Dana has just launched her new single Rythm with the help of Silver Storm Media and we have teamed up to help! With an illustrious heritage via her musical ancestors, an exciting life recording and performing in London, and new material in store, Israeli singer-songwriter Dana Elle is the past, present and future of urban soul, pop, jazz and R&B.
Dana’s life story is as fascinating as her music. She is descended from the Ovitz family, traveling actors and musicians from the village of Rozavlea in Transylvania, and the largest recorded family of dwarves. They were rounded up and imprisoned in Auschwitz, and were subject to the horrible experiments of Josef Mengele, but they all survived. Their inspirational story was revealed by Star Wars actor Warwick Davis in a documentary for ITV. Dana has been singing all her life. At four, she could be found performing songs by one of her heroes, Madonna, on tables in the house of her grandma, who raised her and had performed with the Ovitzes. This precocious child loved many genres of music, which shows in the eclecticism of her work as an adult. She had vocal training in opera (which explains the power behind her incredible voice) and was a ballet dancer for 10 years.
While undergoing mandatory Army service, she appeared on TV talent show A Star Is Born. From there, she recorded her debut album, Swan, featuring eight self-penned tracks produced by Yossi Fine, the Israeli bassist who worked with the legendary David Bowie and Lou Reed, to name but two. Garnering the attention of many Israeli radio stations, she was named ‘Discovery of the Year’.
Visiting a friend in London in 2014, Dana fell in love with the city and moved there the following year. Befriending Amy Winehouse’s guitarist Robin Banerjee, before she knew it she was performing at the renowned Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. A star truly was born.
In 2016 she released her second album, Wake Up. This first UK LP was produced by MOBO-nominated Femi Temowo, known for his collaboration with Winehouse, as well as working with world-class artists such as The Roots. Embarking on her first tour of Europe, Dana also wowed audiences on BBC radio. In 2018, she supported famous French singer Julien Clerc on his tour of the Netherlands.
Planning a new EP and performing to her ever-growing army of fans via Instagram and Facebook during 2020’s coronavirus lockdown, the world needs Dana Elle’s inspirational songs of hope and vitality now more than ever.
You can listen to the podcast we did with her by clicking here. Enjoy and please share.
