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Sarit Hadad
Photo: Yaniv Edry

Israeli hit tops China music charts

Sarit Hadad's popular song 'In the heat of Tel Aviv' gets Chinese cover that's sweeping country's dance clubs

BEIJING – A Chinese version to Israeli singer Sarit Hadad's song "In the heat of Tel Aviv" has been sweeping the music charts in China and Hong Kong in the last few weeks and has also become a big hit at dance clubs in the world's most populated country.

 

 

Yumiko Cheng, a successful pop singer and actress residing in Hong Kong is one of the most popular stars in the communist state.

 

Two recent embarrassing and well-documented incidents won Cheng some dubious fame: During one concert her underwear were revealed after another singer on stage pulled down her trousers; and in another concert she accidentally exposed her nipples to both audience and cameras.

 

When she started working on her latest album, which was released three month ago, her producers were looking for a hit that could get her back to the spotlight on more favorable terms.

 

They approached several international record companies and asked to receive materials by pop singers from other countries. One of the companies, EMI, sent them "In the heat of Tel Aviv" – one of Hadad's greatest hits.

 

Dreaming of going to China

The producers and Cheng were instantly taken by the song. "We fell in love with it immediately," Hong Kong-based producer James Ting told Yedioth Ahronoth on Saturday.

 

Ting contacted the song's creators – Ivri Lider, who wrote the lyrics and Henry, who was behind the tune, and asked for their permission to create a Chinese version for the song. The two consented and Ting wrote Chinese lyrics for the song.

 

Lider, who first listened to the Chinese version on Saturday thought that it was "cute and funny," while Henry said: "This song is brilliant."

 

And what was the impression of the song's original performer? "I was very surprised to hear the song," Hadad said. "It's an honor for me. I would love to perform alongside the Chinese singer. I've always dreamed of performing in China, and now this dream could come true."

 


פרסום ראשון: 02.10.09, 11:25
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