Winner of The Voice Israel and multi-linguist Lina makes us dance with “Dance Sucker (ANÖ Remix)”.
American-Palestinian musician Lina is a force to be reckoned with. After winning Israel’s The Voice and supporting Queen + Adam Lambert, Lina has proved that she has the power to command a stage and completely enthral her audience with her uniquely tender and touching yet powerful vocals. Master of five languages and a skilled piano player, she uses her multi-cultural roots and references to create pop-infused dance tracks to break down barriers and bring people of different cultures together.
While Lina’s original “Dance Sucker” track is a total dance party, the “Dance Sucker (ANÖ Remix)” takes it to a whole new level. Strong bass lines provide a rippling undercurrent to Lina’s remix exquisite vocals, and a new wave dance beat making it a totally addictive party track that will have you dancing in no time.
What’s your earliest music memory?
When I was 4 years old I told my parents I wanted to learn how to play the violin. It was my favorite instrument at the time, it always got me so emotional. I was told that my fingers were too thin and weak, so I took piano lessons instead, which later on became my favourite musical instrument.
What made you want to pursue a career in music?
Music and stage have always been a major part of my life. It always felt like home to me. I started volunteering at The Red Cross where I found huge satisfaction in helping people in need. I decided I wanted to go to medical school. I was sure I was going to be a doctor until the day I went with my parents to watch a concert. I got to meet the singer backstage before the concert and told her that I was having a big dilemma, whether to go to medical school or pursue my dream and be a singer. She asked me “in 10 years, what is it you’re going to regret not doing?”. The concert began, and it took me 10 seconds to find the answer. Listening to the band playing gave me that “when body meets soul” feeling, and that was it. I knew I was going to pursue all of my dreams and fulfill them all.
You’re fluent in five languages! Do you think music transcends language and connects all people?
Definitely. No doubt. I was always interested in learning more and more languages. Being exposed to other cultures gave me an added value. Since I was born in America and grew up in the middle east, languages were always the key to connecting and communicating. In order to do that you need to learn the language, get to know the culture, practice it, live it, etc. and even after all that- you don’t always get to master it 100%. When it comes to music you only need to open your ears. Your heart would do the rest.
“Listening to the band playing gave me that “when body meets soul” feeling, and that was it. I knew I was going to pursue all of my dreams and fulfill them all.”
What was your experience in Israel’s The Voice like? Do you think you would be where you are without it?
My experience on Israel’s The Voice obviously gave me a lot of recognition, but most of all it made me believe in myself as a singer. Growing up as a Palestinian in Israel isn’t so easy, especially when it comes to trying to succeed as an artist. We’re a minority, we don’t always get to be treated equally, and the variety of languages isn’t helping. So winning The Voice gave me hope that a change can be made, and it gave me a great amount of strength to fulfill all of my dreams. I’ll always be grateful for this.
What inspires you? What artists can you never get enough of?
Oh wow. In one word- Beyoncé. She’s a superwoman. Every time I watch her singing, dancing or talking- she gives me chills. I can see how hard working she is, how committed she is, how she never takes her music, performance, and audience for granted even though she’s been reaching the top of the music business for years. She inspires me more than anything.
How would you describe your sound?
I would describe it as Lina. It’s multicultural, just like me, and it’s a blend of pop, dance music, with edgy rock with an ethnic fragrance. You can check out my website linaoffical.com and know exactly what I mean.
What are your favourite (and least favourite) things about making music?
My least favourite thing about making music is how everything is so risky. You may never know what tomorrow will bring. But I always remind myself that life itself is a risk, so I’m okay with that. I have two favorite parts- The first one is being on stage and getting to feel all the love from my audience. The second part is that I can be myself no matter what. And the best part is that your personality gets an original soundtrack of its own.
iTunes: http://apple.co/2bBqrva
Spotify: http://bit.ly/linaspotify
