Harel Skaat (Hebrew: הראל סקעת) is an Israeli singer. In 2004, he was the r… Read Full Bio ↴Harel Skaat (Hebrew: הראל סקעת) is an Israeli singer. In 2004, he was the runner-up of the second season of Kokhav Nolad ("A Star is Born"). He represented Israel in the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest 2010 with the song "Milim" (English: "Words"). Skaat has recorded a range of popular music from romantic ballads to upbeat songs with rock undertones. Widely praised for his vocal ability, his singing has been described as unique: strong and clear, and often with a deep emotional quality.
Biography
Harel Skaat was born on August 8, 1981, in Kfar Sava, Israel to a Yemenite and Iraqi Jewish family. Skaat's singing talents garnered attention from an early age. When he was 6 he won a children's singing competition and later appeared in an episode of a popular Israeli television show called Parpar Nehmad. In an interview with esctoday, Skaat said that he was taught how to sing by the Yemenite side of his family—his father, grandfather, and grandmother. After serving a mandatory stint in the Israel Defense Forces, he attended Beit Zvi, a college specializing in the performing arts.
Kokhav Nolad
In 2004, Skaat entered Kokhav Nolad, a televised singing competition based on Pop Idol. Skaat quickly emerged as the favorite, consistently receiving praise for his performances from the show's judges. He easily won his semi-final round against the competition, which included eventual winner, Harel Moyal, and went into the finals as the heavy favorite. Moyal's surprise win over Skaat in the finals illicited shocked reactions from music professionals associated with the show, including the producer and some of the judges and spurred accusations of voter manipulation by some of Skaat's fans. The allegations, which were denied by the producers of the television program, arose in part from perceived problems inherent in the voting system, which allowed for block voting and from online betting taking place before the finals. At the finals, Skaat sang a stirring rendition of an old Israeli popular song, "Hineni Kan" (Hebrew: "הנני כאן עכו"; English: "I Am Here"), a song which would go on to top the official Israeli music charts for a record 80 days and has since become a standard in his concert repertoire.
Early Career
Despite the surprise loss, Skaat emerged from Kokhav Nolad with a large fan base. Since 2004, Skaat has toured actively throughout Israel and has appeared at numerous state-sponsored events. He has also appeared frequently at the Zappa Club, popular rock night clubs in Tel Aviv and Herzliya. In 2005, Skaat was chosen to sing the Israeli national anthem, "Hatikvah" (Hebrew: הַתִּקְוָה; English: The Hope) in a soccer game between Israel and France. Also in 2005, he performed in a a major musical play, which in English is translated as He Who Dreamed based on the last 10 years in the life of Yitzhak Rabin, the former Israeli Prime Minister who was assassinated in 1995. The cast included Gila Almagor, Oded Teomi, and Shuli Natan, who sang one of the country's most beloved songs, "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (English: "Jerusalem of Gold") during the play.
Debut album
Skaat released his debut album, "Harel Skaat" (הראל סקעת), in the summer of 2006. The album produced a string of hits, including "Kama Od Efshar" (Hebrew: "כמה עוד אפשר"; English: "How Much More is Possible"), "Mashehu Mimeni" (Hebrew: "משהו ממני"; English: "Something from Me"), "Im Hu Yelekh" (Hebrew: "אם הוא ילך"; English: "If He Goes") and the romantic ballad, "Ve At" (Hebrew: "ואת"; English: "And You") which stayed number one on the major Israeli music charts for seven weeks. Initial reviews of the album were mixed. For instance, a review in The Jerusalem Post criticized the lack of spontaneity of the album, and the inclusion of dance-tracks which the critic claimed undercut the singer's talents, but praised Skaat's soothing vocals and his ability to move listeners. The album was certified gold less than one month after its release, eventually achieving platinum status. (It should be noted that because of its small market size, the Israeli music industry certifies an album to be gold when it sells 20,000 copies.)
Skaat won numerous awards for his work on the self-titled album. He was named 'Man of 2006 in Israeli Music' by "Keshet" and 'Male Singer of 2006' in the Hebrew Song Parade. He also won 'Singer of the Year' and 'Song of the Year' for "Ve At" (written by Israeli singer-songwriter Keren Peles) in the Music 24 Channel's Israel Music Awards (AMI). In addition, the Israeli Music Channel named the video for "Im Hu Yelekh" as the best music video of the year. During the same year, Israeli mobile phone operator, Cellcom, attempted to capitalize upon Skaat's popularity with the country's youth by developing a reality-based video series featuring the singer. The series was one of the earliest efforts by a mobile phone operator to provide exclusive video content via its users' cell phones.
Dmuyot
In the spring of 2008, as Skaat was rumored to be working on his second album, he was sued by his record company, Hed Artzi, for breach of contract. As a result of the legal dispute, Skaat was unable to record material for the new album for the rest of the year. A resolution seemed possible in December when the Israel Broadcasting Authority chose Skaat to be the country's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, but the inability of Skaat and Hed Artzi to reach a compromise led to Skaat being forced to drop out of the competition. In February 2009, a court granted Skaat permission to return to the studio. Skaat eventually resolved his problems with his old record company, and entered into a new relationship with Aroma Music and Partner Communications. In May 2009, Skaat released the single, "Muvan Li Achshav" (Hebrew: "מובן לי עכשיו"; English: "Now I Understand"). The CD single of the song was sold exclusively through Aroma's chain of coffee shops and became a major hit in Israel. "Muvan Li Achshav" later was included on his second album, Dmuyot (Hebrew: דמויות; English: Figures), released on September 1, 2009. Since its release, Dmuyot has achieved gold status. Among the other songs to have been released as singles from the album include: "Boi Ha Yom" (Hebrew: "בואי היום"; English: "Come Today"), "Sof", (Hebrew: "סוף"; English: "End") and "Od Ya'ir Alay" (Hebrew: "עוד יאיר עלי"; English: "Shine on Me").
Song of the Decade
In 2009, in an Israeli music poll for the best singer and song of the past decade, Skaat came in second, after Eyal Golan, for the title of male singer of the decade. His single "Ve At" won fourth place for song of the decade ("Mima'amakim" by the Idan Raichel Project topped the list). Five hundred songs (50 for each year) contended for the honor. Results were revealed live on Israeli television at a special, all-star show at Jerusalem's Sultan's Pool.
Eurovision 2010
In December 2009, the Israel Broadcasting Authority selected Skaat to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The announcement was made at the Knesset, Israel's legislative body. The selection was preceded by several days of speculation and confusion, and followed by criticism of the Israel Broadcasting Authority and calls for an investigation of the selection process despite the fact that the vote in favor of Skaat was unanimous.
In March 2010, "Milim" (English: "Words") written by Noam Horev and composed by Tomer Hadadi, was selected unanimously as the Israeli song entry for the Eurovision contest when it won the Kdam Eurovision, the country's pre-Eurovision selection competition. The four songs chosen as finalists for the Kdam Eurovision, including "Milim", were recorded in a studio by Skaat and released on a special CD entitled Eurovision 2010. To promote the Israeli entry, a music video of "Milim" was released, and Skaat recorded and released English and French versions of the song. "Milim" spent a total of five weeks at number one on the Israeli Reshet Gimmel Chart, one of the major Israeli music charts, including the entire month of May 2010. Hence it was number one during the period when Skaat was in Oslo competing in the Eurovision contest.
Skaat explained to the press gathered in Oslo for Eurovision that "Milim" is about loss, such as in a break-up, but that for him, it has a deeper meaning. Skaat said, "this song touches me deeply. My grandfather died just days before the selections in Israel, and this gives me a very deep feeling, I feel that I'm really singing this song for him. He wanted me to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest for five years, and then he got to hear that I was going to take part in the national selection before he passed away."
Despite being widely regarded as one of the favorites to winIsrael placed 14th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. However, Israel swept the Eurovision sanctioned Marcel Bezençon Awards for 2010, winning for best artist, best composition, and best entry of the contest. It is the first time in the history of the awards (which are selected by the contest's accredited media and press, participating composers, and commentators) that a single country has won more than one award in the same year.
After the results were announced, Skaat expressed not disappointment but pride and gratitude. He told one reporter, "I am proud and thrilled with our representation and performance. We brought artistic respect to Israel. It was a fun experience and I enjoyed every minute of it."
Biography
Harel Skaat was born on August 8, 1981, in Kfar Sava, Israel to a Yemenite and Iraqi Jewish family. Skaat's singing talents garnered attention from an early age. When he was 6 he won a children's singing competition and later appeared in an episode of a popular Israeli television show called Parpar Nehmad. In an interview with esctoday, Skaat said that he was taught how to sing by the Yemenite side of his family—his father, grandfather, and grandmother. After serving a mandatory stint in the Israel Defense Forces, he attended Beit Zvi, a college specializing in the performing arts.
Kokhav Nolad
In 2004, Skaat entered Kokhav Nolad, a televised singing competition based on Pop Idol. Skaat quickly emerged as the favorite, consistently receiving praise for his performances from the show's judges. He easily won his semi-final round against the competition, which included eventual winner, Harel Moyal, and went into the finals as the heavy favorite. Moyal's surprise win over Skaat in the finals illicited shocked reactions from music professionals associated with the show, including the producer and some of the judges and spurred accusations of voter manipulation by some of Skaat's fans. The allegations, which were denied by the producers of the television program, arose in part from perceived problems inherent in the voting system, which allowed for block voting and from online betting taking place before the finals. At the finals, Skaat sang a stirring rendition of an old Israeli popular song, "Hineni Kan" (Hebrew: "הנני כאן עכו"; English: "I Am Here"), a song which would go on to top the official Israeli music charts for a record 80 days and has since become a standard in his concert repertoire.
Early Career
Despite the surprise loss, Skaat emerged from Kokhav Nolad with a large fan base. Since 2004, Skaat has toured actively throughout Israel and has appeared at numerous state-sponsored events. He has also appeared frequently at the Zappa Club, popular rock night clubs in Tel Aviv and Herzliya. In 2005, Skaat was chosen to sing the Israeli national anthem, "Hatikvah" (Hebrew: הַתִּקְוָה; English: The Hope) in a soccer game between Israel and France. Also in 2005, he performed in a a major musical play, which in English is translated as He Who Dreamed based on the last 10 years in the life of Yitzhak Rabin, the former Israeli Prime Minister who was assassinated in 1995. The cast included Gila Almagor, Oded Teomi, and Shuli Natan, who sang one of the country's most beloved songs, "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (English: "Jerusalem of Gold") during the play.
Debut album
Skaat released his debut album, "Harel Skaat" (הראל סקעת), in the summer of 2006. The album produced a string of hits, including "Kama Od Efshar" (Hebrew: "כמה עוד אפשר"; English: "How Much More is Possible"), "Mashehu Mimeni" (Hebrew: "משהו ממני"; English: "Something from Me"), "Im Hu Yelekh" (Hebrew: "אם הוא ילך"; English: "If He Goes") and the romantic ballad, "Ve At" (Hebrew: "ואת"; English: "And You") which stayed number one on the major Israeli music charts for seven weeks. Initial reviews of the album were mixed. For instance, a review in The Jerusalem Post criticized the lack of spontaneity of the album, and the inclusion of dance-tracks which the critic claimed undercut the singer's talents, but praised Skaat's soothing vocals and his ability to move listeners. The album was certified gold less than one month after its release, eventually achieving platinum status. (It should be noted that because of its small market size, the Israeli music industry certifies an album to be gold when it sells 20,000 copies.)
Skaat won numerous awards for his work on the self-titled album. He was named 'Man of 2006 in Israeli Music' by "Keshet" and 'Male Singer of 2006' in the Hebrew Song Parade. He also won 'Singer of the Year' and 'Song of the Year' for "Ve At" (written by Israeli singer-songwriter Keren Peles) in the Music 24 Channel's Israel Music Awards (AMI). In addition, the Israeli Music Channel named the video for "Im Hu Yelekh" as the best music video of the year. During the same year, Israeli mobile phone operator, Cellcom, attempted to capitalize upon Skaat's popularity with the country's youth by developing a reality-based video series featuring the singer. The series was one of the earliest efforts by a mobile phone operator to provide exclusive video content via its users' cell phones.
Dmuyot
In the spring of 2008, as Skaat was rumored to be working on his second album, he was sued by his record company, Hed Artzi, for breach of contract. As a result of the legal dispute, Skaat was unable to record material for the new album for the rest of the year. A resolution seemed possible in December when the Israel Broadcasting Authority chose Skaat to be the country's representative in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009, but the inability of Skaat and Hed Artzi to reach a compromise led to Skaat being forced to drop out of the competition. In February 2009, a court granted Skaat permission to return to the studio. Skaat eventually resolved his problems with his old record company, and entered into a new relationship with Aroma Music and Partner Communications. In May 2009, Skaat released the single, "Muvan Li Achshav" (Hebrew: "מובן לי עכשיו"; English: "Now I Understand"). The CD single of the song was sold exclusively through Aroma's chain of coffee shops and became a major hit in Israel. "Muvan Li Achshav" later was included on his second album, Dmuyot (Hebrew: דמויות; English: Figures), released on September 1, 2009. Since its release, Dmuyot has achieved gold status. Among the other songs to have been released as singles from the album include: "Boi Ha Yom" (Hebrew: "בואי היום"; English: "Come Today"), "Sof", (Hebrew: "סוף"; English: "End") and "Od Ya'ir Alay" (Hebrew: "עוד יאיר עלי"; English: "Shine on Me").
Song of the Decade
In 2009, in an Israeli music poll for the best singer and song of the past decade, Skaat came in second, after Eyal Golan, for the title of male singer of the decade. His single "Ve At" won fourth place for song of the decade ("Mima'amakim" by the Idan Raichel Project topped the list). Five hundred songs (50 for each year) contended for the honor. Results were revealed live on Israeli television at a special, all-star show at Jerusalem's Sultan's Pool.
Eurovision 2010
In December 2009, the Israel Broadcasting Authority selected Skaat to represent Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. The announcement was made at the Knesset, Israel's legislative body. The selection was preceded by several days of speculation and confusion, and followed by criticism of the Israel Broadcasting Authority and calls for an investigation of the selection process despite the fact that the vote in favor of Skaat was unanimous.
In March 2010, "Milim" (English: "Words") written by Noam Horev and composed by Tomer Hadadi, was selected unanimously as the Israeli song entry for the Eurovision contest when it won the Kdam Eurovision, the country's pre-Eurovision selection competition. The four songs chosen as finalists for the Kdam Eurovision, including "Milim", were recorded in a studio by Skaat and released on a special CD entitled Eurovision 2010. To promote the Israeli entry, a music video of "Milim" was released, and Skaat recorded and released English and French versions of the song. "Milim" spent a total of five weeks at number one on the Israeli Reshet Gimmel Chart, one of the major Israeli music charts, including the entire month of May 2010. Hence it was number one during the period when Skaat was in Oslo competing in the Eurovision contest.
Skaat explained to the press gathered in Oslo for Eurovision that "Milim" is about loss, such as in a break-up, but that for him, it has a deeper meaning. Skaat said, "this song touches me deeply. My grandfather died just days before the selections in Israel, and this gives me a very deep feeling, I feel that I'm really singing this song for him. He wanted me to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest for five years, and then he got to hear that I was going to take part in the national selection before he passed away."
Despite being widely regarded as one of the favorites to winIsrael placed 14th in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010. However, Israel swept the Eurovision sanctioned Marcel Bezençon Awards for 2010, winning for best artist, best composition, and best entry of the contest. It is the first time in the history of the awards (which are selected by the contest's accredited media and press, participating composers, and commentators) that a single country has won more than one award in the same year.
After the results were announced, Skaat expressed not disappointment but pride and gratitude. He told one reporter, "I am proud and thrilled with our representation and performance. We brought artistic respect to Israel. It was a fun experience and I enjoyed every minute of it."
Kama Od Efshar
Harel Skaat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
זה אני וזו את
עכשיו זה שנינו כאן עם אותו המבט
יודעים מעט רוצים מהר
ורציתי כל כך לרוץ ולספר
אני לא מחזיק את זה בפנים
רוצה לעמוד לצעוק מכל הבניינים
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
כמה עוד אפשר
צריך פה מילה יותר גדולה
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
את פה מולי ואת יפה
בחיים לא הייתה לי כזאת הרגשה
אם יד ביד אז לא ניפול
זה אני וזו את מכאן נוכל רק לגדול
זה רק נהיה יותר סוער
ואם זה חלום אני לא רוצה להתעורר
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
כמה עוד אפשר
צריך פה מילה יותר גדולה
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
ולא הרגשתי כך שנים
זה כמו תמימות של ילדים
כשאני איתך
את כמו השמש מעלי
אני אפרח בשלל צבעי
באור שלך
כמה עוד אפשר...
עכשיו זה שנינו כאן עם אותו המבט
יודעים מעט רוצים מהר
ורציתי כל כך לרוץ ולספר
אני לא מחזיק את זה בפנים
רוצה לעמוד לצעוק מכל הבניינים
כמה עוד אפשר
כמה עוד אפשר
צריך פה מילה יותר גדולה
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
את פה מולי ואת יפה
בחיים לא הייתה לי כזאת הרגשה
אם יד ביד אז לא ניפול
זה אני וזו את מכאן נוכל רק לגדול
זה רק נהיה יותר סוער
ואם זה חלום אני לא רוצה להתעורר
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
כמה עוד אפשר
צריך פה מילה יותר גדולה
כמה עוד אפשר
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
ולא הרגשתי כך שנים
זה כמו תמימות של ילדים
כשאני איתך
את כמו השמש מעלי
אני אפרח בשלל צבעי
באור שלך
כמה עוד אפשר...
The song "Kama Od Efshar" by Harel Skaat is a beautiful love song that talks about the feelings of two people who are deeply in love with each other. The lyrics suggest that the two individuals that the song is referring to are together and are looking at each other with the same intense gaze that they have always had. They are both aware that they have very little time together, and they both want to express their love for each other as quickly as possible. The singer is desperate to run and tell the world about his love, while also wanting to scream from the rooftops.
The song talks about the power of their love and the idea that there is nothing more significant than their connection. The singer describes how he and his partner have grown together and how much they have already experienced in their relationship. He expresses how much he longs to be with her constantly, and how he never wants to be without her. The lyrics suggest that the love they share is powerful, intense and will only continue to grow as they move forward.
Overall, "Kama Od Efshar" is a romantic and passionate song about the inseparable love between two people who are fiercely devoted to each other. It is a reminder of the beauty and depth of true love, and the value of cherishing those connections in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
זה אני וזו את
This is me and this is you
עכשיו זה שנינו כאן עם אותו המבט
Now it's both of us here with the same look
יודעים מעט רוצים מהר
Knowing a little bit, we want it fast
ורציתי כל כך לרוץ ולספר
And I wanted so much to run and tell
אני לא מחזיק את זה בפנים
I'm not holding it inside
רוצה לעמוד לצעוק מכל הבניינים
Want to stand and shout from all the buildings
כמה עוד אפשר
How much more is possible
לקרוא למה שיש בינינו אהבה
To call what's between us love
צריך פה מילה יותר גדולה
We need a bigger word here
את פה מולי ואת יפה
You're here in front of me and you're beautiful
בחיים לא הייתה לי כזאת הרגשה
In my life I never had such a feeling
אם יד ביד אז לא ניפול
If hand in hand, then we won't fall
זה אני וזו את מכאן נוכל רק לגדול
This is me and this is you, from here we can only grow
זה רק נהיה יותר סוער
It will only get stormier
ואם זה חלום אני לא רוצה להתעורר
And if it's a dream, I don't want to wake up
ולא הרגשתי כך שנים
And I haven't felt like this for years
זה כמו תמימות של ילדים
It's like the innocence of children
כשאני איתך
When I'm with you
את כמו השמש מעלי
You're like the sun above me
אני אפרח בשלל צבעי
I'll bloom in a variety of colors
באור שלך
In your light
Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Aneta
Wow, awsooome!!! He's great! :) Beautiful voice <33 Greetings from Poland! :) I love you Israel and I love your music! :**
Haustein Nino
I love this language...Ivrit is just lovely and awesome... And the Israeli people are that beautiful...really awesome :) Ani ohev etJisrael!
Isabella Creates
Still amazing!
Harel Skaat has such beautiful range❤️
Bestsinger Ever
What a great range he has with his voice.
MizraimG
I just love this song!!!
Rotiot Ba
great song. Greetings from Turkey.
phoenixfire723
This makes me all kinds of fluttery. I love Harel! ♥
Ruben Dario Rodriguez Reyes
Excelente cancion en verdad que si! i love it! He's so good!
huanita85
I love this song..so beautiful!!! Harel Hungary loves you:)
אריאל אפלבאום
שיר יפהפה מאוד הראל חולה עלייך אתה שר מדהים. אתה זמר כישרוני ברמות מטורפות.