Singer-songwriter Esther Shamir dies of cancer at 71

Singer, songwriter and lyricist Esther Shamir has died at the age of 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer. She died at home, surrounded by her family.

Shamir was one of the most distinctive and influential voices in Israeli music for more than five decades, and was considered one of the first women to pave their own way as independent creators in the local rock scene. She was born in Jerusalem in 1955 as Esther Hirschberg.

She began her artistic career in the Nahal Band, alongside Miki Kam, Yehuda Eder and Arik Rudich, where she met musician Ephraim Shamir, later her first husband and partner in creating one of her best-known songs, "I Passed By Only to See." She later developed an independent career as a singer-songwriter, at a time when few women stood at the forefront of rock creation in Israel.

Her solo album "In the Lowest Place in Tel Aviv," released in 1982, is considered a milestone in Israeli rock and a significant breakthrough for female creators. Over the years she released a series of albums, wrote and composed songs for herself and for other artists, and developed a personal, direct and uncompromising artistic voice. Among the classics she wrote are "Stronger Than the Wind," "I Passed By Only to See" and "To the End of the Track."

Alongside her musical work, she also wrote, recited poetry and developed a vocal therapy method called "Voice of the Spirit," and continued to create and perform in recent years. In recent years she also painted and held her first exhibition, and in 2023 received a special prize from ACUM for her contribution to Israeli music and culture.

In recent months she spoke openly about her struggle with metastatic cancer. In an interview published in May, she said she looked at her condition with unusual clarity and courage, and said, "I don't want to leave you," along with other remarks about life, death and creation. Despite her illness, she continued working until her final days. Just last month she took part in the release of the song "On the Other Side of Fear" with Yahal Doron, and said, "Optimism is not just a state of mind, it's a working tool."

After the October 7 massacre, she posted notes with songs on her Facebook page every day, in which she expressed her pain and anger at the situation. In an interview with Calcalist, she said, "In the notes I publish on Facebook, I write what I feel, and if it comforts someone or represents and gives voice to someone, then I have found my tomato-picking job. I don't want to hurt, I want to help." She also said, "In this period there are such terrible thoughts that I cannot believe go through my head, like what is worse, being underground in tunnels or being underground in a grave."

She is survived by a partner and two daughters.