ESC 2009

[jawnbc]

When the IBA (Israel's public broadcaster) approach world music star Noa to represent Israel she said "like, ok, sure, but like, only if my BFF Mira can come too." Mira is Mira Awad a Arab Palestinian Israeli: the two have performed together numerous times at home and overseas.

Their song is entitled (in English) "There must be another way." The lyrics are in Hebrew, Arabic and English, and it's a contemporary pop song sung exceedingly well. Here's a clip: I frickin' love the subtitles in Hebrew and Arabic, depending upon in which language they're singing at any given moment:

Israel has sent "peace" songs before, but I really like the sentiment here--we gotta do something different people, really really different.  I think it'll do well; can't see it winning though. Noa, in particular, has a large following across Europe.

Comments

[paulintoronto.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you know, but some of your readers may not, that Noa sang the role of Esmeralda in the original recording of Notre Dame de Paris by Richard Cocciante and Luc Plamondon, and played the part in the original Paris cast for a while.

[jawnbc]

I knew she did the cast recording, but didn't know she actually sang the part in Paris. I thought it was Julie Zenatti.

[paulintoronto.livejournal.com]

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notre-Dame_de_Paris_(com%C3%A9die_musicale)#Distribution_originale_1998

As far as I can tell, Noa played it first, then Hélène Ségara, with Julie Zenatti as Fleur de Lys. Then in 1999, Zenatti replaced Ségara as Esmeralda.

I'm most familiar with the original "concept" album, on which Noa is Esmeralda and Zenatti is Fleur de Lys. Alas, I never got to see the show in Paris.

[blue-by-you.livejournal.com]

This is SO cool Jawn! I'm going to snag it for my facebook.