"Serenada": Netta’s Vulnerable Return to personal songs
After years of traversing the international pop scene, Eurovision winner Netta Barzilai returns to her roots with a soulful performance on Israel’s popular entertainment TV-show.
Netta Barzilai, the 2018 Eurovision winner who redefined Israeli pop on the world stage, is currently showcasing a different side of her artistry. Since her victory in Lisbon, Barzilai has been on a public journey to find a musical style that bridges the gap between her global pop ambitions and her deep Israeli identity.
This week, she took a significant step in that journey by appearing on the season finale of "THIS IS IT" ("Zehu Ze!"), the beloved israeli SNL style tv-show that bacome a staple of the Israeli television for over four decades.
A New Acoustic Direction
Performing A new track from her new Hebrew album "Serenada" titeled "Oxytocin" Netta traded her signature electronic loopers for a more organic, acoustic sound. Accompanied by the legendary "Zehu Ze!" house band, her performance emphasized vocal nuance and emotional depth over the high-energy production of her earlier hits. The song itself serves as a window into her current state of mind, stripping away the "colorful armor" of her Eurovision persona to reveal a more vulnerable singer-songwriter.
Finding the Right Fit
Since 2018, Barzilai has experimented with various genres, from American-style pop to avant-garde electronic music. In her recent appearances and through this new album, it is clear that she is navigating the challenge of being an "international star" while needing the grounding of her native language. the new album "Serenada" represents a conscious effort to find a style that feels authentic to her experience as a strong independent woman recovering from a painfull brake-up, rather than just a global musical icon.
Cultural Continuity
on "THIS IS IT" fianle season interview, Netta connected the dots between Israel’s musical past and its future. The collaboration highlighted her ability to adapt to a classic format while maintaining her unique edge.