As we all look forward to the year ahead, it’s easy to get wrapped up in all the fun of the festive period. Eora/Sydney-based Jewish band CHUTNEY are encouraging us to remember the plight of people in Israel with their cover “Kama At Yafa,” which translates to “How Beautiful You Are.” First performed by Shiri Maimon in 2012 and featuring Hebrew lyrics, this new version aims to raise awareness of the nearly 140 hostages who’ve been held captive by Hamas since October 7.
“Like Jews the world over, the 7th of October shook us to our core. We felt compelled to take a principled stance and be our authentic selves, despite the risk of backlash,” explained the band’s leader and violinist Ben Adler. “Within 36 hours, we had postponed a big show scheduled that week and pivoted to perform instead for the communal solidarity vigil attended by almost 10,000 Jews and allies.
“We see this song as a prayer, not only for the hostages, but also for the spirit of the people of Israel: ‘Do not fall, do not break. Come back.’ We want this powerful message to reach Israelis and Jews in the furthest corners of the globe, and we encourage everyone to share it widely.”
This song has an important message, but it’s also just a fantastic song. I love that the music video lets those of us who don’t speak Hebrew understand the lyrics. However, as a big Eurovision fan I’ve always felt like music is a universal language. You don’t need to read the subtitles to understand the emotion behind guest singer Sarit Michael’s gorgeous vocals.
We’ll be hearing a lot more from CHUTNEY this year, with the band planning to drop more singles in the leadup to the release of their debut album in March.
Image used with permission from CHUTNEY