Marina Maximilian Blumin

{{short description|Israeli singer-songwriter and actress (born 1987)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Marina Maximilian Blumin

| image = U.S. Embassy Jerusalem celebrates the 246th U.S. Independence Day. July 5, 2022 60.jpg

| image_size = 250px

| alt = Marina Maximilian Blumin wearing a black top, standing in front of and appearing to speak or sing into a microphone, gesturing with both arms

| caption = Blumin in 2022

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1987|12|15}}

| native_name = מארינה מקסימיליאן בלומין

| native_name_lang = he

| origin = Dnipropetrovsk, Soviet Union
{{small|(now Ukraine)}}

| genre = Pop

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter|actress}}

| years_active = 2002–present

| label = Helicon

}}

Marina Maximilian Blumin ({{langx|he|מארינה מקסימיליאן בלומין}}; born 15 December 1987), known professionally as Marina Maximilian, is an Israeli singer-songwriter and actress. She was the runner-up on the fifth season of the reality music competition show Kokhav Nolad.

Early life

Blumin was born in Dnipropetrovsk, Soviet Union (now Ukraine) on 15 December 1987. At the age of three, she immigrated to Israel with her parents. The family lived with friends in Ramat Gan before settling in the Pardes Katz neighbourhood of Bnei Brak. From a young age, Blumin studied piano with her mother, Ella, a classical pianist, and sang in a choir. She later went to the conservatory where her mother taught.{{Cite news|last = Halutz|first = Doron|title = Art etc. / it girl|work = Haaretz|access-date = 21 February 2009|date = 20 February 2009|url = http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1065549.html}}

Blumin graduated from Ironi Alef High School in Tel Aviv.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} She began performing at jazz clubs at the age of fifteen, after pianist Rick Birman took her under his wing. She performed at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in Eilat and sang with Common Bond, an ethnic-fusion-rock-jazz band, at festivals and clubs.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

Career

=Singing=

Kokhav Nolad

In 2007, Blumin auditioned for the fifth season of Kokhav Nolad and was accepted. During the show, she mostly sang Israeli pop and folk songs, adding her own jazz nuances. She sang "Halomot" by Ruhama Raz, "Shir Ahuvat HaSapan" by Rita, "Bluz Kna'ani" by Ehud Banai, and "Vidui" by Alexander Penn (sung by Yehudit Ravitz).{{cite web|title=The Israeli "American Idol" – A Star Is Born |url=https://jewishstudies.washington.edu/hebrew-student-writing/israeli-american-idol-a-star-is-born/ |website=jewishstudies.washington.edu |date=13 June 2014 |access-date=16 December 2020}} In the end, Blumin qualified for the final along with Boaz Ma'uda and Shlomi Bar'el, and came in second, with Nurit Galron's "Nifradnu Kakh".

{{cite web|title=Stepping Out |url=https://www.jpost.com/arts-and-culture/music/stepping-out-326381 |website=jpost.com |date=17 September 2013 |access-date=16 December 2020}}

Step into My World and Armonot Ashan

Blumin did not serve in the Israeli Defence Forces and was accused of draft evasion, while in reality, she had received an exemption for mental health reasons; instead, she had volunteered to teach children voice development and singing at the Ben Shemen Youth Village.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} In April 2008, she held her first solo performance at the Yamei Zemer Festival in Holon, which was managed by Tzedi Tzarfati. In May 2008, she released a duet with Ma'uda called "Mi Haya Ma'amin".{{cite web|title=Radio Editors' Choices Regarding the Next Israeli Entry |url=https://escbubble.com/2014/09/radio-editors-choices-regarding-next-israeli-entry/ |website= escbubble.com |date=17 September 2014 |access-date=16 December 2020}} The song became a hit in Israel.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}} In June 2008, she released her first solo single, "Sof Sof". In 2012, she contributed vocals to the song "Melting Thoughts" on the Yossi Sassi album Melting Clocks.{{cite web|title=Marina Maximilian Blumin |url=https://www.discogs.com/fr/artist/2782161-Marina-Maximilian-Blumin?noanv=1 |website=discogs.com |date= |access-date=16 December 2020}}

Blumin released her first studio album, Step into My World, an English-language pop record that also includes a Russian song, in August 2013. The first single, "Two Pigs", was released in January 2013. A second single, "Tango", came out in April.{{cite news|title="Tango"-מארינה מקסימיליאן בלומין מזמינה אתכם ל|url=http://www.nrg.co.il/online/47/ART2/464/482.html?hp=47&cat=309&loc=81|access-date=30 June 2017|work=nrg מעריב|publisher=Maariv|date=29 April 2013|language=Hebrew|trans-title=Marina Maximilian Blumin invites you to "Tango"}}

On 17 September 2014, it was revealed that Israel's Radio 88FM, which oversaw the country's artist selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, had approached Blumin to sing at the event in Vienna, though the deal eventually fell through.{{cite web|last=Schneider|first=Ori|title=Israel: Radio 88FM wants Marina Maximilian Blumin to sing at Eurovision|url=http://wiwibloggs.com/2014/09/17/israel-radio-88fm-marina-maximilian-blumin-eurovision/60856/|publisher=wiwibloggs|date=17 September 2014}}

In 2016, Blumin released her second studio album, titled ארמונות עשן (Armonot Ashan), this one entirely in Hebrew except for the last track, which is sung in English. She later performed at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Maccabiah Games, on 6 July.{{cite news|title=Maccabiah Games: Your Guide to Celebrating the 'Jewish Olympics' in Israel|url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/travel/1.798377|access-date=30 June 2017|work=Haaretz|date=28 June 2017}}{{Update after|2017|7|7}}

=Acting=

As a teenager, Blumin appeared in two Cameri Theater productions: Hanoch Levin's play Requiem at age fifteen and the musical The Producers at age eighteen. She also participated twice in the Acre Festival, where she sang in the play Schmetterling (Farewell, Butterfly), which won first prize in 2005. In 2006, she participated in Rabak and wrote the music for it, receiving honourable mention. She began her television career with a role in the police drama Pillars of Smoke.{{cite web|title=Art Etc. / It Girl |url=https://www.haaretz.com/1.5077854 |website=haaretz.com |date=19 February 2009 |access-date=16 December 2020}} Most recently, she has starred in the third season of the political thriller Fauda.{{cite web|title=In Her Own Hands: an interview with Marina Maximilian Blumin |url=https://www.timeout.com/israel/news/in-her-own-hands-an-interview-with-marina-maximilian-blumin-030320 |website=timeout.com |date=3 March 2020 |access-date=16 December 2020}}

Discography

Step into My World (2013)
ארמונות עשן (Armonot Ashan) (2016)
ביחד (Byakhad) (2021)
Late Bloomer (2022)

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ {{Sronly\|List of appearances, with year, title, and role shown}}
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
rowspan=2\|2009 \|Pillars of Smoke \|Bat Kol \|1 episode
Weeping Susannah \|Shura \|3 episodes
2011 \|Barefoot \|Alexandra \|6 episodes
2011–12 \|The First Family \|Alin \|18 episodes
2019–20 \|Fauda \|Hila Bashan \|12 episodes

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ {{Sronly|List of appearances, with year, title, and role shown}}

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

rowspan=2|2009

|Pillars of Smoke

|Bat Kol

|1 episode

Weeping Susannah

|Shura