Ana Elya – Songwriter, Composer, Singer – Nachlaot, Israel
Ana Elya writes, composes, arranges and performs original texts and melodies, along with traditional songs in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino.
Born near Paris, Ana Elya was raised in a secular French culture touched by a Hassidic spirit. As a cheerful and athletic little girl she creates her first shows for family and friends. Through the beauty of the Holy Days, music and Shabbat songs, she discovered Jewish practice and started to embrace it at the age of 21. She taught and trained groups of all ages to therapeutic and recreational arts – theater, dance and puppetry- in several community centers.
Musical roots
From Spain to the island of Rhodes through Italy, Egypt, Poland and Russia, Ana Elya was born in France with multiple roots. From her father, she inherited a love of poetry and writing. From her grandmother she learnt music theory. Singing in harmony was an inherent part of her family life growing up. French songs were integral part of her childhood. Greatly inspired by the Beatles she grew up opening herself to jazz, blues, classical and world music, until she discovered Jewish prayer which lead her to her new path.
Her vocal quest with several teachers in France (classical, world music, traditional French songs, Indian singing, Roy Heart Theater) led her to the ‘’French music Academy’’ in Paris where she spent two years learning in order to become a professional singer: voice training, drama, clowning, choir singing, song writing and interpretation.
Her duet (voice-guitar) “The blue oranges” enlivened Parisian streets and cafés, public and private parties with covers. At the same time she sang her own songs with a trio along with Yiddish and Hebrew song in various halls in Paris and the provinces.
Jewish singing
In January 2000 her continual artistic quest takes her to Jerusalem where she learns at the Oriental Music School: Makam, drumming, Sephardic tropes. She performs as a drummer and singer with women bands. Prayer and praise enhance her repertoire as her profession and passion grows. She composes her own melodies, inspired by Hebrew letters and their ancestral vibrations
” When I sing in Hebrew, I unearth a new dimension in my voice. More expansive, it reaches its deepest source. I then connect to my Jewish roots: traditional songs, niggunim (hassidic melodies form Eastern Europe) and Ladino.
My voice and my path become one.”
The melodies inspired by her prayers are influenced by her multiple roots and background: African and Moroccan beats, resonances of the shtetl, jazz and blues.
Ana Elya‘s music is in essence, Jewish and universal.
“Rabbi Nahman from Breslau connects both words Prayer “Tefila” and Song “Shira” for their equal numerical value : 515 . This teaching reflects how I live my art.
My music is prayer and incantation, my song, an opening of the heart and soul
to the beauty of life and creation, of unconditional love.”
Nowadays musical activity
She leads women singing circles and performs for women. In her house in Nachlaot, groups of tourists come from all over the country to hear her story and feel her voice. According to the audience, she sings in French, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino, mixing original compositions on Torah verses or psalms, personal texts reflecting her experiences and inner journey, as well as Chabad , Breslau and Carlebach melodies.
She also gives workshops on how to discover the simplicity, the pleasure and the joy of singing: how to let the body and the soul sing in harmony.
She coaches who want to step on stage professionally
She also heals those who can not yet express their own voices, sung or spoken.
In Israël eighteen years, Ana Elya is married and mother of 2.
Listen to samples and interviews
Watch vidéos
Contact
Anaëlia Ben David, Shirizli St, 19 94315 Jerusalem , Israel
Tel : 0545400150 Email anaelia111@gmail.com