Natanel Sasson, once a major name in Israeli Mediterranean music thanks to the hit “Shuv,” says he stepped away from the spotlight at the height of his success because the front of the stage frightened him. In a special interview with C14, the Tiberias-born singer said he was once too embarrassed to play his own songs for others and spent a long period questioning what to do next.
About 12 years ago, Sasson was widely known for cover versions and singles that drew millions of views, with “Shuv” reaching roughly 14 million. But he struggled to turn online success into a stable career on major stages and in mainstream media. “I said to myself, ‘There is life, you need to make a living,’” he said, adding that he barely earned anything from singing and moved behind the scenes.
That move led to songwriting work for leading artists including Eden Ben Zaken, Itay Levy, Sarit Hadad and Roy Adam. Still, Sasson said his confidence collapsed. “At some point, my self-confidence was shattered into pieces. I felt I was worth nothing as a singer. I felt my place was to serve others. The front scared me,” he said.
He says his comeback was triggered by the rise of singer Sasson Shaulov, whose style drew comparisons from listeners. The renewed audience appetite for that sound convinced him to return. After signing with Roberto Ben Shushan’s office, he did something unusual, he launched live shows before releasing a new song. After seven years out of sight, he said six concerts sold out completely, with no tickets left.
In August, Sasson released “30,” a song he says emerged from tears during a career crisis and was recorded in one take, exactly as it was first sung. He is now preparing for a performance in Caesarea in August and says the long break may have saved him from the darker sides of the music industry. “I am very grateful to the Holy One, blessed be He, for that ‘stop’ he gave me,” he said, adding that today he simply does what he loves and encourages others not to give up.
