Noga Erez to play Coachella, despite haters, war and canceled flights
The Israeli singer and her partner, musician Ori Rousso, share glimpses of life on the road as they wait for the rest of their band to join them
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
It’s been clear to fans following Israeli indie musician Noga Erez that she and her life partner, bassist Ori Rousso, wouldn’t let Iranian missiles stop them from performing at music festival Coachella, which opens April 10 in Indio, California.
In an Instagram post titled “Episode 1,” or “Playing Coachella as an international artist (from a country at war),” Erez recently shared parts of the odyssey that she, Rousso, and their toddler took to reach the United States.
It clearly wasn’t easy, given the emergency flight schedule operating from Tel Aviv and the ongoing soft cultural boycott experienced by Israeli artists globally over the war in Gaza.
Erez and Rousso continued performing throughout the US and Europe with their band after the bloody Hamas-led onslaught of October 7, 2023, bringing their brand of electro-pop to an ever-growing audience.
If Erez and Rousso have endured anti-Israel hate on tour, they haven’t shared much, beyond a few social media posts.
In one such Instagram story, Erez keeps it light, as she responds to an antisemitic commenter who posted, “Hi jew you suck!” (sic) shortly after Erez and Rousso arrived in the US last week.
“I will make sure your show at Coachella will be cancel, it’s already in discussion! Go back to Israel, you are not welcome here ! P.s. Your Music is horrible,” continued the message.
In a response video, Erez dryly corrected their grammar. “It’s canceled, ‘ed’ at the end,” she deadpanned at the camera.
Despite the ongoing obstacles of being performing artists from a country at war, the two have used their unique sound as a background for their thoughts and views on Israeli and international politics, society, and feminism.
Erez sings clever, memorable lyrics entirely in English. And while her slight accent is discernible, it isn’t immediately clear where she’s from.
There’s nothing particularly Israeli about her music, sound, or look — she often appears onstage with her long, straight brown hair in a funky topknot, dressed in sharp, sometimes oversized suits.
In fact, Erez, lean, leggy, and with a penchant for crisp button-downs and baggy tailored shorts, was on the cover of the March 2026 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Czech Republic.
Meanwhile, as Erez and Rousso still await the arrival of their Israeli crew in the US, they’ve continued to rehearse songs for their new album, parts of which will be revealed and performed at Coachella and other local performances.
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