Yasmin Levy

Israeli singer/songwriter Yasmin Levy, born in Jerusalem on December 23, 1975, developed her unique blend of styles thanks in part to her father, Yitzhak. He was a composer and singer as well as an expert in Ladino, the language, music, and culture of Spanish Jews, a people who were forced out of Spain by official decree in the 15th century. As an artist, Levy primarily sings in Ladino. Her debut album, Romance & Yasmin, first came out in 2000, but it gained greater notoriety when it was rereleased in 2004, and Levy garnered a BBC Radio 3 World Music Award for Best Newcomer the next year. For her sophomore album, La Juderia, she began to find her unique style, combining Ladino and flamenco musical traditions, winning the International Songwriting Competition for the track “Me Voy”. For 2007’s Mano Suave she also began to add modern Arab elements to her approach, and won fans worldwide with the song “Una Noche Mas”. 2009’s Sentir featured “Una Pastora”, a duet with her deceased father as well as a cover of “Hallelujah”. She became a mother before recording her next album, 2012’s Libertad. She performed throughout the world and released two more albums over the rest of the decade.