced by the singer-songwriters of the 60s such asPaul Simon,Joni Mitchell,Leonard Cohen,andJames Taylor.These musical and lyrical sensibilities, combined with Noa's Yemenite roots and Dor's background injazz,classical rock, have created Noa and Dor's unique sound audible through hundreds of songs written and performed by the duo. Noa plays percussion, guitar and piano.

Noa performs with Gil Dor at the Performance Arts Center, Tel Aviv, March 2019

In 1994, Noa performedAve Mariawith English lyrics she wrote for a live audience of 100,000 and a TV audience of millions at the closing event of theInternational Year of the Familyat theVatican,Rome, Italy, witnessed byPope John Paul II.

Noa and Dor have performed on numerous occasions with theIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra.They recorded an album during a live performance at Tel Aviv's Mann Auditorium in 1997. Over the years they have collaborated with symphonic orchestras from Lille, Messina, Parma, Murcia, and Florence. In September 2003, Noa performed an orchestral piece entitledL'isola della Luce(after the Greek island on which it was performed) which was written byNicola Piovaniespecially for her. The work was commissioned by theCultural Olympics Committeein Athens. In May 2004, the duo performed with the Israeli rhythm and dance troupeMayumanabetween the two final games of theEuroleaguebasketballchampionship.

Eurovision Song Contest

Together with Arab-Israeli singerMira Awad,Noa representedIsraelat theEurovision Song Contest 2009.Their song "There Must Be Another Way"qualified for the first semi-final but eventually finished in 16th place.About the song, Noa said,If we can truly empathize with each other's sorrow, if we can cry together, then we can also reach the next level of building and overcoming all our other differences.

Soundtracks

In 1998, Noa recorded the part of Esmeralda in French for the original soundtrack of the multi-Platinum selling "Notre Dame de Paris", but did not play the role in the musical. Her song "Babel", written in English, French and Hebrew as theme song for the Gerard Pullicino movie of the same name, topped the charts in France the following year.

Noa collaborated with French composer Éric Serra on two songs: one for the filmThe Experience of Lovefrom the James Bond filmGoldenEye,and the song "My Heart Is Calling" from the Luc Besson filmThe Messenger.

In 2000, Noa recorded the theme song "La vita è bella"of the film"Life Is Beautiful",Roberto Benigni's Oscar award-winning film. Noa also wrote the lyrics to the song now titled "Beautiful That Way",together with Dor. The song was recorded and released with the albumBlue Touches Blue,and also appears on the soundtrack to the film as well as on her albumNoa Goldin two versions.

Duets and collaborations

Noa and Dor have collaborated withKhaledfrom Algeria,Nabil Salameh,of Palestinian origin, born in Lebanon, Handallah from Nablus,Rim Bannafrom Nazareth,Amal Murkusfrom Kfar Yasif, andMira Awadfrom Kfar Raameh.

Due to her success in Spain, Noa has also developed several duets with Spanish artists, singing Spanish songs in Spanish. StartingLa vida es bellawith singerMiguel Bosé,she also recordedEs caprichoso el azaralong withJoan Manuel SerratorTú y yoalong withJoaquín Sabina.

In May 2002, she took part in a concert at the Rome Colosseum, under the banner of "Time for Life – A Tribute for Peace", featuringRay Charles,Mercedes Sosa,Khaled,Nicola Piovani,and artists from Afghanistan, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Africa and Ireland. In May 2004, she performed in We Are the Future, a globally telecast fund raising concert for children in conflict areas. On 2 July 2005, she performed inBonoandBob Geldof'sLive 8concert in Rome'sCirco Massimo. In September 2005, she performed at theAmbrosetti Forumwhich took place in Villa d'Este,Como,Italy, in the presence ofShimon Peres,Saeb ErekatandAmr Moussa.

In November 2010, Noa and Mira Awad performed at the closing concert of theScience for Peaceevent hosted by the Fondazione Umberto Veronesi at theBocconi UniversityinMilan,Italy.

Awards and recognition

Noa receives the Shulamit Aloni's Lifetime Achievement award, 2019.

• In 1998 Noa won the "Crystal Award" by the "World Economic Forum"inDavos, Switzerland,where she performed together with Palestinian artists and participated in numerous panels dealing with peace in the Middle East and the role of art and artists towards bringing it about.
• In 2000, the mayor ofMelpignano,Italy,awarded honorary citizenship to Noa andNabil Salameh(a Palestinian singer songwriter) for their activity for peace.
• In 2003 Noa was nominated Israel's first "Goodwill Ambassador" for FAO, the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization.
• On 3 April 2005, Noa became the first woman to receive the medal of the "Galileo Galilei" order from the "Grand Orient", the Italian arm of theFreemasons.
• On 7 August 2005, Noa received the "Gemona Seminar" prize for artistic excellence and her contribution to peace and understanding.
• In 2006, Noa won the "Mia MartiniCritics' Award "at the56th Sanremo Music Festivalin Italy, appearing with the Solis String Quartetand Carlo Fava.
• In 2008, Noa became a "Cavaliere della Republica" – Knight of the Italian Republic.
• In 2018, she was honored with the title "Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana" – Commander of the order of merit of the Italian republic.
• In 2018, Noa was also named "Pellegrino de Pace", Pilgrim of Peace, Assisi.
• In 2019, Noa was awarded the Shulamit Aloni Lifetime Achievement Award.

Discography

Noa and Gil have written and produced three albums:Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor Live,Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor(also known asRachel and Leah), andAchinoam Nini.Their five international albums areNoa(produced byPat Metheny) andCalling(produced byRupert Hine) forGeffen Records,Blue Touches Blue(produced byMike Hedges) for Mercury Records,Now(produced by Gil Dor &Yoad Nevo) andGenes & Jeans(produced by Gil Dor) for Universal Music. In addition, Noa recorded a live album with theIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra,and a live CD and DVD with The Solis String Quartet.

Studio albums

• Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor(September 1993)
• Noa(March 1994)
• Calling(May 1996)
• Achinoam Nini(April 1997)
• Blue Touches Blue(March 2000)
• Now(September 2002)
• Genes & Jeans(April 2008)
• Noapolis – Noa Sings Napoli(February 2011)
• The Israeli Songbook(March 2011)
• Love Medicine(2015)
• Letters to Bach(2019)
• Afterallogy(2021)

Live albums

• Achinoam Nini and Gil Dor Live(July 1991)
• Achinoam Nini & the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra(April 1998)
• Noa Live– DVD/Double CD with the Solis Quartet (October 2005)
• Napoli-Tel Aviv(September 2006)

Compilations and other albums

• First Collection(March 2001)
• Noa Gold(October 2003)
• There Must Be Another Way– with Mira Awad (2009)

Singles

• Mishaela (Be'eineiha)(1992)
• Uri (Akara)(1992)
• He (Boi Kala)(1993)
• Nocturno (Keren Or)(1993)
• I Don't Know(1994)
• Ave Maria(1994)
• Wildflower(1995)
• Child of Man(1995)
• U.N.I(1996)
• Too Proud(1996)
• Lama(1996)
• Mark of Cain(1996)
• By the Light of the Moon(1996)
• Vivre(1997)
• Nanua(1997)
• Mushrooms (Pitriot)(1997)
• But Love (Aval Ahava)(1997)
• Babel(1999)
• One Becomes Two(1999)
• Beautiful That Way(2000)
• If I Give You Everything(2000)
• The Beauty of That(2000)
• Again and Again (Otra Vez)(2001)
• Eye in the Sky(2002)
• We(2002)
• Now Forget(2003)
• Shalom, Shalom(2003)
• Dreamer(2008)
• Genes & Jeans(2008)
• There Must Be Another Way(2008)
• Someone Out There (Yesh Ey Sham)(2011)
• There Were Nights (Hayu Leilot)(2011)
• Autumn Wind (Ruach Stav)(2011)
• Lullabye (Shir Eres)(2011)
• Nothing But a Song(2014)

FAO ambassador

In October 2003, Noa was namedGoodwill Ambassadorof theFood and Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations.

Political views

Noa has considered herself to haveleft-wing political viewsin various occasions,claiming she repeatedly faced harsh criticism in her home-country of Israel "for being outspoken about peace".Throughout her career, she took part in several events celebratingIsrael's Independence Dayaround the world, including live performances inLondonandVancouver.

The singer has also been an advocate for a peaceful resolution of theArab–Israeli conflict,citing theassassinationofYitzhak Rabinin November 1995 as a turning point for her political activity;(she had been performing at the rally minutes before Rabin was murdered) she has publicly supported atwo-state solutionand aligned with organizations promoting co-existence betweenArab-PalestinianandJewcitizens of Israel.In February 2016, following the publication of a then-deleted report from theJerusalem Post,which alleged that Noa supportedBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions,she denied to have any kind of ties to the movement, stating that she herself was "a victim of its hypocritical and harmful activity."

An outspoken critic ofBenjamin Netanyahu's politics,Noa openly condemned thejudicial reformbacked by thePrime Minister'ssixth cabinetin 2023, confirming she was involved in theresulting protestsand stating that Israel was facing "the worst crisis of its history".

External links

• Official website
• Achinoam NinionBlogger
• Israeli Eurovision Official site
• Israel Broadcast Authority Eurovision news
• Video-Interview at Caprices Festival
• FAO Goodwill Ambassador website