"I Managed to Hold Myself and Not Cry – To Fulfill His Last Request"

In our first phone conversation, Shir David Gadasi suggested we hold the interview at his parents' home in Elad, and moments after arriving, I understood why. The warm home of the Gadasi family radiates happiness, with several seating areas inviting you to pause for a moment from life's race, and the sound of music fills the air. The family's father, Yair Gadasi, is a veteran musician, and it's evident that he passed on his love for musical creation to his children.

"I was born in the Tikvah neighborhood to parents who returned to religious observance, of Yemeni descent," says Shir David Gadasi, a 25-year-old newlywed musician living in Herzliya. "Until age three, we lived in Tel Aviv, then moved to Elad. I studied in a Torah institution until the eighth grade, and from a very young age, I started performing with my father.

"My father is a very talented musician, one of the first musicians to return to religious observance. I accompanied his performances from the age of six, and many people enjoyed seeing us perform together. Dad composed the well-known 'Lech Elai' song that spread throughout Israel, along with many other songs that strengthened people. Our family is full of musicians. My uncle, Avner Gadasi, is a creator; my wife is a talented musician who recently released an amazing single; my sister Tohar is a successful musician as well, and all my siblings play and sing. I believe all my family members will publish their songs in the coming years.

"Regarding my roots, I am very connected to Yemeni music. I learned with my teacher as a child, and at 19, I began playing the oud, which is very Yemeni in nature. In every performance, I include several Yemeni songs, and I've received hundreds of responses from Yemeni Jews who live there and love my music. Over the years, I've performed with many Yemeni artists, such as Zion Golan and Aharon Yerimi.

"In ninth grade, I started studying at a musical yeshiva named 'Chavruta' in Kfar Batya, where I learned music professionally. I took a matriculation exam in music and invested heavily in it. After high school, I joined a military band in the charedim unit as a singer, and during that time, I started uploading videos of me singing, mainly covers, to social media. Some of these clips received hundreds of thousands of views. About six years ago, in the middle of my military service, I was invited to 'The Next Star' competition on Channel 12. I had a successful audition and became a favorite, advancing several stages. Although I got sick during one audition and was eliminated, it never made me consider stopping making music."

(Photo: Ben Polchov)

From uploading videos to performing artist, when and how did you make this transition?

"Throughout, I continued uploading covers, mainly of Israeli and a bit of Mizrahi and Yemenite music, and *Baruch Hashem*, many people related to what I released. Word of mouth was one reason that, after my discharge, I began receiving invitations to perform in places like the Tel Aviv Museum. Thanks to performances, I got to know more people in the music world, including Jasmine Moalem and Atar Miner, with whom I connected deeply. Atar hosted me in several of his big concerts, and during this time, I also met Dudu Tassa. *Baruch Hashem*, I performed with several famous artists, but my connection with Dudu progressed further.

"One day, my brother was walking in Tel Aviv, and somehow Dudu recognized him and said he wanted to do something with me. A few days later, we met in his studio and recorded 'Or Balayla' that very day. This was my first released song. Dudu provided vocals and produced it musically. *Baruch Hashem*, the song was successful, many liked it, and I continued making more songs and started performing solo. My performances attract a diverse audience, from religious to secular, which is very exciting. Through Dudu, I met his manager, Ori Davidson, who is now also my manager. Together, we're on a shared journey, and I hope, with Hashem's help, it will deepen and succeed."

Marking My Escape Route

Gadasi's deep and strong connection to the world of music becomes even more apparent when he discusses the link between his spiritual world and his musical creations. "My connection to Hashem is very strong and genuine," he shares. "In my teenage years, I more or less went with the flow due to my upbringing, but at 17, I started exploring it myself and chose it from a deep place. *Baruch Hashem*, today, among other things, I pray three times a day, set aside time for Torah study, and spend time in personal reflection, all of which give me immense meaning in life.

"Moreover, I am fully convinced Hashem is present in my creations. I believe Hashem channels these things through me, that creating music is a form of prophecy. Sometimes I write something and only afterward try to understand what was revealed, what Hashem wanted to convey with the words that came through me. Usually, I pick up the guitar, start playing a melody that comes to me, and write and compose simultaneously. Also, I know that all the amazing responses I receive are purely gifts from Hashem, so I have nothing to be proud of. If ever I feel a sense of pride, I remind myself of this.

"And yes, partly because of this, I pray a lot before performances and for the music to awaken people's connection to Hashem. My prayers must be coming true, as it's not uncommon for people who seem far from Judaism, when I walk around Tel Aviv, to tell me how my songs strengthen them. Sometimes, when it feels right, I even share words of Torah during my performances, straight from the heart, and I see how people are moved by it."

Regarding performances, what drives you as an upcoming musician on a usually challenging path?

"The most significant power comes from people's responses to my songs. My mission is to touch and bring joy to the people of Israel as much as possible. My parents named me David, and I believe this also impacts me. Most people I knew as a teenager called me Shir, so I worked on it, and today, almost everyone uses my full name – Shir David.

"We are currently in a difficult period, and I see how music lifts people. Music is very unifying; in recent weeks, I've performed for soldiers, evacuees, and patients, and I've seen how important it is to them. A few weeks ago, I performed for dozens of 'Nova' party survivors. One of them told me that during his escape, which lasted 12 hours in the fields, my song 'Levad Bamidbar' played in his head and greatly strengthened him. He had heard it at my performance the night before the party, and hours later, it traveled with him through the Valley of Shadows. The performance at the survivors' event was incredibly moving. These were secular folks, but we sang 'Shir LaMa'alot' repeatedly, and hearts opened; they were really emotional and prayed with all their hearts.

"Another moving event related to music happened at the funeral of a close friend from Elad who died from illness at age 19. At the funeral, his mother told me his last request was for me to sing 'Lech Elai,' composed by my father, at those hard moments. Singing that song at the funeral was very emotional, but *Baruch Hashem*, I managed to hold myself and not cry – to fulfill his last request and successfully sing. I've never sung at a funeral, especially not of a friend, and I'll never forget those moments. He was deeply connected to the 'Lech Elai' poem and asked that its stirring words be inscribed on his tombstone: 'To You I shout, in You I cling, until I return to my land.' I always try to remember the gifts I've received from Hashem, regarding music and in general, to do great things with them for the people of Israel."