Ester Rada is an Israeli soul singer, songwriter and performer. Born in 1985 in Kiryat Arba, Israel, she is of Ethiopian heritage and grows up in a highly religious Jewish family before deciding to change her way of life and pursue music.

Style and influences

Rada’s music mixes soul with ethio-jazz, funk and rhythm and blues, with a sound that is also described as drawing on black groove traditions. Her influences include early 20th-century singers such as Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin, as well as later artists including Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Jill Scott.

Career

In 2012 she releases her first self-written and self-composed solo EP, Life Happens. The EP is produced by Israeli producers Kuti, also known as Kutiman and Thru-You, and Sabbo of Soulico. After its release, she tours in the US, Canada and Europe, and appears at Glastonbury Festival. She also supports Alicia Keys at a concert in Israel, performing for an audience of 8,500.

Reception and media

Rada’s video for Life Happens is broadcast on MTV France, in Eastern Europe and Israel, as well as on VH1 UK. She receives attention for her songwriting and live performance, and critics describe her as bringing a new voice to soul music.