Ishtar

About Ishtar

Ishtar, born Esther "Eti" Zach, is a French-Israeli singer, songwriter, and actress renowned for her multilingual performances and her distinct blend of Mizrahi, Mediterranean, Arabic, gypsy, pop, dance, rock, and flamenco music. Born in Israel to Egyptian-Jewish and Moroccan-Jewish parents, her music is deeply rooted in her Sephardic heritage, with her repertoire spanning Arabic, Hebrew, French, Spanish, English, Bulgarian, and Russian. She first gained international recognition as the lead vocalist of the band Alabina in the late 1990s, fusing flamenco rhythms with Middle Eastern melodies to achieve global success. Since embarking on a solo career in 2000, Ishtar has released several albums, including "La Voix d'Alabina" (2000), "Truly (Emet)" (2003), and "7" (2012), producing popular hits such as "C'est la vie," "Last Kiss," and "Habibi (Sawah)." In her latest endeavors, Ishtar released the Hebrew and French song "Child (L'Enfant)" in 2024, a piece inspired by the events of October 7 and conveying messages of hope and rebuilding. In 2025, she released an Arabic version of Madonna's "Frozen" titled "Enta." Looking ahead to 2026, Ishtar and Alabina are celebrating 30 years since their first album and are set to embark on a world tour across the Middle East, Europe, and the US. A "Comeback Concert" featuring Ishtar Alabina with "Alabina & The Gypsies" is scheduled for June 4, 2026, in Burgas, Bulgaria, commemorating her three decades on stage. Ishtar, who returned to live in Israel in 2018, has also faced concert cancellations due to her Israeli origin following recent geopolitical events.