Eden Ben Zaken


Eden Ben Zaken is an Israeli singer, who gained recognition following her participation in the first season of the TV show X Factor Israel, in which she placed second.
She has been awarded Israelโ€™s woman of the year 3 times in a row.
She has been successful since her first album, "ืžืœื›ืช ื”ืฉื•ืฉื ื™ื", was released. The album received a gold certification after selling more than 15,000 copies. Ben Zaken won the title "Singer of the year" in 2015, from several Israeli radio stations, the TV channel 24 and the popular Internet site Mako. She won the title again in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, Ben Zaken won another "Singer of the year" title, from the public radio station 'Kan Gimel', and "Woman of the year" title, from Galgalatz, the most-popular radio station in Israel.

Early life

Ben Zaken was born in Jerusalem, to Israeli-born parents of Ashkenazi Jewish and Sephardic Jewish descent. Her parents are Maya, a teacher, and Shai a Lieutenant colonel in the Israel Defense Forces. At age one, her family moved to the Northern city of Kiryat Shmona.
As a child, Ben Zaken was often absent from school, and in 2008, at age 14, she was sent to boarding school. In eleventh grade she returned home, and began learning in a private high school. In 2013, following her participation in X Factor Israel, she moved to Ramat Gan. In July 2014, Ben Zaken joined the army for two-years service.
At the age of 17, Ben Zaken participated in the auditions for the ninth season of "Kohav Nolad", but didn't pass. In 2013. when she was 18 years old, Ben Zaken was invited to the auditions of X Factor Israel. Ben Zaken passed the auditions, and her performance became popular. She was in the girls' team of Rami Fortis, advanced to the live finals and finished second after Rose Fostanes.

Career

After X Factor, she began working on her first album. In May 2014, she collaborated with the band ethnix in the song "ืžืงืกื™ืงืื ื”".

2015: Debut album: ืžืœื›ืช ื”ืฉื•ืฉื ื™ื (Queen Of The Roses)

Her first single, "ืžื ื’ื™ื ื”", was released in January 2015, one year after the end of the first season of X Factor Israel. The single succeed and received good reviews; it reached the sixth place in the weekly chart of Media Forest, and the 13 place in the annual chart, made by channel 24 and several radio stations.
Her second single, "ืžืœื›ืช ื”ืฉื•ืฉื ื™ื" released in May 2015, became an immediate hit. It reached the fourth place in the weekly chart of Media Forest, and the sixth place in the annual chart, made by channel 24 and several radio stations. The song had 29 million views on YouTube. In August, the third single, "ืฉื™ื›ื•ืจื™ื ืžืื”ื‘ื”" was released and also became a hit โ€“ placing third in the weekly chart of Media Forest.
The debut album of Ben Zaken, "ืžืœื›ืช ื”ืฉื•ืฉื ื™ื", was released in September 2015, and received mostly good reviews, that praised her voice, and even compare her to Sarit Hadad. A few songs from the album became hits, including "ืคื™ืกื” ืžื–ื›ืจื•ื ื™" which reached the second place in the weekly chart of Media Forest. On December 1, the album received a gold certification, after selling 15,000 copies and double-platina after reaching 50,000 digital downloads.

2016: Second album: ืชืืžื™ืŸ ืœื™ (Believe Me)

The first single from the album, "ืชืืžื™ืŸ ืœื™", was released on 12 March. The song reached the third place in the weekly chart of Media Forest.
In June 2016, Ben Zaken collaborated with Pe'er Tasi on the song "ื›ืœ ื”ืขื™ืจ ืฉืœื ื•", the second single on the album. The song received bad reviews and reached the eighth place in the weekly chart of Media Forest, but succeeded online and reached 15 million views on YouTube.
The third single "ืชื–ื™ื–ื•", released in August 2016. The song was a big success โ€“ it reached the third place in the weekly chart of Media Forest, became the new theme song of cable channel Arutz HaYeladim and reached the 33rd place in the yearly chart of Galgaltz.
Her second album. "ืชืืžื™ืŸ ืœื™", was released in September 2016. The album received mixed reviews, some of them praised Ben Zakan for the mature words and the unique music style she has developed in the album.
The songs "ื›ืฉืืชืคืจืง" and "ืื™ืŸ ืœื™ ืื•ืชืš" from the album became popular, and the songs "ื’'ื ื˜ืœืžืŸ" and "ื‘ื—ื•ืจ ืžื–ื”ื‘" became hits among oriental music lovers.
Another successful song from the album is "ืืฃ ืื—ื“", which reached the second place in the weekly chart of Media Forest, the first place in the Gagalatz's weekly playlist, the eighth place in the yearly chart of Galgaltz and the sixth place in the yearly chart of "Reshet Gimel". The fifth song from the album, "ื”ื™ื™ืชื™ ื—ื•ื–ืจืช", released in November 2016 and received good reviews on originality and for that it's her first pure soul song.
The album received a platinum certification in its premiere night, after selling 40,000 copies in less than two months.

2017: Third album: ืœื–ืืช ืฉื ื™ืฆื—ื” (To The One Who Won)

The first single from the album, "ืœื–ืืช ืฉื ื™ืฆื—ื”", released on 12 February and reached the fifth place in the weekly chart of Media Forest.
Ben Zaken performed in Caesarea theater, In front 3,500 people, three times โ€“ On 16 May, 1 July and 2 September. She was criticized on her lack of ability to "hold" a full show as the main singer. She also performed in the sultan's pool, another reputed performance site in Israel.
The second single from the album, "ืจืฆื™ืชื™", was released on 13 June. It was more successful then the first single, and became one of the 'songs of the year' โ€“ It reached the first place in the Galgalatz weekly chart, the second place in Media Forest weekly chart, the second place in the yearly chart of 'Kan Gimel' and the ninth place in the yearly chart of Galgalatz.
The third single, "ื›ื•ืœื ื‘ืื™ืœืช" was released on 2 August.
Ben Zaken was chosen to be a judge in the third season of X Factor Israel as a replacement for Shiri Maimon, who went on maternity leave.
Her third album, "ืœื–ืืช ืฉื ื™ืฆื—ื”", was released on 6 September. This year, 2017, Ben Zaken received the title "singer of the year" from 'Kan Gimel and the title "woman of the year" from Galgaltz. Five of Ben Zaken's songs entered the yearly chart of Galgalatz, two of them in the top ten โ€“ an all time record for a female singer.

Personal life

Ben Zaken got engaged in February 2017 to Shuki Biton. About this event Ben Zaken wrote the song "meoreset" meaning engaged. The two got married in May 2018.
Her unique music style is oriental music with a combination of soul music, k-pop, pop music and rhythm and blues. The artists who influence her are Eyal Golan, Sarit Hadad, Amir Benayoun, Christina Aguilera, Girls Generation, Blackpink, Samantha Jade, Jessica Mauboy, cupkakke and Beyonce.

Discography

2015: ืžืœื›ืช ื”ืฉื•ืฉื ื™ื
2016: ืชืืžื™ืŸ ืœื™
2017: ืœื–ืืช ืฉื ื™ืฆื—ื”
2019: ื—ื™ื™ื ืฉืœื™

Awards and Nominations