Lina Makoul

Lina Makoul
Makoul performing in Haifa, Israel in 2015
Makoul performing in Haifa, Israel in 2015
Background information
Birth nameLeena Courtney Makhoul
Born (1993-07-11) July 11, 1993 (age 31)
Toledo, Ohio, U.S.
OriginAcre, Israel
GenresPop/Dance
Years active2013–present
Websitehttps://linamakoul.com/

Lina Makoul (Arabic: لينا مخول, born (1993-07-11)July 11, 1993) is a Palestinian singer-songwriter and music producer.[1][2] In 2013, she won The Voice Israel.

Personal life

Lina Makhoul was born in Ohio, United States,[citation needed] to Arab-Christian parents and raised in Acre, Israel.[3] Since the age of four she has loved dancing, playing the piano and singing. She is fluent five languages.[citation needed] She describes herself as American-Palestinian.[1]

She started studying biology at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. She dropped out in order to pursue her singing career.[citation needed]

Career

In 2012, Makoul auditioned for the second season of The Voice Israel. On 23 March 2013, Makoul won the final at the Nokia Arena[4] in Tel Aviv with 62% of the vote, having performed "What A Feeling", theme song of the movie Flashdance. Along with her mentor Shabat, she performed a song written and composed by him with his daughter singer Manor Shabat. She also sang Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.[5] She was the first Arab-Israeli to win the show.[4][5] Throughout the show she was also voted "best singer" by viewers.[6] She was approached by Israeli-born international manager Irit TenHengel, who signed her to her label, Yodan Productions.[citation needed]

In September 2016, Makoul was selected as the opening act for the band Queen + Adam Lambert in Tel Aviv.[7]

In September 2017, she announced she would be supporting British girl group Little Mix on the UK and Ireland leg of The Glory Days Tour for all 37 arena dates from October until November 2017.[8]

She performed an Arabic version of Silent Night for the documentary film Silent Night: A Song for the World (2020).[citation needed]

Makoul joined the Saint Levant Deira tour in the fall of 2024, opening for the majority of the concerts on the tour in North America and Europe.

Discography

Makoul's first single "This Ain't About You" was released worldwide on the April 29, 2016. The track achieved a top 10 in the UK Music-Week's Club and Pop Charts.[9] Her second single "Dance Sucker" rose even further to No. 4 in the UK Music Week's Official Club Chart, reflecting her growing international success.[10] The single "Dance Sucker" was released as a preview of Makoul's 2017 album Walking on a Tightrope. The track was produced by Jerry Wonda and Tal Forer.

Singles

Year Single Music Week (UK)
DJ Charts Commercial Pop Charts
2016 "This Ain't About You"
1
7
2017 "Dance Sucker"
—
—
"Can't Keep Falling"
4
—

References

  1. ^ a b "Israeli Daily Attacks Singer for Defining Herself as Palestinian". Haaretz.
  2. ^ Wright, Lesley (February 16, 2021). "Palestinian Artist Lina Makoul Flips the Script with New Album". iamCrü. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  3. ^ "Israeli Arab voted best singer in Israel's The Voice". BBC. March 24, 2013.
  4. ^ a b Gemer, Shira (March 27, 2013). "Israeli Arab voted best singer in Israel's The Voice". BBC News. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  5. ^ a b Owoseje, Toyin (March 27, 2013). "Israeli Arab Lina Makhoul Crowned Winner of Israel's The Voice". International Business Times. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  6. ^ Gemer, Shira. "Israeli Arab voted best singer in Israel's The Voice". BBC. BBC. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  7. ^ "When Queen comes to town, show goes on with local singers". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  8. ^ Saeed, Saeed (February 24, 2021). "From Instagram challenge to debut album: how Lina Makoul's '#YOM' tells the stories of Palestinian youth". The National. Retrieved August 7, 2022.
  9. ^ Sutherland, Mark (April 17, 2016). "Music Week". Music Week. 16 (Week 16). Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  10. ^ Sutherland, Mark (October 23, 2016). "Music Week". Music Week. 43 (Week 43). Retrieved April 18, 2017.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by The Voice ישראל
Winner
2012-13 		Succeeded by
Elkana Marziano