Gad Elbaz: No Longer Just His Father's Son

Gad Elbaz's latest album was initially meant to be just a business card. It started as an attempt to create a unique business card for him, which eventually inspired a full album, even abroad. The news is that Gad Elbaz is currently developing a promising international career, with a new album on the way.

Gad Elbaz, now 32, was known as the sweet child who sang with his father, singer Benny Elbaz, at age seven, with the hit "It's Not Hard to Return to Faith," which was hugely successful at the time. Influenced by his father, he started an independent career and released his first album at 17, called "Walking on Straight Paths."

A year later, he released his second album, but his major breakthrough came with his third album, "Meanings," with many successful songs like "Tonight is the Time," in collaboration with rapper Alon De Loco. Over the years, he continued to produce successful albums, being recognized as a leading and talented musician. In 2008, he became one of the first religious artists to perform at the Caesarea amphitheater.

Now, just fifteen years after his first performances as a young boy with his father, Elbaz is a prominent name in Jewish music, and is releasing a new album called "Gad Elbaz Presents: The Wedding and Prayer Album." The album is unique because it consists of 16 emotional wedding songs, presented in a luxurious white prayer book-style package with silver lettering and a leather cover. Moreover, the 'prayer book' includes a collection of prayers for the wedding day, especially for the bride and groom.

Gad Elbaz performing in South Africa (Photo: Ingrid Sif)

"The goal of this project was to give a unique gift from me to brides and grooms," he explains the idea behind the album. "Moreover, although extensive intellectual and financial resources were invested in this album, it will be sold at the price of a regular album because my goal is to purely make brides and grooms happy, and for people to continue enjoying music without being deterred by sky-high prices."

Most of the songs in the album are sourced from traditional texts, while the others are original material. Elbaz performs these songs at various weddings he is invited to, both in Israel and abroad. He intends to release such an album annually, each year with a new and more luxurious edition.

Besides the album, Elbaz also released a single titled "With a Chosen Nation," accompanied by an elaborate music video shot internationally.

The single shows that you are now trying to reach audiences beyond the sea. What is really happening with your career abroad?

"That's right. It's a series of wedding songs I'm planning to perform abroad. This is a relatively new niche I'm going to develop, as the concept of wedding songs is less known there. Although other artists have been singing at weddings overseas for more than five years, it's still relatively new. This video is a Level above, and the feedback we receive is accordingly positive. Many people tell me they connect with it because it conveys holiness and truth."

Gad Elbaz. Joyful for bride and groom (Photo: Moshe Azriel)

Besides being a musician, Elbaz is personally married to Moran, who occasionally writes songs for his albums, and they have three children together. This creates a challenge in balancing between his two great loves: music and family. How do you combine these, you ask? "With a lot of prayers," he answers. "I treat my work with reverence because I see it as a type of mission and more. I know that because of my songs, many people who previously did not observe the Torah and commandments have paved their way to Judaism. There's no doubt that if you give a hundred percent of yourself to something, another area of responsibility will be affected. That's why it's called a mission—because it involves dedication. As someone who himself grew up with a father who needed to be away from home often, I understand the feeling and strive to compensate my children and narrow the gap as much as possible."

Speaking of family, a natural question arises: As Benny Elbaz's son, a singer who achieved great success, are there moments when you still feel like "the son of," and not Gad Elbaz in your own right?

"It's no secret that my relationship with my father is quite good, and it began when we sang together at an early age. Certainly, it's thanks to him that I was exposed to all this work. But today, the presence on stage of mine is no longer related to the fact that my father is a singer. My audience today is so dedicated that I no longer have the need or reason to lean on my father’s skills or support in this regard.

"Nevertheless, of course, we are good friends. We make music together, and I consult him when making professional decisions—but from there to say that my success is thanks to being his son, the road is long. Seven years ago, you could say that, but today—not at all."