- \n
- Name:<\/strong> Avi Toledano<\/li>\n
- Nationality:<\/strong> Moroccon\/Israeli<\/li>\n
- Year of participation:<\/strong> 1982<\/li>\n
- Song:<\/strong> Hora<\/em><\/li>\n
- Result:<\/strong> 2nd<\/li>\n
- Remarkable:<\/strong> born in Morocco. Composed the Israeli song in 1983 (also 2nd).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Interview<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
Hello Mr. Toledano. How are you?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘I\u2019m fine. Do you prefer to do the interview in English or in French?’<\/p>\n
I speak French, but we also have international readers so I think it\u2019s best to do it in English. You speak French too?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘Yes, I was in France for a few months. I stayed there when I came from Morocco, before I moved to Israel. I even recorded songs from Charles Aznavour! He was in the audience while I performed his songs.’<\/p>\n
Did he like your versions of his songs?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘Yes, very much.’<\/p>\n
You are born in Morocco, but you live in Israel now. How did that happen?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘I moved from Morocco to Israel when I was 16 years old, without my parents knowing about it. I lived there in a kibbutz. The day after I went to Israel the neighbour informed my parents where I was, I asked him to do so. I was in a youth movement with Jewish people. One day we decided to go to Israel. I faked the signing of my father so I could get there. There I served in the army. I was lucky, I was a musician so I played music for the soldiers.’<\/p>\n
What was the reason you moved to Israel? You wanted to leave Morocco or go to Israel?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘I\u2019m Jewish. I\u2019m born in the year that Israel was born. Back in the time Jewish people had no own country, I think you know the history. 7 years later also my parents came to Israel. My father died there, my mother moved to Canada where also my brother and sister lived.’<\/p>\n
Did you immediately want to take part in Eurovision? You started your career already in 1969, has Eurovision always been a dream?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘At first I took part in music festivals in Israel. In 1969 I took part in the singing festival, I became third (with \u2018On the way back\u2019).<\/em> That year I recorded my second album, with a cover of a song of Mary Hopkin, participant of the UK at Eurovision. Also in 1969 I was chosen as singer of the year in the annual Hebrew parade, later I got that title two more times. In 1970 I took part in the first edition of a children\u2019s song festival, which I won, together with Irit Anavi. Two years later I took part again in that competition, I ended up third. In 1974 I won the Children\u2019s Poetry Song Festival and in 1976 the Beer Song Festival. I love festivals.’<\/p>\n
Wow, that\u2019s impressive. You had a massive career! Then why taking part in Eurovision? When did you decide you wanted to do that?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘I\u2019m writing a book about my career. I\u2019m writing it in Hebrew, it will be translated to French and maybe English too. I\u2019m at 20% of the book now. Eurovision I took part in because I wanted to become well-known internationally.’<\/p>\n
What do you remember from after Eurovision? How did Eurovision influence your career?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘After Eurovision I got a call from the president. He congratulated me for giving Israel an honourable result without winning. Otherwise they should have hosted the whole thing!’ (laughs)<\/em><\/p>\n
Do you think Eurovision got its rightful winner in 1982?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘I think so, yes. Later, I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s true, I heard that after Eurovision the composer said Nicole\u2019s winning song was plagiarism. It was brought to court and Nicole lost the case.’<\/p>\n
So if that happened before Eurovision Nicole might have had to withdraw and you would have won.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘Or Germany would have sent someone else or Nicole would have chosen another song and still won. You never know what would have happened.’<\/p>\n
Nowadays Eurovision artists often go on tour after Eurovision. Were there ever ideas to do that or did an artist just stay in his own country back in these days?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘Even before Eurovision I already toured a lot! I performed in the UK, in Germany, France, even in Belgium! That was in the 90\u2019s. While I was in England in 1973 the Yom Kippur war began and I went back to Israel.’<\/p>\n
You had to go back or you wanted to go back?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘I wanted to. I couldn\u2019t think about being out of Israel while my country was at war. After Eurovision I was asked internationally, I performed in Portugal for example. That\u2019s the power of Eurovision.’<\/p>\n
Two years before you participated, Morocco took part in ESC, so far the only time. Was it ever an option for you to take part for Morocco?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘Yes, I\u2019d love that! But Morocco took part only one time.’<\/p>\n
What do you think about the Israeli Eurovision winner Netta\u2019s song Toy?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘It\u2019s not my cup of tea. I like melodic songs.’<\/p>\n
What do you think about the other winning Eurovision songs in recent years?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘I liked Heroes, that\u2019s a song that also would do well without Eurovision.’<\/p>\n
Would you ever like to go back to Eurovision and if yes, as an artist or a composer?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘No, I think I had my part. (laughs)<\/em> Maybe I could write a song for someone else if they ask me, you never know.’<\/p>\n
Is there an Israeli artist that we should know and maybe see at Eurovision one day?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘There are so many artists! The Israeli music scene is so good nowadays. I can’t name just one artist.’<\/p>\n
ESC coming to Israel in 2019 was very controversial. How did you watch all that?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘I didn\u2019t hear anything about that, but there are always people who complain about everything. I think Israel gave 3 amazing shows to the world.’<\/p>\n
Do you still follow ESC today? What do you think about it now?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘Yes, I still watch it! Unfortunately this year it was cancelled, but I hope that next year we can go back to music.’<\/p>\n
From next year on, so far for only one year, the backing vocals are allowed to be pre-recorded. Do you think that\u2019s a good decision?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
‘No, I already didn\u2019t like it when the orchestra was cancelled. Playback has something static. But in 1982 I had the impression that Nicole\u2019s musicians didn\u2019t really play on stage. I don\u2019t know why they allowed that.’<\/p>\n
What does your musical future has in store for you? You\u2019re still performing?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘Yes, of course! It\u2019s what I was born for. When corona is over I will go back to the stage.’<\/p>\n
Thank you very much and I hope you can perform again soon! I\u2019m looking forward to your book!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
‘I hope that all of your readers stay safe and stay healthy!’<\/p>\n
You can watch Avi Toledano\u2019s performance in 1982 here:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n
\n\n![\"play\"](\"https:\/\/songfestival.be\/wp-content\/themes\/songfestival\/img\/play.svg\")
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- Nationality:<\/strong> Moroccon\/Israeli<\/li>\n