Singer Yishai Levi Dies at 63

Singer and musician Yishai Levi died overnight at the age of 63 at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. Levi’s family announced this morning, "With unimaginable pain, we are informing you of Yishai’s passing overnight. We will provide an orderly update today on the time and place of the funeral. There are no words right now."

Levi had been hospitalized several days ago, and rumors of his death spread over the weekend. The family had asked for privacy, and this morning the news was released on its behalf. Levi was one of the most prominent and moving voices in Mizrahi and Israeli music, with a career spanning more than 40 years and dozens of hits, including "Rikdi," "Ra'aya," "Ha' achat Sheli," "Isha Ne'emana," and others.

He was born in Rosh HaAyin in 1963, and his younger brother is singer Nati Levi. He began singing in clubs and celebrations at the age of 13. After his military service, he connected with Zohar Argov. He began his musical career with music producer and guitarist Ben Mosh, Moshe Ben Moshe, and in 1984 released his debut album, "Hafla im Ben-Mosh," which was based on cover versions and became a major success. In 1986, his second album, "Hine Ba HaYom," was released and achieved commercial success, selling more than 100,000 copies. Almost every song on the album became a classic in Israeli music, including "Chalom," "Ra'aya," "Achat VeYechida," "Nashim VeChofshiyot," "Tzelil Anbalim," as well as the medley "Ze Lo Chalom" and "Shuv Rokedet."

Success and fame also brought hard drug addiction, which damaged his career because he missed performances. In 1989, after attempts at rehabilitation, his third album, "Lehat'il Mib'reshit," as its name suggests, was an attempt to start over. The song "Rikdi" was released from the album and became a hit. The album was successful and demand for performances increased, but Levi was unable to fully kick the habit. In the 1990s he continued releasing albums and producing hits, including "Taltalim Shchorim," and in 2000 his name returned to headlines in a criminal context when he broke into his neighbor’s apartment.

In 2003 he also served a prison sentence for assaulting and threatening his wife, and during the imprisonment his album "Nativ Yisuray" was released. In 2011, the song "Ha' achat Sheli" was released and became a hit. That same year he performed in a large show at Hangar 11 in Tel Aviv, where he hosted artists Arkady Duchin, Micha Shitrit, Eyal Golan, and Ze’ev Nechama. His name also made headlines in 2005 in unflattering circumstances when he set fire to his home after his wife refused to give him money, and he was imprisoned again. In 2008, the album "Rikud Romanti" was released, bringing him back into the public eye, and he went on tour.

In the second decade of the 2000s, he released seven studio albums, including "At," most of which was written and composed by Amir Benayoun. He released a duet with his son Oshar Levi, "Lech VeTitchaten," and a duet with Eli Botner, "Itcha Ad Sof HaZman," and in 2025 he took part in the fourth season of "The Masked Singer." Levi is survived by his wife Iris, who also served as his personal manager, and their four children. Levi was the father of singer Shir Levi, who was born before his marriage.