Yardena Arazi Celebrates 75 Years of Iconic Israeli Career
Israeli singer Yardena Arazi is marking her 75th birthday, reflecting a career deeply intertwined with the nation's cultural landscape, particularly its Eurovision presence and musical milestones. Arazi's connection to Eurovision began in 1976 and included hosting the 1979 contest in Jerusalem. She represented Israel in 1988 with the song "Ben Adam," achieving seventh place.
Her career highlights include starring in the hit musical "Barenshim Ve'Chalomot" in 1981, which ran for a record 52 weeks and earned a David's Violin award. Arazi's professional relationship with Gavri Mazor was pivotal to her solo career, with Mazor serving as her artistic advisor and repertoire manager, guiding her to commercial success.
In 1989, during the First Intifada, Arazi released "Dimyon Mizrahi," an album of Arabic music classics, which sold 30,000 copies and earned her "Singer of the Year" from Kol Yisrael in Arabic. Her 1983 song "Ha'Bayta," written after performing for IDF soldiers in Lebanon, became an anthem for soldiers' return and later for the return of abducted soldiers, including Gilad Shalit.
Arazi was a pioneer in producing elaborate music videos, setting a standard for Israeli pop. She has won the Kol Yisrael "Singer of the Year" award five times and two Galei Tzahal awards, and was named "Singer of the Decade" in 1990. Her early career included performing with the group "Chocolate, Mint, Gum" and serving as the first female commander of the IDF's Nachal Entertainment Troupe.
Her personal life includes marriage to Natan Tomer, her producer, with whom she has one daughter and a grandchild. Arazi is a lifelong vegetarian and animal rights advocate. In honor of her 75th birthday, a young zebra at the Ramat Gan Safari was named after her.
Further significant works include the 1987 concept album "Neshama Tzoni'it," which sold over 150,000 copies, and her 2009 collaboration with Yehuda Poliker on the album "Busham Al Ori," which led to her being the most played artist on Israeli radio in 2010.
Arazi also had a notable rivalry with singer Ofra Haza in the 1980s, a significant event in Israeli pop culture. She later transitioned to television hosting, presenting the morning show "Cafe Telad" from 1997 to 2005, and has hosted several radio programs. The "Chocolate, Mint, Gum" trio reunited in 2025 for a successful series of shows.
Throughout her career, Arazi has received numerous accolades, including lifetime achievement awards and a street named after her in Haifa in 2021. She was also honored with the "Knight of the Century" award from the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation in 2024.
