Noa

Few singers make their career after returning to their native land from the United States. But Noa is no ordinary singer. After growing up in New York City, the Israeli native headed back to the homeland on her own at age 17 in order to serve her mandatory two years in the military. As soon as that was finished, she began pursuing her musical studies at the prestigious Rimon School in Tel Aviv, where she met her longtime songwriting partner, Gil Dor.

Clearly influenced by Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, her mostly English-language lyrics (with bits of Hebrew) touch on social issues, but still do not shy away from romanticism. See, for instance, songs such as "Ayelet Chen," about the continuity of family and shared love, and then "Dreamer," which laments the unrest of her home country. This interplay has garnered her notice from mainstream artists such as Pat Metheny (who produced her first self-titled international release), Sting, and Stevie Wonder, all of whom with she has shared the stage. For her usual live configuration, Noa appears backed by an ensemble that includes Dor, percussionist Zohar Fresco, and a string quartet.