Fast-rising Israeli artist Gali Givon delivers her pounding new single 'Better', out through Universal Israel
LISTEN TO ‘BETTER’ HERE
THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST SIGNED TO UNIVERSAL ISRAEL
Following on from her explosive initial singles ‘Show Me Love’, ‘Scared’, and ‘Lolita’ earlier this year, which have been supported by the likes of Wonderland, Earmilk, and Record Of The Day, as well as landing on countless New Music Daily playlists on Apple Music and onto every major Spotify pop playlist around the world, fast-rising Israeli artist Gali Givon is back to unleash her powerful new offering ‘Better’.
Channelling another bold and heavy dose of raw guitar-driven alt-pop, ‘Better’ sees her deliver a more personal entry within her growing catalogue. Inspired by her quest for self-improvement and empowerment, she harnesses a fresh and vibrant aesthetic to unveil one of her most compelling and intimate cuts to date.
Speaking about her latest release, she said, "'Better' was written about a time when I had no compass guiding me. It took a few moments, and a few scars, but I snapped myself out of that place. Now I know what's best for me, I know what I need, better than anyone!"
One of the first acts signed to the newly established Universal Israel, this Tel Aviv-based musician is living proof of why you should never judge from appearances alone. At first glance, Gali is the perfect pop star: a young woman carving out radio-ready jams that could easily sit alongside hits by Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and co. But dig a little deeper and you’ll discover a different side to Gali, whose early releases channel the quintessential heroes of rock’n’roll, from Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd to Audioslave and Pantera.
Born to a surgeon mother and father who worked as a CEO in the film industry, Gali herself admits that her chosen path might be surprising to some. But both her parents are classic rock fans, and she was raised on a diet of Bowie, Queen and Pink Floyd. Later, she realised she gravitated towards heavier rock – grunge and metal, particularly – as a means of coping with her father’s health issues.
“My dad used to go in and out of hospital, so I’d spend a lot of time at home, alone,” she says. “I remember the silence being so loud… I had to fill it up with something louder. I needed something to fall into, and rock music was what caught me.” She picked up the guitar, aged 10 and began composing her own songs around the same time ("I really thought I was Axl Rose", she laughs). Other children her age attended after-school groups; she stayed at home and let her feelings pour out.
“It was almost painful, this inclination to write… it came from somewhere within,” she says. “I don’t think I was born a musician. I feel like this path chose me.”
She made her debut with ‘Show Me Love’, a fascinating blend of industrial rock with traditional Middle Eastern melodies, the roots of which can be traced back through the centuries. This emerges in the instrumentation – the heady inflections of the electric guitar – and Gali’s own mesmerising vocal delivery.
“Sometimes people look so blank, so emotionless, that I feel the need to ask, ‘Is there anybody in there?’” she explains. The lyrics channel the frustration of wanting to shake any sign of emotion out of the other person: “Changing my name and shifting shapes but I don’t know why/ I dig my grave into the desert after midnight.” The track has a polished effect while retaining its grit, thanks in part to renowned Toronto-born, LA-based producer and multi-instrumentalist Jon Levine [Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha, Avril Lavigne, Tom Morello], along with US songwriter Solly (Sara Solovay), who has collaborated with pop giants including Jason Derulo and Shawn Mendes.‘Scared’, one of Gali’s heavier tracks, bursts onto the scene like a prize fighter entering the ring, as she lays down the gauntlet. “It’s this feeling of unpredictability that I’ve experienced in a relationship,” she says, “and it’s about a girl who might appear innocent, but she has these dark feelings, too.” The track is instantly catchy, delivered over a chugging guitar hook and hisses of percussion that drip venom. “It’s not my fault/ That I’m not playing fair,” Gali sings, in a manner that recalls Lana Del Rey’s dangerous croon, before demanding to know on the chorus: “Why do you get scared?” She does a superb cover of Korn’s 1999 single ‘Freak on a Leash’, channeling the silky, dangerous energy of the original.
Meanwhile, ‘Lolita’, Gali’s collaboration with renowned Israeli singer-songwriter Noga Erez, reclaims the twisted narrative so many male artists have spun from Vladimir Nabokov’s classic 1955 novel. She calls out a former partner for his controlling behaviour, rejoicing in her newfound liberation. “I’m such a free bird, and it’s mad that I spent a long time in that relationship,” she says. “There were times when I felt out of control, and other times where I tried to break free, which seemed to hurt me more, and I stepped back into the cage.”
She applies that same free spirit to ‘Better’, across dark bass mutterings, casting off those who dare to doubt her. “I have this strong inclination that I do know what’s best for me, and my voice is the one I should be listening to,” she says. There’s no doubt that many more will be listening to Gali’s enrapturing voice very soon.
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