Yael Akelana in the spider costume is the big winner in the “Singer in a Mask” final that took place last Saturday at Keshet 12. All the contestants in the final managed to fool an entire season with judges Ofira Essig, Statik and Ben El, Tsadi Sarfati and Shahar Hasson. In a conversation with Iris Cole on 103FM, Elkana told about the experience.
It seems you are at some very long party
“Yes, it’s madness and a waste of time.”
Are you tired?
“I’m so tired, I haven’t started yet. I don’t know where to start. I don’t know whether to start from Instagram, from WhatsApp, to go back to all the phones, it’s really crazy.”
We know that Guri Alfi guessed and there were more question marks, and you were also Efrat Gush on the way and Rona Lee Shimon. After all the genuine admiration for your voice, what does it do?
“First of all, this is surprising. I did not expect such reactions.”
You did not know?
“I knew I sang well, but I never really had the confidence to pull it off, beyond school ceremonies or a musical at the theater, but now producing a singing number on stage is different. There I didn’t know I was capable of it. It surprised me, but I I just enjoyed it and with that came the compliments. I was behind a mask and went up to do the thing I love most in the world, which is to simply sing and fly about myself.”
Did all kinds of offers come from creators, musicians?
“The truth is a lot and it excites me like crazy. Even in my wildest fantasies, I didn’t imagine it would be to this extent.”
This is a great year for you. You are very flourishing, but it is such a boost that you did not imagine, I suppose, when you received the offer.
“I actually said no. My agent called me and said, ‘What do you think about the masked singer?’ ‘No’, that was my answer.”
What broke this decisive “no”?
“I think the realization that I have lots and lots of self-criticism and actually here is some kind of opportunity to fool around and do what I like, just without having to deal with the feeling of being seen. I think my insecurity made me say ‘no’ at first, and then when I realized Actually, that I’m not that important, just to have fun. I really enjoyed it. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and how emotionally involved I was at the end, how much I wanted to reach the end, and how much I took each number and really squeezed the lemon out of it as much as possible. It was just an amazing experience “.
You say you can sing well and yet, you never thought you could hold a number. Why is it scarier than playing?
“I think that similar to acting, in ‘A Masked Singer’ there is a mask. Standing behind a character is easier for me. That’s why it’s easier for me to play and it was easier for me to sing behind a mask. There’s something about singers, holding a number, being alone on stage when all the focus is on you , in singing, there is something supernatural about it in my eyes. This connection of a singer to himself is something that requires full release and full of confidence.”
Assisted in the preparation of the article: Amitai Doak, 103fm