Shy Nobleman

Shy Nobleman (Hebrew: שי נובלמן‎; born July 2, 1974) is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, guitarist and actor.

He is one of Israel's leading indie musicians, whose English language psychedelic and power pop albums have been hits in Israel and enjoys increasing popularity in a number of European countries.

Music

Nobleman started his professional music career in 1995 as a bass player for the successful Israeli rock band Mofa Ha'arnavot Shel Dr. Kasper (Dr. Kasper's Rabbits Show).

After the band's breakup in 1996, he moved to London and with bassist, Robert Whitmore, formed his own band, "Oracle." As an active member of the mod and garage rock scene in the U.K. his songwriting became influenced by Sixties psychedelic rock.

Nobleman took guitar lessons from Thee Headcoats' Bruce Brand and then began crafting tunes at a piano in his house in the western suburbs of London.

In 1999, he entered Toe Rag Studios and with producer Liam Watson recorded his first double A side single, 'Sad Song Happy Song / Lonely Boy.' After the English music magazine, Melody Maker, chose the song as "Single of the Week," Shy was encouraged to go back to the studio and record a full album of original material.

He returned to Tel Aviv and with Israeli rock band, Rockfour, backing him up, he recorded his debut album "How to Be Shy."

Despite the novelty of English language albums in Israel at the time, the album was selected by several Israeli music critics as "Album of the Year" and in the USA, Rolling Stone critic, Richie Unterberger, chose it as one of his favourite 10 albums of 2001. The Alternative Press music magazine named him one of "25 international artists who can take over America". The music's moody lyrics contrasted with happy uplifting melodies.

Nobleman's wild and spontaneous live shows, which often featured surprise guest appearances from old time rockers and a number of drag queens, attracted a cult following, and in 2002 Nobleman launched an extensive solo U.S. tour and supported the indie pop band Of Montreal, playing in such venues as New York's famed CBGBs.. In 2001 he played piano on Charlie Megira's debut LP "The Abtomatic Miesterzinger Mambo Chic", and started to host a local Israeli TV show.In 2005, he recorded his second album "Beautiful Life", which became a top-10 album in Israel. The musicians on the album included some of Israel's leading indie rock names: Yotam Ben-Horin, Geva Alon and members of Rockfour and The Monotonix. "Beautiful Life" was more power pop and had a harder sound than Nobleman's debut album. It included the top-10 radio singles "Girlfriend" and "Baby In The Rain," and made history as they were the first English songs recorded by an Israeli to play on Israel's state radio station, which until then had refused to play non-Hebrew material recorded by local artists.

In 2006, Nobleman played support shows for English band Echo & The Bunnymen, and was invited to Germany by the band "Tomte", to open their Buchstaben über der Stadt tour.

In 2009, Nobleman caused something of a national scandal when he recorded his second Hebrew single "We Will Never Reach the World Cup," a song that lamented the consistent failure of Israel national football team. The song became a radio hit but vanished from the airwaves after the Israeli Football Association complained and had it banned.

Shy Nobleman's third album, "Yomi Hu Chalom" (My Day is a Dream), his first one in his native Hebrew language, was released in June 2013 and achieved critical acclaim in Israel. That psychedelic pop sound album also includes two cover songs to other artists translated from English to Hebrew: one for the 1968 hit by Les Irresistibles "My Year is a Day", and "Demons", originally by Super Furry Animals.

During 2016 Nobleman recorded a new album which was not released yet.

Shy Nobleman is also the host of a weekly satirical sports television and internet shows which he has been on the air since 2006. Since the year 2016 he has been working as a TV sports commentator on SPORT5 TV channel in Israel.

For the past 20 years, Nobleman has also been the Israeli voice of Disney's Donald Duck.

For several years Nobleman was working as a music critic and had a weekly column in various Israeli papers.

Nobleman is a far family relative of French musician and singer, Sacha Distel.

Nobleman is married to Israeli singer and songwriter, Billy Levy, from the band Billy and the Firm.

Solo albums

• 2001 – How to Be Shy
• 2005 – Beautiful Life
• 2013 – "My Day is a Dream" (Hebrew album)