From Russia Israel with Pop

24 year-old Israeli songstress Shiri Maimon (Heb. שירי מימון) landed her country a respectable 4th place at the 2005 Eurovision song contest in Kyiv with the rousing power ballad Hasheket Shenish'ar (Heb. השקט שנשאר, Eng. Time to Say Goodbye). She rose to fame on Israel's version of Pop Idol, Kochav Nolad (Eng. Reach for the Stars), where she secured second place. She went on to win the Israeli Eurovision selection show, Kdam, and become one of the country's biggest stars. In September 2005 she released her self-titled debut album which was a critical and commercial hit. It's a mix of europop, rock and r'n'b. And one of the songs sounds exactly like Kylie Minogue's Red Blooded Woman.

Shiri's Official Site (Hebrew only)

Some Shiri Songs (Zip file)


Sharona and Daniela Pick (Heb. שרונה ודניאלה פיק) known as the Pick Sisters have recently thrown in the musical towel. Their electro stomper Hello Hello was pipped to the post by Shiri Maimon to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv, apparently because they sounded shite live. Oh, and their mother Zvika wrote Dana International's Diva.

Download Hello Hello