Ishtar Alabina - Forever (2012) lyricsعشتار فورإيفر

Album: 7 Released: 2012 Origin: Israel Alabina is a French-based group that performs a mix of world music: Middle Eastern, Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Spanish Gypsy music. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music. According to Alabina.org, the word is Arabic and Alabina has two meanings: "let's go" and "God is between us." The name comes from the title of Alabina's first song. It is also the name of the group's first album. Alabina consists of lead singer Ishtar, who does the female vocals, and the band Los Niños de Sara, who provide male vocals and music. Ishtar was born Eti Zach (Hebrew: אתי זך) in Israel. She grew up there to parents who are of Moroccan-Jewish and Egyptian-Jewish descent. She speaks and sings in Hebrew, Arabic, French, Spanish, and English; she also says she "half-speaks" "Moroccan." Ishtar began performing in clubs at age 15 and continued even after her high school graduation when she was enlisted to the Israeli military (IDF), where she served as a helicopter technician. Though she was born Eti Zak, she chose the professional name "Ishtar," a Mesopotamian goddess, because her grandmother called her Ester, which "with her Egyptian accent it sounded like Ishtar," she said. As the lead singer of Alabina, Ishtar frequently sings in Arabic, complementing the Spanish of Los Niños de Sara. She often employs the use of gamakas and ululation. She also sings Hebrew songs, sometimes songs from her childhood, only alone, however — not with Alabina. Occasionally she joins Los Niños in Spanish. On her own, she frequently sings French. Nine out of twelve songs in her album The Voice of Alabina are in French — and she has two songs in English: "C'Est La Vie My Baby" (Truly (Emet)) and "Lady revolver" (The Voice of Alabina). Ishtar is frequently featured on Alabina album covers. She has dyed blonde hair, which is sometimes curly, and dark brown eyes. She has been noted for her provocative dress in pictures and at concerts. On her own, Ishtar has produced three albums: The Voice of Alabina (2000), Truly (Emet) (2003) and Je sais d'où je viens (2005). The first is mainly composed of French songs, the second is mostly in Hebrew, and Ishtar's last album is primarily in Arabic, with four songs in French, one in Spanish and significant chunks of English dispersed throughout. Ishtar currently lives in France, but has also a home located in the southern city of Eilat in Israel.