Live4ever Presents: Sarai Givaty


Sarai Givaty is an upcoming artist from Israel who has already enjoyed big success in her homeland and is now starting to find similar recognition in places as far apart as the UK and Los Angeles. Take a read through this interview to find out more about Sarai:

SARAI1

You recently returned from doing a few dates in the U.S., including stops in Los Angeles, South By Southwest, and New York – how was the tour?

SXSW was very intense, buy a great experience, it all went so fast! Everyday after finishing playing my show, I went and saw five other shows including one of my idols Erika Badu! NYC was very exciting – it was a full house at Pianos in the Lower East Side, and people knew the songs I was playing my EP!

What are some of the main differences between touring in Tel Aviv and Europe as opposed to the US?

I guess the main difference for me is the fact that i’m less recognized here in the states, so people come with no expectations. But, somehow it didn’t feel foreign to me, music was music and people responded in the same human way, felt the groove, and got very quiet on the ballads, just like anywhere else. That’s the beauty of music and why I love touring so much.

Your music has got great folk, acoustic, and electronic/pop melodies. Can you tell us some of your influences?

Nina Simone, Erika Badu, Bill Withers, Sarah Vaughan and more. I love blues and soul. I think it all started when my dad use to listen to Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra. Since i was traveling the world from the age of 18, I always wrote and sang in English so that anyone I met could understand and enjoy it. I’m more influenced by American and British singers songwriters.

You did the March tour in the U.S. as just a dual acoustic set-up. Do you perform with a full band ever?

Yes. Normally I  do perform with a full five – person band. But this was our first tour in the US, and some of the sets where not that long, they were more showcases, so we decided it would be more practical to do it as a duo. Although, we didn’t want to lose our full sound, so each of us played multiple parts. I played the keys, percussion and some parts on an iphone app and my band member Amit played guitar, tambourin, harmonica and base-drum.

You are already an accomplished model and actress in Israel, but you’ve been playing music for years. What’s making you focus on your music now?

Music and acting were always my two lovers. With acting, you can only practice by getting a job. But music is yours to play whenever you wish, however you wish, so I kept my music to myself and my friends over the years.  When I was shooting the video with Enrique Iglesias for his single Somebody’s Me, Anthony heard me playing an old piano that was on set, and he was touched by it and insisted that I record a few demos – and even introduced me to two great musicians that became my band. After our first showcase there was no going back.

What’s coming up for you this year? Any plans to return to the U.S.?

I’m starting to record my album by the end of April and i’m very excited about it. I’m already performing with the new material so i had the chance to test and improve it through the audience. I should be back to the US for a couple of show this Summer as well!

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