Erez Halevi, one of the most original and intriguing figures in Israeli pop music during the 1980s, died on Saturday at the age of 71.
Halevi will be remembered above all for Kach Bara Otcha Hateva ("That's How Nature Made You"), a gentle, beautiful song that, over the years, became much more than a hit. It evolved into something of an anthem of self-acceptance and the freedom to be who you are.
The song appeared on Halevi's debut album, Halayla ("The Night"), released in 1984. Halevi wrote the lyrics and composed the music for every song on that enchanting album, which was produced by Matti Caspi, who also played nearly all the instruments.
Alongside the title track and Hadayagim ("The Fishermen"), Kach Bara Otcha Hateva was one of the highlights of a highly unusual album that brought together soft pop, melancholic melodies, intimate vocals, and Halevi's distinctive high-pitched voice.
Over the years, the song took on new meaning. The LGBTQ community embraced it as a symbol of acceptance of others and resistance to attempts to impose identities on people that are not their own.
A song that became an anthem of self-acceptance
Halevi himself recounted that he wrote the song in response to expectations placed upon him as a musician of Yemenite descent, who was supposedly expected to create Mizrahi music. According to Halevi, the song was written in opposition to any establishment that seeks to dictate how an individual should be.
The song went on to take on a life of its own, with interpretations by other artists, including Dudu Tassa and Ivri Lider.
Halevi's career did not follow the conventional trajectory of a pop star. He released additional albums over the years, including Matzav Beinaim ("Intermediate State") and Hasha'ar Niftach ("The Gate Opens"), but largely withdrew from the Israeli music spotlight.
Halevi is gone, but Kach Bara Otcha Hateva, alongside Hadayagim and Halayla, will remain among the most wonderful moments in Israeli music for generations to come.