Hanan Ben Ari

Ben Ari grew up in Karnei Shomron, the fifth of six siblings; his father works in the financial sector of Bat Yam, while his mother works in special education. He is the nephew of former MK and Otzma Yehudit co-founder Michael Ben-Ari.{{cite web |author1=Kempinski |first=Yoni |date=Aug 5, 2016 |title=When the 'Melody of the Souls' came down from Heaven |url=http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/211947 |accessdate=11 September 2016 |website=Arutz Sheva |publisher=}}{{Cite web |last=Kempinski |first=Yoni |date=2015-08-19 |title=Listen: Gush Katif Ballad Paves Way to Debut Album |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/199661 |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=Arutz Sheva |language=en}} Hanan sang in choirs from the age of six, learned keyboard from age 12, and began composing music at age 13. His father sang Iraqi, Egyptian, and Syrian music when he was growing up, and he was first exposed to hip hop around age 15. One of his older brothers, Neria, later left Orthodox Judaism.

After graduating high school at 17 via matriculation, Ben-Ari attended a hesder yeshiva in Mitzpe Ramon. He also spent time in Gush Katif's Neve Dekalim and witnessed the Israeli disengagement from Gaza, which later inspired his single "Mother". Ben-Ari served in the IDF's Netzah Yehuda Battalion for a year and eight months.

Prior to a full-time music career, Ben-Ari taught at an alternative high school in Petah Tikva, wrote and edited the religious youth magazine Olam Ketan with his wife, and sang in a Jewish wedding band, Hakolot.{{Cite web |last=Zaid |first=Liron |date=2020-06-21 |title="חנן בן ארי: "לא חשבתי שאני אהיה זמר בכלל |url=https://www.mako.co.il/news-entertainment/2020_q2/Article-83c4a6cd484d271026.htm |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=N12 |publisher=Keshet Media Group |language=he}}{{Cite web |last=Goldfinger |first=Rivki |date=December 17, 2015 |title=עניין אישי והפעם עם הדסה בן ארי |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/312182 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Arutz Sheva |language=he}} In 2013, he collaborated with musicians Yaakov Asraf and Nir Rubin on an educational stage musical called Mitbagrim ("Growing Up"), which ran for over 100 performances.{{Cite web |last=Marilos |first=Itamar |date=2013-12-22 |title=מתבגרים בחן |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/267414 |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Arutz Sheva |language=he}} A performance of Hakolot's song "Vatikh Miriam", composed by Ben Ari, won third place in a national Israeli dance music contest in 2014.{{Cite web |title=תוצאות מצעד הריקודים הארצי לשנת 2014 |url=http://www.gadibitton.co.il/?CategoryID=860 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=מחול ישראלי |language=he}}

Ben-Ari's debut single, Mimecha Ad Elay ("From You to Myself"), was announced by his uncle in November 2014. The song, whose lyrics reference Song of Songs and other Jewish scripture, was added to the Galgalatz daily playlist, where it reached fourth place in the station's weekly ranking and 34th in the station's year-end ranking.{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=September 10, 2015 |title=המצעד הישראלי השנתי של גלגלצ לשנת תשע"ה - הרשימה המלאה |url=https://e.walla.co.il/item/2888809 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Walla! |language=he}} Several of his subsequent singles were also placed in heavy rotation on Galgalatz, as well as receiving over a million views each on YouTube. Another single, Hachaim Shelanu Tutim (Our Lives are Strawberries), reached No. 1 on Media Forest's weekly chart and was parodied on the Israeli TV sketch show Eretz Nehederet.{{Cite web |last=Ben Ari |first=Hanan |date=June 1, 2016 |title=סינדרום תותים- חנן בן ארי |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUPjcCCWSjw |website=YouTube}}

Ben-Ari's debut album, Izun (Balance), was crowdfunded via the website Headstart, where it raised over ₪100,000.{{Cite web |last=Kempinski |first=Yoni |date=2016-01-25 |title=Rising religious star stuns in pre-album single |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/207008 |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=Arutz Sheva |language=en}} The album was produced by Eyal Mazig. One of the album's tracks, Achim (Brothers), was a duet with Ivri Lider. The album was released on 21 February 2016 via NMC Music, receiving positive reviews and being certified gold in Israel with 15,000 copies sold in three months.

The following month, Ben-Ari played dates in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Herzliya. During the summer, he toured nationally in Israel and performed at Festival HaTamar alongside Shlomi Shaban, Peter Roth, Maor Cohen, Margol, Riki Gal, and Guy & Yahel.{{Cite news |last=Friedman |first=Ami |date=2016-07-03 |title=צפו: אלי פיניש קורע את המפורסמים על הבמה |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4823562,00.html |access-date=2023-02-24}}{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=2016-05-30 |title=Religious star shines in debut album's last single |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/213021 |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=Arutz Sheva |language=en}}

Ahead of the release of his second album, Ben Ari released the singles: "Not Alone", "Thanks to you", "On my bed" featuring Moshe Peretz, and "{{Ill|Wikipedia (Hanan Ben Ari song)|lt=Wikipedia|he|ויקיפדיה (שיר)}}", the lyrics of which he wrote with Keren Peles.{{Cite news |last=Staff |date=May 28, 2017 |title=חנן בן ארי - ויקיפדיה |url=https://www.mako.co.il/music-news/singles/Article-d560a63fded4c51006.htm |access-date=December 28, 2022 |work=Mako |language=he}} The song "Wikipedia" reached the second place in the annual parade of Galglatz for the Hebrew year 5777{{Cite web |date=September 19, 2017 |title=המצעד הישראלי השנתי של גלגלצ ו-וואלה! |url=https://e.walla.co.il/item/3098137 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Walla! |language=he}} and the third place in the annual parade of the Network 3 in the same year.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}

To coincide with Yom Ha'Atzmaut in 2016, Ben-Ari released the song Nigun HaNeshamot (Melody of the Souls). He had originally written the song during the 2006 Lebanon War, and later revisited it during the conflict in Bint Jbeil.

He then won ACUM song of the year award in 2017.{{Cite web |last=Ben Nun |first=Shegaya |date=May 31, 2018 |title="שומר על פשטות": הרגע שבו חוה אלברשטיין ריגשה את אהוד בנאי |url=https://e.walla.co.il/item/3162365 |website=Walla! |language=he}} In December he released the single "What do you want from me", and in March 2018 he released the song "Good News". In April, he released his second album, "{{Ill|Not Alone (Hanan Ben Ari album)|lt=Not Alone|he|לא לבד (אלבום)}}".

With Maccabi Tel Aviv's victory in the 2018–19 Israeli Premier League, Ben Ari performed the championship song "{{Ill|Yellow rises (this is Maccabi)|lt=Yellow rises|he|צהוב עולה (זה מכבי)}}", as a renewal of the song sung by Ethnix in the 1995–96 Liga Leumit.

In February 2019, he released the single "{{Ill|Aluf ha'olam (song)|lt=Aluf ha'olam|he|אלוף העולם (שיר)}}", composed by Ben Ari in collaboration with Nathan Goshen.{{Cite web |last=Leeper |first=Netanel |date=February 17, 2019 |title=חנן בן ארי בסינגל חדש: "אלוף העולם" |url=https://www.kikar.co.il/singles-clips/307310 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Kikar HaShabbat |language=he}} In May 2019, he released a single called "{{Ill|Dor (song)|lt=Generation|he|דור (שיר)}}", which deals with the intergenerational gap on issues such as faith and preserving tradition. The song provoked mixed reactions in the religious sector and beyond.{{Cite news |last=Sabato |first=Uziel |date=May 29, 2019 |title=חנן בן ארי מעצבן |language=he |work=Arutz Sheva |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/403035 |access-date=December 28, 2022}}

In February 2020, he released the music video "{{Ill|If you want (song)|lt=If you want|he|אם תרצי (שיר של חנן בן ארי)}}". The song came in second place in the annual Hebrew hymn parade of Galgalatz and Ynet and in the mako parade for the Hebrew year of 5780.{{Cite news |date=September 17, 2020 |title=העם אמר את דברו: "שלמים" של עידן חביב הוא שיר השנה |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/entertainment/article/ryfjWYlSv |access-date=December 28, 2022}} In these parades he was also chosen as man of the year, along with winning the title of "Singer of the Year" by {{Ill|Tel Aviv Radio|he|רדיו תל אביב|de|Radio Tel Aviv|qid=Q3416870}}.{{Cite news |date=September 17, 2020 |title=כבוד למגזר: חנן בן ארי נבחר כאיש השנה של גלגלצ |language=he |work=srugim.co.il |url=https://www.srugim.co.il/491117-%D7%9B%D7%91%D7%95%D7%93-%D7%9C%D7%9E%D7%92%D7%96%D7%A8-%D7%97%D7%A0%D7%9F-%D7%91%D7%9F-%D7%90%D7%A8%D7%99-%D7%96%D7%9E%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%94-%D7%A9%D7%9C-%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%92%D7%9C%D7%A6}} In April, Ben-Ari released the single Ga’aguim Lebnei Adam (Longing for People), inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. and was written together with Rabbi Lior Engelman.{{Cite web |last=Joffre |first=Tzvi |date=April 1, 2020 |title=Israeli singers find meaning in coronavirus outbreak |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israeli-singers-find-meaning-in-coronavirus-outbreak-623154 |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US}} He also joined with Kav Lachayim, a child disability and rare illness organization, and with fellow Israeli artists Akiva, Ariel Zilber, Berry Sakharof, Amir Benayoun, and Lior Elmaliah for a rendition of the Sephardic liturgical poem "Refa Tziri". In November, Ben-Ari released the music video "{{Ill|Amen for the children|he|אמן על הילדים}}", which went straight to the first place in the Media Forest weekly chart.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}} The song reached the ninth place in the annual parade of Galgalatz in the Hebrew year 5781. For the video, Ben-Ari had posted to Facebook asking fans to send in clips of parents bonding with their children.{{Cite web |last=Staff |date=March 24, 2021 |title=You could be in Israeli star Hanan Ben-Ari's new music video |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/you-could-be-in-israeli-star-hanan-ben-aris-new-music-video-646486 |access-date=2023-04-21 |website=The Jerusalem Post |language=en-US}}

In May 2021 he released the single "{{Ill|Dreaming like Yosef|he|חולם כמו יוסף}}" which he wrote together with his brother Neria.{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2021 |title=חנן בן ארי – חולם כמו יוסף |url=https://www.kan.org.il/Item/?itemId=105586 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Kan |language=he}} The following month he performed on 4 consecutive days at the Caesarea Maritima theater.{{Cite news |last=Tzokerman |first=Elenor |date=June 25, 2021 |title=חנן בן ארי מציג: איך לכבוש את המדינה בגיל 33 ועם 6 ילדים |language=he |work=N12 |url=https://www.mako.co.il/news-entertainment/2021_q2/Article-0346df510593a71027.htm |access-date=December 28, 2022}}

Because of the Coronavirus outbreak of 2019, no {{Ill|Akum Award|he|פרס אקו"ם}} was awarded in 2020. In 2021, Ben Ari retroactively won the Akum Award for "Artist of the Year" and most played song of 2020 for "If You Want".{{Cite news |last=Boker |first=Ron |date=July 20, 2021 |title=פרסי אקו"ם: חנן בן ארי "מחבר השנה" עם השיר המושמע ביותר; מפעל חיים למירית שם אור ואתי אנקרי |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/entertainment/article/rjyeul70d |access-date=December 28, 2022}}

On September 6, 2021, Ben-Ari won "Singer of the Year" in the annual {{Ill|Kan Gimel|he|כאן גימל}} song parade.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}} On December 6, 2021, Ben Ari released a music video for his single "{{Ill|Makom (Hanan Ben Ari single)|lt=Makom|he|מקום (שיר של חנן בן ארי)}}".{{Cite web |last=Ben Ari |first=Hanan |date=December 6, 2021 |title=חנן בן ארי - מקום |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J3eueT4M-M |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=YouTube}}

On March 28, 2022, he was supposed to release the rhythmic song "Ela Bi" but since the shooting attack in Hadera took place the day before, he chose to postpone its release and instead released the song "{{Ill|Besof ze halachan|he|בסוף זה הלחן}}".{{Cite news |last=Feiglin |first=Ariel |date=March 28, 2022 |title=חנן בן ארי בשיר חדש ונוגה - בסוף זה הלחן |language=he |work=Arutz Sheva |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/545108 |access-date=December 28, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Ben Ari |first=Hanan |date=March 28, 2022 |title=Facebook Post - Single release |url=https://www.facebook.com/hananbenari%2Fposts%2F514944479996818 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Facebook |language=he}} About nine months later, on December 12, 2022, he released the song "Ela Bi".{{Cite news |last=Feiglin |first=Ariel |date=December 12, 2022 |title=אחרי שנדחה בגלל הפיגוע בחדרה: חנן בן ארי משחרר את 'אלא בי' |language=he |work=Arutz Sheva |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/586457 |access-date=December 28, 2022}} The music video for "Ela Bi" was controversial among religious audiences, as it showed men and women dancing together.{{Cite news |last=Shir |first=Smadar |date=2023-01-20 |title=Israeli woman on a quest to promote sex education in ultra-Orthodox sector |language=en |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/b1mbf117sj |access-date=2023-04-21}} In June, the musical "Champion of the World" premiered at the Orna Porat Children's Theater, which included Ben-Ari's songs.{{Cite web |last=Menuchin |first=Nadav |date=June 22, 2022 |title=שמש לעולם: המחזמר משיריו של חנן בן ארי פשוט למדי, אבל גם מרגש מאוד |url=https://e.walla.co.il/item/3513988 |access-date=December 28, 2022 |website=Walla! |language=he}} That same month, he released the music video single "{{Ill|Hanania (Hanan Ben Ari single)|lt=Hanania|he|חנניה (שיר של חנן בן ארי)}}" (from a live performance) that talks about his grandfather, after whom he is named.{{Cite web |last=Ben Ari |first=Hanan |date=June 26, 2022 |title=חנן בן ארי - חנניה |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DnLm4aqgz8 |website=YouTube}}{{Cite web |date=June 26, 2022 |title=השיר של חנן בן ארי על סבא חנניה סוף סוף נחשף: "הלוואי אהיה כמותו" |url=https://www.kipa.co.il/%D7%91%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%96%D7%94/1136835-0// |website=kipa.co.il |language=he}}{{Cite web |date=June 26, 2022 |title="הלוואי אהיה כמותו": חנן בן ארי מוציא שיר חדש שמוקדש לסבא חנניה |url=https://e.walla.co.il/item/3514464 |website=Walla! |language=he}} On July 14, he performed at the opening ceremony of the 2022 Maccabiah Games in the presence of Israeli president Isaac Herzog, Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and United States President Joe Biden.{{Cite news |last1=Homsany |first1=Marcela |last2=Tabac |first2=Alden |last3=Roitman |first3=Ariella |date=July 14, 2022 |title=Lights-out opening of 21st Maccabiah |work=Ynet |url=https://www.jpost.com/israeli-news/sports/article-712169 |access-date=January 22, 2023}} On September 9, 2022 he released a live album titled {{Ill|Live 2022 (Hanan Ben Ari album)|lt=Live 2022|he|Live 2022}}.

In April 2023, The New York Times listed Ben-Ari as part of a wave of religious singers gaining mainstream popularity in Israel, alongside Ishay Ribo, Nathan Goshen, Akiva Turgeman, and Narkis Reuven-Nagar. The following month, it was announced that Ben-Ari would lead an advertising campaign for El Al Airlines.{{Cite web |last=Suissa |first=Eran |date=2023-05-31 |title=חנן בן ארי קוטף קמפיין חדש והוא לא לבד |url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/celebrities/local-celebrities/article/13667886 |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Israel Hayom |language=he}}

Ben-Ari's music draws from rock, soul, R&B, gospel, hip hop, and Arabic and Mizrahi music. His sound has drawn comparison to Alicia Keys, while Ben-Ari himself has cited Irish musician Hozier as an influence and expressed admiration for Israeli singer Karolina.

Ben-Ari was married to Hadassah, an editor, content producer, and poet who co-wrote a song with him. The couple met when Hanan was 20 and on leave from the army, through a mutual friend, and married shortly after. They initially lived in Bnei Brak, near Ponevezh Yeshiva, then lived in Ramat Gan and Or Yehuda, before settling in Pardes Hanna-Karkur as of 2020.{{Cite news |last=Ziga |first=Bar |date=October 31, 2020 |title=מזל טוב: חנן בן ארי אבא לשישה |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://pplus.ynet.co.il/rechilut/article/5836081}} They have seven children.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-31 |title=החיים שלו תותים: חנן בן ארי אבא לשבעה {{!}} ישראל היום |url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/celebrities/local-celebrities/article/14446248 |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Israel Hayom |language=he}} Ben-Ari's paternal uncle is Michael Ben-Ari,{{Cite news |last=Goldfinger |first=Rivki |date=27 November 2021 |title=עניין אישי והפעם עם מיכאל בן ארי |url=https://www.inn.co.il/news/532716 |access-date=4 March 2024 |work=Arutz 7}} former member of Knesset who has been disqualified from re-running for election due to incitement to racism.{{Cite court|litigants=21 Knesset Election appeal Ofer Cassif and Michael Ben-Ari|opinion=א"ב 1806/19, א"ב 1866/19, ע"ב 1867/19, ע"ב 1876/19" | court=Supreme Court of Israel|date=17 Match 2019|url=https://supremedecisions.court.gov.il/Home/Download?path=HebrewVerdicts\19/060/018/V04&fileName=19018060.V04&type=4}}

Hanan and his wife announced on the eve of Tu Be'Av (18 August 2024) that they were separating and getting divorced.https://www.jfeed.com/music/sigyfr

Ben-Ari has been vocal about his view that the Israeli settlements in the Gaza strip should be reestablished. In a video posted on TikTok on October 25, 2023, he can be seen singing to soldiers and proclaiming: "Returning to Gush Katif, Playing beach volleyball, Establishing Nova Beach on the Gaza coast, The nation of Israel lives!". {{Cite web |last=ivgiz |date=October 25, 2023 |title=Hanan Ben-Ari: Returning to Gush Katif, establishing Nova Beach on Gaza |url=https://www.tiktok.com/@ivgiz/video/7293763946132081927 |access-date=March 4, 2024 |website=ivgiz on tiktok: Hanan Ben-Ari: Returning to Gush Katif, establishing Nova Beach on Gaza}}{{Cite news |last1=Krever |first1=Mick |last2=Karadsheh |first2=Jomana |last3=Kaufman |first3=Ami |last4=Salman |first4=Abeer |date=January 17, 2024 |title=Israel's far-right wants to move Palestinians out of Gaza. Its ideas are gaining attention |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2024/01/17/middleeast/israel-far-right-gaza-settler-movement-cmd-intl/index.html |access-date=March 4, 2024 |work=CNN}}{{Cite news |last=Rousseau |first=Daphne |date=26 October 2023 |title=Some Israelis dream of return to Gaza settlements as IDF readies to go back in |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/some-israelis-dream-of-return-to-gaza-settlements-as-idf-readies-to-go-back-in/ |access-date=March 4, 2024 |work=The Times of Israel}}

• Live 2022 (2022)
• {{Ill|The Hindu Show (Live Album)|lt=The Hindu Show|he|מופע הינדיקים}} (2024)

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://hananbenari.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ben Ari, Hanan}}

Category:People from Pardes Hanna-Karkur

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Category:Israeli male singer-songwriters

Category:Israeli singer-songwriters

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Category:1988 births

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Category:Israeli soul singers

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