Biography
An Israeli vocalist renowned for her powerful, theatrical delivery, Dana International fulfilled her namesake promise by claiming victory at the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, solidifying her status as a lasting pop presence and emblem of LGBTQ+ visibility. As the competition's inaugural transgender performer, she built upon prior achievements such as the platinum-certified 1994 release Umpatampa with her triumphant entry "Diva," extending her renown throughout Europe. Throughout the 2000s she sustained her standing in Israel's mainstream scene via acclaimed projects like 2001's Yoter VeYoter and 2007's Hakol Ze Letova while serving on the panel of the vocal talent series Kokhav Nolad. Her Eurovision connections endured through a second national representation in 2011 and contributions to other Israeli entrants' material, complemented by worldwide Pride appearances and tracks such as 2018's "Mi Ha'Ish" that advanced her message of acceptance.
Born in Tel Aviv, Dana International nurtured childhood aspirations of a singing career. At age 18 she began nightclub performances in drag, offering satirical takes on songs by prominent female artists. DJ Offer Nissim caught one of these sets and oversaw production of her 1993 debut single "Saida Sultana," a reinterpretation of Whitney Houston's "My Name Is Not Susan." The self-titled album Dana Intl arrived later that year; after earning gold certification domestically it also reached markets in Jordan, Egypt, and Greece. She reinforced this momentum with 1994's Umpatampa. This trance-inflected collection achieved broad popularity across the Middle East, elevating her profile further in Israel where it attained platinum status and secured her the Best Female Artist honor at the Israeli Music Awards.
Dana International issued the Tampa EP in 1995, assembling remixes, variant mixes, and previously unheard material. That same year marked her initial Eurovision attempt, which placed second in Israel's national selection process. Her qualifying entry "Layla Tov, Eropa" registered another domestic success. Her third full-length, 1996's Maganuna, yielded three charting singles ("Don Quixote," "Cinquemilla," and "Waving") and, matching her debut, received gold certification in Israel. The next year she joined Eran Zur on the album Ata Hava Sheli for the hit duet "Shir Kdam-Shnati (Sex Acher)." Despite resistance from certain religious factions, she again competed for the Eurovision slot in 1998 and ultimately represented Israel internationally. Delivering "Diva," she captured the contest and widespread acclaim. The track reached the top ten in multiple European territories and attained number 11 in the U.K., while the accompanying album likewise proved a major success.
Dana International revisited Eurovision in 1999, contributing a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Free" during the interval segment. Subsequent releases including the single, the album Free, and a version of Barbra Streisand's "Woman in Love" fell short of earlier commercial peaks, yet the 2000 documentary Lady D and 2001's Yoter Ve Yoter—which contained the gold-certified singles "I Won" and "After All"—restored her domestic standing. This resurgence extended through 2002's Ha'chalom Ha'efshari and the 2003 compilation The CDs Collection. She returned to her Eurovision origins in 2005, interpreting "Diva" alongside Baccara's "Parlez-Vous Français?" at the contest's 50th-anniversary celebration in Copenhagen.
Her subsequent album Hakol Ze Letova surfaced in 2007 and generated hits with its title track and "Love Boy," both receiving extensive airplay in Israel and Greece. The following year Boaz Mauda performed "Ke'ilu Kan," a composition by Dana International, at the 2008 Eurovision, ultimately finishing ninth. She engaged in multiple endeavors during 2009, supplying "Mifrats HaAhava" for the Israeli edition of Paradise Hotel, recording "I Need Your Love" alongside the Ukrainian duo NeAngely, starring in the parody series Dana Kama/Nama, and joining the judging panel of Israel's Pop Idol adaptation Kokhav Nolad. After participating in seasons seven and eight, she again represented Israel at Eurovision in 2011 with "Ding Dong," though the entry failed to advance to the final.
In 2013 Dana International issued several singles, among them "Ma La'asot" and "Loca," the latter accompanied by a video that spotlighted that year's Gay Pride Tel Aviv event where she also performed. Her reality series Yeshnan Banot, featuring her as a judge scouting Israel's next girl group, debuted in 2014. That year she took part in the inaugural Jewish boat during the Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade. Additional singles emerged in 2017 and 2018, including "Mi Ha'Ish," which supported the Jerusalem Pride and Tolerance Parade, and a take on "Hava Nagila" that preceded the Eurovision-related Israel Calling event. Marking the twentieth anniversary of her Eurovision triumph, she issued a fresh rendition of "Diva." Celebrations extended into 2019 with an interval performance at the contest in Tel Aviv, a rendition of "Diva" during the opening flag parade, and the collaborative single "Diva to Diva" with Swedish vocalist and 1999 Eurovision winner Charlotte Perelli.
Born in Tel Aviv, Dana International nurtured childhood aspirations of a singing career. At age 18 she began nightclub performances in drag, offering satirical takes on songs by prominent female artists. DJ Offer Nissim caught one of these sets and oversaw production of her 1993 debut single "Saida Sultana," a reinterpretation of Whitney Houston's "My Name Is Not Susan." The self-titled album Dana Intl arrived later that year; after earning gold certification domestically it also reached markets in Jordan, Egypt, and Greece. She reinforced this momentum with 1994's Umpatampa. This trance-inflected collection achieved broad popularity across the Middle East, elevating her profile further in Israel where it attained platinum status and secured her the Best Female Artist honor at the Israeli Music Awards.
Dana International issued the Tampa EP in 1995, assembling remixes, variant mixes, and previously unheard material. That same year marked her initial Eurovision attempt, which placed second in Israel's national selection process. Her qualifying entry "Layla Tov, Eropa" registered another domestic success. Her third full-length, 1996's Maganuna, yielded three charting singles ("Don Quixote," "Cinquemilla," and "Waving") and, matching her debut, received gold certification in Israel. The next year she joined Eran Zur on the album Ata Hava Sheli for the hit duet "Shir Kdam-Shnati (Sex Acher)." Despite resistance from certain religious factions, she again competed for the Eurovision slot in 1998 and ultimately represented Israel internationally. Delivering "Diva," she captured the contest and widespread acclaim. The track reached the top ten in multiple European territories and attained number 11 in the U.K., while the accompanying album likewise proved a major success.
Dana International revisited Eurovision in 1999, contributing a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Free" during the interval segment. Subsequent releases including the single, the album Free, and a version of Barbra Streisand's "Woman in Love" fell short of earlier commercial peaks, yet the 2000 documentary Lady D and 2001's Yoter Ve Yoter—which contained the gold-certified singles "I Won" and "After All"—restored her domestic standing. This resurgence extended through 2002's Ha'chalom Ha'efshari and the 2003 compilation The CDs Collection. She returned to her Eurovision origins in 2005, interpreting "Diva" alongside Baccara's "Parlez-Vous Français?" at the contest's 50th-anniversary celebration in Copenhagen.
Her subsequent album Hakol Ze Letova surfaced in 2007 and generated hits with its title track and "Love Boy," both receiving extensive airplay in Israel and Greece. The following year Boaz Mauda performed "Ke'ilu Kan," a composition by Dana International, at the 2008 Eurovision, ultimately finishing ninth. She engaged in multiple endeavors during 2009, supplying "Mifrats HaAhava" for the Israeli edition of Paradise Hotel, recording "I Need Your Love" alongside the Ukrainian duo NeAngely, starring in the parody series Dana Kama/Nama, and joining the judging panel of Israel's Pop Idol adaptation Kokhav Nolad. After participating in seasons seven and eight, she again represented Israel at Eurovision in 2011 with "Ding Dong," though the entry failed to advance to the final.
In 2013 Dana International issued several singles, among them "Ma La'asot" and "Loca," the latter accompanied by a video that spotlighted that year's Gay Pride Tel Aviv event where she also performed. Her reality series Yeshnan Banot, featuring her as a judge scouting Israel's next girl group, debuted in 2014. That year she took part in the inaugural Jewish boat during the Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade. Additional singles emerged in 2017 and 2018, including "Mi Ha'Ish," which supported the Jerusalem Pride and Tolerance Parade, and a take on "Hava Nagila" that preceded the Eurovision-related Israel Calling event. Marking the twentieth anniversary of her Eurovision triumph, she issued a fresh rendition of "Diva." Celebrations extended into 2019 with an interval performance at the contest in Tel Aviv, a rendition of "Diva" during the opening flag parade, and the collaborative single "Diva to Diva" with Swedish vocalist and 1999 Eurovision winner Charlotte Perelli.
Albums
נשארת איתך
2017
יש לי אהבה
2017
רותי
2017
אמונות קטנות
2014
ילדים זה שמחה
2014
Down On Me
2014
עיר שלמה
2013
מה לעשות
2013
הכל זה לטובה
2007
Singles
