When Ifty Kerzner told his friends and family that he wanted to become a musician, no one believed he could make a career out of it. However, he didn’t give up on his passion, and years later, he is one of Israel’s top songwriters.
His song “A million Stars” instantly became a national treasure, sung at every national Memorial Day event. It was the opening track during Israel’s national Independence Day in 2012. Ifty’s other popular songs include “In Our Kindergarten,” which is taught in schools, “The Night Will Pass,” and “The Heart Break,” among other great tunes.
According to Ifty, he developed an interest in music at a young age. He says that he always felt attracted to various genres growing up and enjoyed listening to legendary artists, among them Eminem, Britney Spears, Westlife, and Doctor Dre. This inspired him to start his journey as a musician, but it wasn’t that easy.
Ifty notes that he wasn’t so good with words, and many people didn’t believe he could really sing. He even got kicked out of his literature class in high school, being told he had no idea how to write correctly. Even so, Ifty didn’t give up on his passion for music. With no formal music background or education, Ifty started teaching himself about tempo, rhythm, and phonics. From constructing elaborate metaphors that can be deep on the one hand yet easy to understand to creating impactful lyrics, Ifty left no stone unturned, which is now greatly helping his career.
He says that throughout 11th and 12th grade, he spent the entire day in school writing and rewriting hundreds of songs. When he completed high school, Ifty recorded his first-ever song, and three years later, he released his break-out song, “A Million Stars.”
It was right after the second Lebanon war, and Ifty had composed the song in memory of his friend Tom Farkash. While he’s the writer, Ifty didn’t sing the song. He instead gave it to Amit Farkash, Tom’s sister, who sang the song.
The story of a friend left by someone he considered a brother, “A Million Stars,” is an emotional song that clearly detailed the emotions of many people living in Israel during the war. This saw the song become an instant hit, receiving airplay from various radio stations. To date, it’s one of the most recognized songs related to the second Lebanon war in Israel.
Ifty’s versatility as both a musician and entertainer has enabled him to cement his spot, with his songs gaining recognition in Israel and beyond. He has become successful with sad and emotional songs, romantic songs, and upbeat music.
As he continues to inspire people with his music, Ifty Kerzner has also ventured down other paths. He’s a TV host, having worked for one of Israel’s top children’s shows. Additionally, Ifty is the president and co-founder of Kisstera, a high-tech-company building technology that helps US insurance carriers improve their marketing and distribution.
