Yuval Banai (יובל בנאי‎; b. 1962) is an Israeli musician, best known as th… Read Full Bio ↴Yuval Banai (יובל בנאי‎; b. 1962) is an Israeli musician, best known as the lead singer of the influential Israeli pop rock band Mashina.

Banai born on the 9th June 1962 in Tel-Aviv to Yossi and Ilana Banai. He was one of the more prominent members of the Banai family, which includes many noted entertainers, among them Yuval Banay's uncles Gavri, Ya'akov, and Haim (actors) and Yitzhak Banai (a judge); his cousins Ehud, Uri, Me'ir, and Eviatar, all of whom have found success as musicians, and Orna, an actress and comedian. He married actress Orly Silbersatz in 1987, and they had three children together before divorcing in 2007.

Banai served in the Artillery Corps of the Israel Defence Forces, and took part in the Lebanon War. During his service, he met guitarist Shlomi Braha and the two began playing together. The two went in different directions after their military service ended, with Banai forming the band Shlom Ha-Tzibur (Public Safety). In 1984 he and Braha decided to form a new band, which they called Mashina. In 1985, the band released its self-titled debut album, which quickly became a hit on the Israeli charts. Over the next decade, Mashina released several successful albums.

In May 1995 Mashina announced their retirement from the Israeli music scene, and performed in four heavily-publicised farewell shows. Banai went on to release several solo albums: Yuval Banai (1997), Rashi Dub (1999) (produced by bass player Yossi Fine), and Nish'ar BaMakom (Staying Put) (2001). Mashina reformed in 2003, and in 2005 they released an album entitled Futuristic Romance. In 2008, Banai released another solo album, Me'ever Le'harim (Over the Mountains), produced by alt-folk singer Allan Moon.

Banai has also worked as an actor, appearing in Yaky Yosha's Summertime Blues, and in the film Nadia, as well as in the television series Chunt Lee (2002).