Static & Ben El

Static (Liraz Russo): Adopted as an infant by a Jewish family in Haifa. He started with piano as a preschooler, later switched to guitar, and had an early solo hit in 2015 with “Ba La Lirkod” (with Gal Malka). He brought a hip-hop/rap sensibility and creative drive to the duo.

Ben El Tavori: Son of popular Mizrahi singer Shimi Tavori (and model Aviva Azulai), of Yemenite-Moroccan Jewish descent. He first performed publicly with his father as a teen and brought a strong, melodic Middle Eastern-influenced voice and star pedigree.

They first collaborated in 2015 on Ron Nesher’s track “#DubiGal,” then launched as a duo with the single “Barbie” later that year. Their upbeat, high-energy sound blended Israeli/Mizrahi pop, hip-hop, Latin/reggaeton, and global influences (Brazilian, Indian, Japanese, Arabic elements, etc.). Catchy, celebratory lyrics and flashy music videos (often racking up tens of millions of YouTube views) made them one of Israel’s biggest acts of the late 2010s.

Major early hits included “Kvish Hachof,” “Silsulim” (Song of the Year in Israel), “Zahav,” and especially “Tudo Bom” (2017, with Portuguese elements and a later remix featuring J Balvin). They scored numerous Israeli chart-toppers and became judges on the Eurovision selection show HaKokhav HaBa.

In 2018 they signed a major multi-million-dollar deal with Capitol Records (facilitated by Haim Saban). They released English tracks and collaborations with artists like Pitbull (“Further Up”), Black Eyed Peas (“Shake Ya Boom Boom”), Nasrin Kadri, and others, while continuing Hebrew hits. Their debut full-length album, Sheva Yerachim (Seven Moons), arrived in 2021.

The duo announced their breakup on August 25, 2022, after about seven years. It came amid personal controversies, particularly involving Ben El (leaked recordings related to disputes with his ex-partner and their son). Both have pursued solo paths since.

They were known as an “odd couple” pairing—Static the more worldly, witty creative force and Ben El the charismatic, vocal star with celebrity roots—whose fun, polished, globally flavored pop dominated Israeli airwaves and streaming for years.