Ahead of OneRepublic's November 8 concert in Israel, lead singer Ryan Tedder shared with Ynet his thoughts and feelings about being back on the road in a post-pandemic world, and specifically about returning to Israel in a time when many artists are facing criticism for doing so.
The upcoming show is part of a world tour that will also see the pop icons play Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. The group last visited the Holy Land in May 2015 when they rocked Tel Aviv's Yarkon Park in front of a crowd of tens of thousands of roaring fans.
Besides providing lead vocals on OneRepublic's repertoire, Tedder, 42, also has a solo career as a songwriter and producer and has written songs for artists such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, and Adele, among others.
In an interview with Ynet, the renowned musician says that 50% of the reason he is in the showbiz industry is that it allows him to travel the world and see different cultures. He says that after COVID ground this aspect of his career to a screeching halt, he feels like getting back on stage is coming back to life in some sense.
When the American pop band last was in Israel in 2015, Tedder said that the weather and energy reminded him of his home in California, which made him feel at home. He also mentioned the food, which he described as "hysterical", and even insisted that some of the tastiest things he had ever eaten were here in Israel.
Tedder added that he admires the country's combination of nightlife, music, dancing, food culture, and modern high-tech industries, as well as the archeological, religious, and social history it entails.
Tedder said he has a lot of Israeli and Palestinian friends back home in Los Angeles, and that he always hears how much his band is idolized in Israel.
Due to the controversy surrounding the State of Israel, many artists who book performances in the Holy Land are pressured by different organizations and entities to cancel their shows and boycott the Jewish state.
When asked about this issue, Tedder explains that he tries to stay out of politics, because he believes that artists should separate politics from their work, and thus he would always prioritize music over politics, religion, race, sex and gender.
Despite his reluctance from expressing any political views, Tedder shared that he grew up in a very Christian environment and that his parents really love Israel.
As a child, he was forced to read from the Bible often and became very well-read on Israel throughout his upbringing. Therefore, although he is not Jewish, he feels some kind of affinity towards Israel and stated that he has no intention to boycott it only because other artists do so.
Tedder said that he understands the complexity of the conflict surrounding Israel, but also knows that every story has two sides, and he prefers to just stay out of it.