Liora's lilt for Indian

Ever chanced upon someone who breaks into the most melodious song to explain something? The Israeli-born singer of Indian origin Liora Itzhak’s bubbly, vivacious and happy-go-lucky persona reverbrates out of a telephonic from her home in Lod, Israel. The singer who was chosen to sing the national anthem and the Israeli anthem to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his recent visit to Israel has been inundated with calls, messages after she crooned. She was invited to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home the previous evening where she spoke to Prime Minister Modi, undoubtedly thrilled at the warm exchange, as her family comes from a sect of Gujarati Jews — a reason why an Israeli is so fluent in Gujarati and Hindi. Hebrew, of course remains her first language. Her grandmother’s father was the minister of foreign affairs in the Bhavnagar Estate king’s court, she recalls. 

“Wow, it (meeting Modi) changed my life. I feel like a star, and I am so happy with the acclaim. I was called the previous evening to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s home where I met the PM, mein nay Hindi, Hebrew and English mein baat ki thi. They both commended my singing. Modiji asked me about my family as he knew that my parents are from Gujarat. I was at a loss of words — it was a proud moment. I am happy that I was chosen and thankful to all,” says Liora of the memorable moment.  Singing has always been her calling, and that was what brought her to India, “I was 15-and-a-half when I came to Ahmedabad, and at that time there were many Jews coming to Israel (my parents left India in 1973, and I was born in 1974),” says this child of music, something her father inculcated as he had also wanted to be a singer, “Daddy (her father) had heard me singing, unko samajh mein aya ki mere mein talent hai (he realised that I was talented). I learnt under Nash Solomon and David Kandleker in Israel — basic Indian classical. My parents always had Indian films, Raj Kapoor songs, Pankaj Udhas playing at home,” recalls the singer who’s YouTube video of her recent hit Mala Mala has garnered 9,85,301 hits.

A still from Mala Mala

As a young impressionable girl, much to the surprise of many, her father sent her to India to learn music. “I had private lessons in Pune and Mumbai. The aim was to learn for a year. Mein ne daddy se request kiya to let me stay longer. I learnt at the Sur Sarvodaya School in Pune under Pandit Suresh Talwalkar and his wife, with the renowned Ramesh Nadkarni too. I slowly realised that classical music is deep, and I had a long journey ahead. That was when I worked on light music. I met a Jewish man who took me to Anup Jalota’s home where Kalyanji Anandji, Sadhanaji, and others frequented. The first person to influence me was Bappi Lahiri, I recorded a song in the studio, and he was surprised that an Israeli girl knew Hindi so well. I realised he wanted to give me a chance but wanted to see commitment. I remember, he was very interested in learning more about the Israeli army too. That was when the film Dil Ka Doctor happened, us samay Israel mein bhi dikhaya tha, and Indians Jews were thrilled. I met Anand Milind, etc. It was a journey many budding singers undertake, of showcasing talent, I sang with many famous singers — Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, mostly remixes.

At that time, Lata Mangeshkar, Alka Yagnik, etc. were in the limelight, so it was difficult to get a break,” recalls Liora, who lived in India for eight years, till she went back in 1998… which ironically was when the whole Antakshari mania started. Laughing dryly, she quips, “They started looking for me then but I was not there. I did the song Tu Hi Meera Pyar. As a child, I would always be at the fore of programmes for the Indian Israeli community, so there was renewed excitement. I went back to India and worked on a ghazal cassette which became a hit in Israel. I did a programme with the famous Israeli singer Yaov Itzhak who heard my song from Taal Se Saal, which I had made in Hebrew, and it was a huge hit,” recalls the girl. “The Hebrew culture in Israel is very different, they are more free. Israel has diverse music but the Indian style had never been done, I brought that and people love it,” she adds of her music that has Indian beats and Arabic tenets. 

She also sang another song Yakinton, which led her to embark on an album. Today, Liora sings, is busy doing programmes across Israel and would love to do songs in Bollywood again. Most recently, she sang Mala Mala in Hindi on YouTube, “I hope Bollywood calls me. At 15 years, I left home for music. It’s time for the fruits of my labour, or Hollywood (she laughs). Locally, we are doing something with Beyoncé’s Hello,” says the mother of daughters, seven-year-old Nofar and ten-and half-year-old Lian. About her husband, she pipes that he is younger to her, “When a husband and wife are on the same page, life becomes easy, he knows what life has taken from me and he has been a huge support,” says Liora, who loves the Jewish Indian community in Israel and their love for Hindi films, cricket, gana, khanna, shaadis, mehendi, etc. In the past she has done programmes with Sonu Nigam and Kumar Sanu and recalls a grand celebration once a year in the south when Indians over Israel come together. People in Israel are still surprised at her father sending her to India at such a young age, and today, she smiles wisely, “My father always thought I’ll be a star, and after I sang for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we hugged and cried, it was his love for me that led to music, and he is very proud, as he knew better and believed in me.” The constant turmoil facing Israel she hopes will end, “I want peace to prevail,” ends the singer whose name means, light, which she wants to spread with her distinctive Arabic peppered voice across the globe… starting with India.