Imri Ziv, a 25-year-old Eurovision 2017 contestant from Israeli better known as Imri, started singing when he was just two years old.
“I think I sang before I started to speak,” he says laughing, “I sang ‘We Are the Champions’ by Queen. Since then I was just in love with music, singing, acting and the stage.”
Imri says he then did music at school and army, which grew into having vocal lessons and later working in a company that rented music bands for different events.
“Then I went to The Voice Israel, but it didn’t go well. And five years on I went to the Rising Star (Israeli reality singing competition).”
Rising Star was perhaps Imri’s ticket to international stardom because victory in this show meant he will be representing Israel at Eurovision 2017 with his dance tune “I Feel Alive.”
“The lyrics (of “I Feel Alive”) basically talk about me, my story and my journey from being a backing artist to doing it all myself now,” he says referring to his 2015-2016 experience of being a backing artist at Eurovision for Nadav Guedj and Hovi Star. “In the video, you can see me looking up at my old performances at the Rising Star and the previous Eurovision shows.”
This year, he thinks, it will be different.
“Every year it’s a different Eurovision: every city, every country does it differently. And of course it’s different because I’m not a backing artist anymore, I’m the lead vocalist. The responsibility is on my shoulders,” he says.
During his performance on May 11, another of Imri’s talent will be showcased at the Eurovision stage; his number will include a dancing routine.
“I never learned how to dance, it just comes naturally,” Imri explains, “I also have a choreographer and two dancers who help me do it.”
He says he loves Kyiv, the city where some of his descendants came from along with Odesa, with the singer being quarter-Ukrainian.
“It’s really European, but a different kind of European. We saw the main city and a few sights. I love it and I’ll definitely come back,” he says.
Another life-changing experience for him was being in the Israeli Defence Forces for three years, something that is compulsory in his country.
“It’s a part of our life in Israel. When you finish high school, instead of going to college like the rest of the world, you go to the army for three years, and women do it for two years. Now it’s changed a little and it’s less. But yes, three years of the army and then you start your life. The majority of people don’t go to college immediately (after finishing army), they go traveling for one year. But life also feels a bit different at this point.”
His plan for the second semi-final on May 11, where he will perform last, is to have “an enormous party.”
“(‘I Feel Alive’) is a party song and we want to bring a big party from Israel to Europe. We want everyone to forget about worries and problems for three minutes and just have fun and feel alive,” he said.
“I’m the fortieth representative of Israel (at Eurovision.) I’m going to fulfill my dream by singing in front of millions. Of course, I’m hoping for success, but it’s up to Europe and the judges to decide. We are going to do our best and have fun.”
