Noa, also known by her given name, Achinoam Nini, was arguably Israel's most internationally renowned singer around the turn of the century. Born in Tel-Aviv in 1969 to a family of Yemeni heritage, she lived in New York from age two until age 17, at which point she returned to Israel. After serving her two years of mandatory military service, she studied music at the Rimon School, where she befriended Gil Dor, a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, piano, percussion, etc.) who would become her longtime musical collaborator. Influenced by singer/songwriters such as Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, and Leonard Cohen, Noa's successes lasted well into the 21st century. ~ Jason Birchmeier