Arisa feat.Omer Adam-Tel Aviv

The Tel Aviv Pride Week (which along the way became Tel Aviv Pride Month) is marking this year 20 years of pride! There have been events all week and this Friday is the highly anticipated Parade and Beach Party. I've written a bit about the parades in Tel Aviv and outside of it last year. I'm not sure what's the theme this year but this awesome video touches on the delicate subject of Mizrahim (Northern Africa/Middle East descent) and Gay culture. Talking about ethnicity in 2013 is a bit of a faux pas because a lot of people (especially the younger generation) would like to believe that we've come a long way concerning the sometimes tense relations between Ashkenaz and Sephardic jews and there's really no need to be talking about it today. We have come a long way but you can't deny that there's still friction and like in Feminism once you open your eyes you see certain things that were so easy and convenient to overlook. This video is very fitting for the 20th anniversary of pride in Tel Aviv because its concept would never have been imagined 20 years ago and maybe even 10 years ago as well. The credit for the video goes to Arisa, which prides itself in being "The first Mizrahi Gay party line" formed just two years ago, in 2011. Over the last two years Arisa has hosted some great parties, and made some really excellent (and controversial) clips to promote them featuring "old-school" Mizrahi artists like Zahava Ben, Liat Banay and Rinat Bar as opposed to mainstream Mizrahi pop a.k.a Moshe Peretz/Lior Narkis and of course Eyal Golan. [I just now noticed the gender difference. Very interesting...] On one hand the music is much better-its more authentic and a much needed reminder that not all Mizrahi music is conceived with the thought of commercial success. On the other hand, its a bit of a shame that the bigger names aren't joining in on the party thus possibly making a positive difference on how their fans (who are generally more conservative) view Gay culture and Gay rights. I read in an interview that Lior Narkis was supposed to perform in one of the parties but right before the PR he got cold feet. There's also been talk (forever, it seems) of a high profile Mizrahi artist who refused to leave the closet and when confronted strongly denied the rumours. I don't really care if he is/isn't but when you look around and see that not only are there no big Mizrahi artists outside of the closet but also that none of them want to associate themselves with the gay culture it doesn't paint a pretty picture. Omer Adam took a huge risk with this song (he's also set to perform at the parade) and to say that it paid off is an understatement. The negative comments are barely visible as opposed to the extremely positive feedback from his fans, the general public and new fans around the world. It's also just a really great song! You can hear the full version here.

She feels that luck has opened up for her
She found a guy, a man's man, and a straight one
And she'll whisper to him, what will she whisper to him
"Take me on a camel"

I'm your beauty
You're my beast
Welcome to the Middle East

Tel Aviv Ya Habibi Tel Aviv
Look how many hunks are around
Waving hi-hi
At night wai-wai
And well done Tel Aviv

The sun shines in the White City
Staring at him from every corner
And she knows, what does she know
He'll run from her in a second

I'm your beauty
You're my beast
Welcome to the Middle East

Tel Aviv Ya Habibi Tel Aviv
Look how many hunks are around
Waving hi-hi
At night wai-wai
And well done Tel Aviv

I'm rising, I'm rising, I'm rising and rising