Noga Erez's "Godmother" Is a Sultry Rejection of Genre Prescriptions
Dredged through the cacophony of feelings during the pandemic, Noga Erez’s impending third album THE VANDALIST has the mark of a revival. For the celebrated artist who constantly rejects genre prescriptions, "GODMOTHER" is a fitting single off Erez’s upcoming album, featuring Eden Ben Zaken. True to form, it’s a song that feels equally dressed for '60s Italian cinema and a hip sultry ballad. Noga is a sound onto herself, a musician who thrives when conjoining elements, snapshots, chords, and visions celebrate her unique approach. She’s a sonic purveyor of the highest order, whose gift also lies in editing. Comfortable creating earnest discomfort in her lyrics, Noga is an artist revered by other artists, a visionary even amongst her contemporaries, and her most recent single lends to that reputation.
Longtime collaborator and producer Ori Rousso, who Noga humbly credits as an extension of her creative self, contributed to “GODMOTHER,” the foundation of which is a rakish beat letting Noga deliver a juxtaposition of identity and belonging. Listeners are then lifted by Ben Zaken’s operatically soaring choruses. Noga herself speaks volumes about "GODMOTHER," “… one of my favorite songs on the album. The beat created by ROUSSO inspired a song about a journey, constant movement, and wandering. It's a song about identity, about the feeling of isolation. I'm so proud to have the incredible Eden Ben Zaken featured on this song.” It’s a jam, but a contemplative one, an anthem that has a tone of longing and turbulence not often heard. “GODMOTHER” is a composition so starkly different from Noga’s previous singles leading into THE VANDALIST, whose artwork is so beautiful and telling of Noga’s style. Sadly this isn’t a world of cartoonish godmothers, but if piercing the veil through art is comforting, then Noga Erez’s latest work is the godmother you’ve been waiting for.
