Ethiopia / Israel
She is the Middle East’s new soul diva. Sophisticated chanteuse Ester Rada’s cross-cultural sound reflects the Israeli born Ethiopian’s complex heritage. Her genre-mixing sound gracefully combines Ethio-Jazz, funk, soul and R&B, with strong influence from Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin, while also embracing the contemporary style of Eryka Badu and Lauryn Hill.