For years, Noa Kirel’s life has unfolded like a thriller that refuses to slow down. One peak follows another, one goal gives way to the next, and every new chapter seems required to produce an even greater climax. Yet even the most cynical screenwriter would have struggled to invent the twist that awaited her during her honeymoon in Japan.
On June 6, Kirel stepped off the stage at the new amphitheater in Rishon LeZion after performing two sold-out shows in two days before tens of thousands of fans. Four months of rehearsals, training, vocal work, choreography and obsessive preparation had culminated in two nights that, in her view and according to the audience response, were nearly perfect.
Four days later, she was lying in a hospital in Kyoto, doubled over in excruciating pain and trying to understand doctors who spoke only Japanese and communicated with her through a tablet. Instead of enjoying her honeymoon, she found herself facing suspected appendicitis, urgent consultations with doctors in Israel and a decision almost as frustrating as the pain itself: cut the vacation short and take the first flight home.
The honeymoon had been planned for nearly a year. In the world of Kirel and her husband, Southampton and Israel national team goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, there is little room for spontaneity. His life is organized around the English soccer season, while hers revolves around concerts, recordings, filming and large-scale productions.
Japan was supposed to be the rare chapter in which they could simply be newlyweds, without directors, coaches, advisers or schedules. “Just before that, I felt like Beyoncé, with tens of thousands of people in the audience, exactly as I had dreamed,” she recalled. “I felt like the queen of the world, putting on the biggest show possible. Four days later, I was in a hospital in Kyoto, where no one understood me.
“What a contrast. How could I feel like the most powerful person in the world, and then, within seconds, feel weaker than I had ever felt?”
When did you first realize something was wrong?
"I began feeling unwell on the day we traveled by train from Tokyo to Kyoto. I started feeling pain in my abdomen, and it kept getting worse. We arrived in Kyoto and tried to walk around. I tried to push through it, took a pill and thought it would pass, but the pain became much more intense.
“We went to the hospital, and it turned out the Japanese are extremely efficient. Within 10 minutes, I had a CT scan. But they did not speak English.”
You found yourself in a place where no one knew who Noa Kirel was, just days after tens of thousands of people had been chanting your name
“It was incredibly stressful. The results came back, and the doctor said in Japanese that they suspected appendicitis. Because I have only one kidney, I consulted doctors in Israel about what to do. They decided the best option was for me to return home, because the fastest treatment short of surgery was intravenous antibiotics to ease the inflammation and pain, and the Japanese doctors would not give them to me. They did not explain why. Flying home in that condition was agonizing.”
How did the goalkeeper perform under pressure?
“Daniel saved me. He communicated with the Japanese doctors because I was in so much pain that I could barely pay attention to what was happening. He literally carried me.”
Cutting a honeymoon short is difficult for anyone, especially when there is no room in the schedule for another vacation.
“It was a very difficult moment. I spoke to my father on the phone and could hear him crying. He was hurting for me because he knows exactly how many things have to align before Daniel and I can go on vacation together. It can happen once a year, during the offseason. We both broke down on the phone. My family and friends were very supportive, but that does not erase the frustration and disappointment.”
And suddenly, you were not allowed to move either.
“I am a very active person and I love my work, so being forced to do nothing was extremely difficult. After five days of intravenous antibiotics, I was able to switch to oral medication. We then used the four vacation days we had left to travel to Lake Garda in Italy, which was nice.”
Could your body be telling you to slow down?
“I probably do not know how to slow down, but everything that happened was a wake-up call. I hope I will learn from it next time.”
Maybe you simply find it difficult to rest. It does not come naturally to you.
“I read a post joking that I can handle Eurovision, huge park shows and nonstop productions year after year, but after just one day of rest, I fall apart because I do not know how to relax. It was funny, but there was definitely some truth to it.”
Will you get another chance to have the honeymoon you planned?
“When the soccer season ends. This time, I just hope Southampton earns automatic promotion to the Premier League.”
Fighting for voices on The Voice
Kirel’s next career chapter began last week with the return of The Voice on Reshet 13, which is attempting to revive the format that once delivered record ratings in the country.
Noa Kirel on The Voice
International versions of the show have attracted stars including Gwen Stefani, Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera. Reshet invested heavily in assembling a high-profile panel that includes Kirel, Idan Raichel, Eden Ben Zaken and Static.
At 25, Kirel is the youngest mentor tasked with choosing contestants based only on their voices, before appearance, personality and personal background enter the equation.
“I wanted to join The Voice because it is not only about judging,” she said. “What interested me was the opportunity to guide singers, give them tools from my own experience and help them develop. I felt mature enough to do it at this stage of my career.”
The show effectively locks up your schedule for quite some time.
“We film for 15 hours a day, but the commitment goes far beyond that. You are constantly working with the contestants in the studio and during rehearsals. It is a major project.
“At the same time, I have a million other things happening, so the schedule is incredibly intense. The Voice is also a competition between the mentors. The contestant ultimately has to choose one of us, so each mentor has to make the case for why they are the right choice. It is exhausting.”
Who tires first?
“When I want something, nothing stops me. I lock onto the target.”
Can you give an example of how you persuaded someone?
"At one point, I offered a contestant a management contract with Roberto Ben Shoshan (her longtime manager). You use every tool available to win. Some battles did not end well for me when I desperately wanted a contestant and they chose someone else.
“That happens to all of us, and it can be surprisingly difficult when a contestant you really want chooses someone else. Because I am the youngest mentor, I sometimes felt I had to work harder to win people over and use every advantage I could offer. I do not think I lost many of those battles.”
Were the headlines about a rift with Idan Raichel real, or was it just a publicity stunt?
“The filming is intense, and this is generally a very stressful period. But there was no real drama between us. We are friends. Idan escorted Daniel and me to the chuppah at our wedding.
“These are long days, and ultimately we are competing over contestants, so everyone fights hard when necessary. Sometimes less pleasant things are said, and when I am already in a sensitive state, you can see it on my face.”
What did he say that struck a nerve? There were even reports that filming had been halted.
“There was an argument between Idan and Eden Ben Zaken. I tried to explain that I understood both sides, and then Idan said I was trying to stay neutral. It sounds like a small thing, but there had already been several disagreements that day, so it struck a nerve. Still, Idan is one of the most sensitive people I know, and we resolved it very quickly.
“He is also the most emotional mentor on the panel. He was moved to tears during almost every audition. He has a depth and sensitivity you do not see in every artist. So yes, there was a moment, but we are good friends. All four mentors became very close. I already knew Ben Zaken well, but the show brought us even closer.”
Ben Zaken is also your competitor outside the show.
“She has her world and I have mine. Thank God, we are both very established in our own fields. I do not see competition there. It is wonderful to have women supporting one another.”
Noa Kirel, Eden Ben Zaken
(Photo: Yair Sagi, Instagram)
In recent years, Kirel’s international ambitions have been placed on hold. After ending her contract with Atlantic Records in the United States, she finished third at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool and went on to perform massive shows at Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park.
Then the war began, grounding new international plans. Kirel performed in hospitals and on improvised stages, while being an Israeli artist abroad became increasingly complicated. Her overseas dream moved to the background. Now, her marriage has opened another route.
Her move to Southampton because of Peretz’s career has changed the way she views England. What was once mainly the place where her partner lived has become a second home, reviving her desire to try again internationally. This time, she says, she is approaching it less as a gamble or a naive dream of conquering the world and more as a seasoned artist with experience, patience and a clearer identity.
The effort is already underway. Her first English-language single, Habibi, is due out soon and will serve as an early test of her prospects abroad. “I want to make the most of this opportunity because an international career has always been one of my dreams,” she said. “I am now filming a video for an English-language song and working with producers in the UK, including one who has worked with Tiësto. I hope this can help open that door.”
This is not the same Kirel who went to the United States several years ago with a huge dream and many unanswered questions. She now speaks more about hard work and patience. She also arrives in England under different circumstances. She is no longer merely an unknown singer trying to get through the door. Peretz has become a familiar figure in English soccer after an impressive season, and the British media’s interest in the couple may at least generate curiosity.
“Why not use everything available to me?” she said. “Daniel would be the happiest person in the world if it helped.”
Fans are already comparing you and Daniel to Victoria and David Beckham.
“That was the headline Bild gave to a story about us. Obviously, it is incredibly flattering. They are two enormous stars. But I also know that I bring something no one else brings, and now I understand much better what this industry demands, how difficult the work is and how much patience it requires.”
Peretz’s own career has undergone dramatic changes. After signing with Bayern Munich, he struggled for playing time behind legendary goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. He later moved on loan to Hamburg in search of minutes, only to spend much of the time on the bench.
Kirel with husband Daniel Peretz
He then made the difficult decision to join Southampton in England’s second division. There, Peretz rediscovered his form and helped lead the club to the FA Cup semifinals, defeating reigning champion Arsenal along the way.
Daniel will be spending another year in England. How do you make this long-distance relationship work?
“He spent two and a half months in Israel during the offseason, and suddenly he was joining me at shoots and performances. It was wonderful. Most of the time, though, I am the one traveling back and forth. Home for me is both Israel and Southampton.
“We make it work by planning everything around our schedules. August is packed with performances, thank God, and then I have four days marked ‘Noa, personal.’ Those days are usually coordinated with Daniel’s schedule. Sometimes everything is planned down to the second.”
Doesn’t it bother you that even romance has to be scheduled?
“We have never known any other kind of relationship. Sometimes he surprises me with a visit for a day or two, and not long ago I surprised him by flying over to see him.”
He faced disappointment at both Bayern and Hamburg, but then suddenly flourished in England’s second division.
“When Daniel and I met, he had just signed with Bayern Munich, and I was suddenly thrown into an entirely unfamiliar world. Later, I was there through his injuries and began to understand the harsher side of professional soccer. It is a very difficult world.”
I assume you got to meet Harry Kane at Bayern.
“We met at a dinner, and I became friends with his wife. We still keep in touch from time to time. I was suddenly immersed in that entire world, and just as I was beginning to understand life at Bayern, we found ourselves moving to Hamburg.”
That was a particularly difficult period.
“It was an extremely difficult period because Daniel was not playing, despite having been promised playing time. It was like inviting me to perform and then, at the last moment, telling me I would not be allowed on stage. That was when I needed to be there for him, support him and make sure he did not feel alone.”
And then, suddenly, you went from the intensity of German soccer to the relative calm of England’s second division.
“The move to England meant uprooting our lives again and adjusting to an entirely different culture almost overnight. I learned just how unforgiving professional soccer can be, but I also saw Daniel’s mental strength. I never saw him fall apart. I honestly do not know how he does it.”
He also had a difficult game for Israel, despite saving an Erling Haaland penalty.
“That is the profession. You know what comes with it, and my role is to be there for him through the defeats just as I am through the victories. Today, I also understand how important family is within a career.”
He received offers from stronger clubs after that season, but chose to remain with Southampton.
“Daniel is a man of values. He found a place where he feels both loved and valued professionally, which was not always the case before. The fans are incredible and have embraced him completely. He could have earned more elsewhere, but he chose to stay because he already feels deeply connected to the club and its supporters. His heart told him it was the right decision. In terms of training, Daniel feels the standard is extremely high.”
Southampton’s season ended in bitter disappointment when the club was removed from the promotion playoffs over an alleged spying scandal. How did he cope with such a sudden reversal, with the Premier League seemingly slipping through his fingers?
“Of course he was disappointed, and it was hard for him, but he told me, ‘Noa, there is not much we can do. It is not up to me.’ Daniel was the one calming me down. It is infuriating when something you earned is suddenly taken away, especially when it is completely outside your control.
“I saw how hard Daniel had worked and how much he had contributed to putting the team in a position to win promotion. Then it all fell apart. His response was, ‘Everything happens for the best.’ The remarkable thing is that he truly believes it. He has an extraordinary character. He allows himself to feel disappointed, but he never lets it break him.”
Did you give Daniel any advice on dealing with the media? That is something you learned before he did.
“Entertainment reporters never cut me any slack, perhaps quite the opposite, but sports journalists can be especially harsh. I told him not to take it personally. Some people wrote awful things about him. Where are all those who mocked him now?”
Where do you see a difference in the way the media treats you?
“It makes me laugh that he gets asked technical questions about the game, systems, tactics and specific plays. No one is going to ask me after a concert, ‘Noa, how did you hit that exact high note in the 57th minute?’ They will ask me about the latest gossip.”
Kirel previously described how Peretz’s marriage proposal was spoiled after details leaked to the media, turning an intimate moment into public property. She ended the night crying from frustration as well as happiness.
She arrived at the wedding determined to do things differently, including performing two songs that later became major hits, Bridezilla and All I Want.
“At first, I did not want to perform at the wedding,” she said. “But as the day approached, I realized I had to. After all, it was my party. Was I really not going to do something purely for my own enjoyment? When I started thinking about what I might perform, I had no clear answer. The ideas just came to me.”
One of those moments came when she entered the studio for the first time with songwriter Tal Kastiel. “He told me, ‘I wrote a song,’ and played me ‘All I Want,’ a love song for Daniel written from my perspective,” she said. “I immediately burst into tears. I felt as though the song had been sent to me from above.
"Roberto did not connect with all of the lyrics. He felt some of the lines were a little cheesy and perhaps better suited to the smaller wedding we held. I felt differently. I felt the song with every part of my body.”
At other times, she said, Roberto’s instincts proved stronger than hers. “I did not really want to do Eurovision, and he was very decisive that we should do it. He was right,” she said. “He also predicted that Bridezilla would become a huge hit. “I said, if I am already performing a song at the wedding, am I really not going to bring dancers, direction, choreography, a stage and screens?”
Of course. What did Daniel think of the song written for him?
“To this day, he listens to it at least 10 times a day."
Does he cry every time he listens to the song?
“He can cry. Before I recorded the song, I imagined Daniel and me hearing those first notes whenever we were together in the car, looking at each other and reliving the wedding all over again.
“I am so glad I did not let myself be influenced by what people might say. Had I overthought it, I might have worried that people would accuse me of using my own wedding as a platform to release music. But I am happy it happened the way it did, because it gave us such a beautiful memory.
“People will always look for something to say, and they will always find it. In the end, I have to listen to myself.”
When you first got together, people said the whole thing was a publicity stunt that would soon fall apart. Did any of them ever apologize?
“Many times in my career, people said something about me and then had to eat their words a few months later. But no one ever apologized. Not in Daniel’s case either.”
The marriage proposal was marred by the media’s intrusion into what should have been a private moment.
“So I feel the wedding gave me a chance to reclaim that moment. This time, I did not care what anyone said. Everywhere we went, we were surrounded by an incredible amount of love. It felt as though everyone had been part of the wedding, even if they had not actually been there.”
Do you feel any different now that you are a married woman?
“There is a sense of security in knowing that I have found my partner for life, the person I want beside me for the journey ahead. In a profession like ours, it is emotionally grounding to know there is someone who will always be there for you.”
In May, Kirel released the song Hachi Yafa Ksheta’im Lach, (You’re Most Beautiful When You Find It Tasty), addressing her struggle with body image, an issue that has followed her since the beginning of her career. For years, many young girls viewed Kirel as a symbol of confidence. She appeared comfortable with herself, her body and her choices. Behind the scenes, however, she was dealing with a different reality.
“When you asked me about my appearance at 18, I had no idea how deeply those comments would affect me later. Looking back, I can see that they changed a great deal for me. At the time, I said I loved the way I looked, and I genuinely did. Today, I understand that the constant criticism and scrutiny of my appearance eventually took a toll on me. It filled my head with noise and made me intensely critical of myself.”
What were those voices telling you?
"Much of it centered on my weight. People have discussed my appearance for years. When I was heavier, they wrote about it. I did not mind being described that way. But when I lost weight, they began discussing that too. Then there would be a paparazzi photograph in which I did not look my best.
“Suddenly, I began paying attention to how I ate and how much I ate. I realized I had to write about it. My friends and I were always talking about why we ate something, whether we had gained weight or lost weight. It became the conversation among many women I know, girls, teenagers and men too. When I sing the song, it is also a form of healing for me.”
Did you also restrict your eating? Did you struggle with disordered eating?
“I became hyperaware of every meal. I would analyze everything I ate and then question why I had eaten it. I could torment myself with thoughts like, ‘I did not need to eat that,’ or, ‘Tomorrow I will do two workouts to make up for it.’
“The response to the song was overwhelming. I saw a video of a woman with anorexia teaching herself to sing it, and I burst into tears. It felt incredible to be able to sing about something so powerful and openly say that I struggle with it too. People sometimes look at my life and think everything is perfect, but that is not the reality. One woman wrote to me, ‘Had a song like this existed when I was a child, it might have healed something in me.’
“I receive many messages like that. It is deeply moving because girls and teenagers listen to the lyrics, and perhaps it helps them.”
How did you cope with the comments about your weight?
“It leaves you feeling that you will never be completely satisfied with the way you look, because people will always have something to say about your weight. When I was heavier, cruel comments were made saying I did not look good on stage. Then, when I lost weight, people said I was too thin and accused me of sending the wrong message to young girls.”
Do you follow a specific diet these days?
"I now work with a nutritionist and follow a structured eating plan. But I also love food. I find a way to balance it.”
In recent years, Kirel has also developed an unlikely relationship with Ivanka Trump, daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Three years ago, I happened to be on a flight with her,” Kirel said. “She had come to express support during the war and told me her daughter really loved my songs. She asked us to come to dinner when we were in Miami. So we had dinner with Ivanka, Jared and the children. It was a really enjoyable evening. She posted about it and later wrote to me as well.”
And since then, her father has been elected president.
"We have remained in contact since. When she was in Israel briefly, I arranged for my hair and makeup team to help her. We correspond. I was in Miami a few months ago and stopped by to see her. It was a pretty cool evening.”
You were supposed to perform for President Trump on Israel’s Independence Day celebrations.
“In the end, he was unable to come because of the war, even though I had prepared an extraordinary performance. But God willing, the opportunity will come again.”