Rita to bring ‘a hug of love’ to London in intimate evening of music and storytelling
Israeli singer, who left Iran with her family when she was 8 years old, says London show will offer warmth, hope and connection as audiences seek closeness and comfort
Israeli singer Rita will return to London this month for an intimate one-night event blending music, memory and live conversation, offering audiences what she describes as “a hug of love” during a period of global uncertainty and heightened anxiety for Jewish communities.
Originally scheduled for 23 March, the concert had to be postposed when the Iran war broke out. Her voice. Her stories. Her songs, takes place in north London on 29 June “I can’t wait to perform finally in London,” says Rita. “After some of the most difficult days in the history of Israel and the Jewish people, it’s more important than ever to find joy and I’m looking forward to bringing the Israeli and Jewish communities together through music.
The event departs from the scale and structure of a traditional concert. Instead, Rita will share personal reflections alongside live music in conversation with journalist Elad Simchayoff, creating what she hopes will be a warm and inclusive evening.
“I will tell my story,” Rita said. “The story of my life, my music, my connection to Israel and to the people of Iran. I was born in Iran. I was eight years old when I left Iran for Israel with my family. ”
She said the decision to present the evening in a conversational format reflects a wider desire for intimacy between performers and audiences. “Nowadays, I believe that people sometimes want a more intimate connection with the artist,” she said. “I believe it will be something very warm and hugging.”
Rita added that the live conversation element, rather than a monologue, was central to the event’s appeal. “It’s more interesting that someone asks you questions than to come and give a lecture,” she said. “It can be fun for me too, to be exposed to new questions.”
Music will remain at the heart of the evening, woven through stories rather than presented as a standalone performance. “This is the deepest thing of my life – music and the connection with people,” Rita said. “It heals us, it unites us. It wraps our fears, pain, joy, and even uplifts us to another level of ourselves.”
Several songs are expected to feature during the evening, including Mehake, which Rita described as having taken on new significance in recent months. “It became within years like a prayer,” she said, explaining that she had been told hostages sang it to themselves while held captive, and that families and wounded soldiers have returned to it repeatedly since 7 October.
London, Rita added, holds particular meaning for her, having performed in the city several times previously. “Every time I felt and met very warm and great people there,” she said. “I think we both need that. I need to be there with the British Jewish community, and I believe Israelis need to feel close to something Israeli that they miss in daily life.”
While the evening is likely to resonate strongly with Jewish and Israeli audiences, Rita said she hopes it will also attract non-Jewish attendees. “I love people – whoever they are and wherever they are,” she said, adding that she believes she has a “role to connect people.”
She also spoke about the suffering of ordinary people in Iran, expressing anger at what she sees as global indifference to violence and repression affecting civilians. “They killed nearly 50,000 people. Innocent people. Where are the people who claim to defend human rights?” she said.
The current climate, she acknowledged, gives the London appearance added weight. “Maybe it will be more (emotionally loaded),” she said. “But I think we have to hold our hands, hand in hand, and our hearts, and be connected everywhere in the world.”
Asked to describe the evening in a single phrase, Rita did not hesitate: “A hug of love.”
The London event will also coincide with her birthday. “The day after will be my birthday,” she said. “So maybe we will celebrate my birthday too.”
Her voice. Her stories. Her songs takes place on 29 June at a north London venue. For ticket details please email tali@tzemach.com
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