Israeli pop star Noa Kirel chose an unusual and meaningful location for the press conference she held Tuesday morning ahead of her upcoming performance at Yarkon Park: her childhood home in Ra’anana. And there’s a good reason for it.
“It’s sentimental,” she explained in an interview with ynet. “I’m coming home to Yarkon Park, which is a stage that’s identified with me and feels like home, so I also wanted to literally come home.”
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Noa Kirel talks about her upcoming concert from her childhood home in Ra'anana
(Photo: Eran Chen)
It was an especially nostalgic morning, as Kirel hadn’t been inside the house for several years — since her parents began renting it out to other tenants. “I didn’t think I’d get this emotional," she admitted. "I said, ‘Okay, I’m going back to the house I grew up in,’ but I didn’t think I’d actually feel it. And the moment I walked in, everything flooded back — all the memories, all the moments, all the thoughts.”
Which memory surfaced first?
“Right here was my very first performance when I was three years old, and there were two people in the audience — Mom and Dad — who really believed in me. And if someone had told me that a few years later I’d be here with a crowd of people, talking about performing at the Park for the fifth time — it’s crazy. But honestly, I always believed.”
Would this be a good place to set up a "Noa Kirel Museum"?
“Robert (Kirel's agent) took everything — all the awards, all the coolest stuff — so I hope he’ll cooperate,” she laughed.
Your first date with your husband was in this house.
“I forgot about that until I got here. It was right here on this couch. He came over, and my dad was here, my mom was here, Roberto was here, my friends were here. I threw him straight into the lion’s den. I told him, ‘This is me, this is my life.’ He brought flowers, was so sweet, said hello to everyone with the flowers, and turned completely red and embarrassed. And my friend told me, ‘Noa, take the flowers from him.’”
Is he still that romantic?
“Yes. So I just took the flowers and told my friend, ‘Take these, do something with them,’ because I didn’t know how to handle the situation. But yes, that was our first date.”
It was also your first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. How did you celebrate?
“Separately, on FaceTime. That’s just how it worked out. But tomorrow I’m flying to him and we’ll celebrate together.”
In addition to announcing the Park show, you also released a new song Tuesday.
“I’m so coquettish and tiny, I don’t like attention,” she joked. “Yes, a new song too — ‘Oh La Poupée.’ I wrote it together with Tzlil Kalifi and Nadav (Nabi) Aharoni, who are amazing, and it’s fun.”
Do you speak French?
“Nothing. ‘Oh La Poupée’ is literally all I know. But it’s a song I love, and its message is cool. It talks about the process I’ve been through since the beginning — when people told me more what to do and how to do it — until today, when it’s more like, ‘Listen? I’ll tell you.’”
Will you open the next show with it?
“Maybe. Very maybe.”
This will be your fifth performance at Yarkon Park. Any fears or concerns?
“I don’t think it’s fear or concern — it’s more the challenge of how I outdo myself, how I change things, how I bring something new. But it’s also a natural process, because each time I learn more. From park to park I’m more experienced, more mature, I have more ideas. Last year I already had tons of ideas during the show about what I want to do this year — and honestly, I have crazy ideas. I’m a crazy woman in general.”
On top of everything, you’ll soon be sitting in the judge’s chair on The Voice. Are you excited?
“I’m coming to make a circus — I’m very excited. It’s a project I really wanted. I really wanted to be a mentor and judge. I did it about seven years ago ("Got Talent"), and I had an amazing experience. Now I’m coming with much more experience and knowledge, and it’s fun to pass that on. It’s also a competition between the judges — and you know I’m coming to win. I don’t have another option. It’ll be fun, it’ll be funny. It’s an amazing show, and I really want this project.”
You split your time between countries. Do you see yourself fully relocating abroad at some point, or is your career here in Israel above all?
“No, it’s about finding the balance between when I work here and when I’m there. That balance can actually be good, because here everything is very intense, and when I’m there I sleep in. I suddenly have quiet and a bit of freedom, so it’s nice. I don’t see myself living 100% in one place. Nowadays you can live anywhere — even live on a plane.”