Biography
Who is Gali Atari?
Early life and real name
Gali Atari was born as Avigail Atari in Rehovot, Israel, on December 29, 1953. Her parents immigrated to Israel from Yemen. She grew up with her sisters Yona Atari, who became a singer and actress, and Shosh Atari, who worked as a radio host and television personality. When she was four years old, her father passed away. Following this loss, her family relocated to Tel-Aviv.
As a teenager, Gali met the Israeli musician David Kribushe at age fifteen. After completing an audition for him, she received a featured singing part in his song titled Half and Half. By 1970, at age seventeen, she recorded two tracks. Her English song was named Give Love Away, and her Hebrew song was Im yesh lecha shemesh. The Hebrew song became a major hit in Israel, leading her to represent the country at the World Popular Song Festival in Japan.
Eurovision success and early career
Throughout the 1970s, Gali continued pursuing music. In 1975, she participated in the Hassidic Song Festival and won second place with the song Leyerushalyim Yirech. Later in 1978, she performed Nesich hachlomot alongside musicians Zvi Bums and Udi Spielman at the Israeli qualification heat for the Eurovision Song Contest, placing third.
Determined to succeed in the competition, Gali entered again in 1979 as the female vocalist for the musical group Milk and Honey. They performed the song Hallelujah at the Eurovision Song Contest staged in Jerusalem. The track won first prize and achieved significant success on European charts. Following this victory, Gali continued performing with the group and recorded hits such as Galgal Anak, which won the title song of the year for 1980.
Legal dispute and solo albums
In 1980, after a year of working together, Gali retired from Milk and Honey due to a lawsuit she filed against her manager, Shlomo Tasch. She claimed she was not paid for numerous performances and that her recorded vocals were used by a new vocalist. The trial lasted for fourteen years and concluded with a win for Gali, who was awarded 800,000 Shekels.
Transitioning to her solo career, Gali released her fourth album Emtza September in 1986. The album sold over 30,000 copies and prompted her first solo concert tour. Its most well-known track, Ein Li Eretz Echeret, became a patriotic anthem. Her later releases included Tza'ad Echad Lifnei Hanahar in 1988 and Bereshit in 1989, both achieving strong sales numbers.
Later career and family life
Gali released her first greatest hits album, Rak Etmol, in 1991, which sold over 20,000 copies. In 1992, she released the album Bayom Shéachrei and received the Singer of the Year award from the Israeli radio station Reshet Gimel. In 1996, she gave birth to her only child, a daughter named Li, which inspired the release of her album Glida.
In 2003, Gali released the album Chabeck Oti Léat, featuring the successful song Ma Shéat Ohevet. After the death of her sister Shosh Atari, she released the album Bein Haésh Levein Hamayim in 2008 as a dedication to her. In 2019, she refused to perform with her former Milk and Honey bandmates at the Eurovision event, instead singing the winning song as a solo artist before being joined by other past contestants.
Birthday and age
Gali Atari was born on December 29, 1953, which makes Gali 72 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Gali shares the date with 55 other famous people.
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