With infectious charisma, a voice of endless colors, enchanting motion, loop wizardry, and acrobatic scatting, Netta quietly emerged as a global pop force in 2018. Her Eurovision Song Contest-winning breakout hit “Toy” resounded worldwide, climbing to number one on the Spotify viral chart in 44 countries, including the US, UK, Australia and her home country, Israel.

Since then, Netta has brought her vibrant spirit to international stages including the catwalk at Israeli Fashion Week and on a private stroll with Prince William during his visit to Israel. She’s also been covered by the likes of Billboard, BUST Magazine, Idolator, FUSE, Consequence of Sound, Elle, and the popular Switched On Pop Podcast.

But becoming a professional singer wasn’t something Netta ever dared to dream of: She just wanted to make a living.

Before winning Eurovision in 2018, Netta was a pop enthusiast, but not a pop singer. Netta adored Beyoncé and Rihanna, but was also drawn to soulful, bluesy powerhouses like Aretha Franklin and Lauryn Hill.

For a while, Netta was paid with beer while she sang at bars. But it was then she discovered what she really wanted for a band and for herself. She learned how to beatbox listening to her big brother’s drumming.

With the use of a looper, she allowed her voice to be an instrument — and a powerful one at that. Netta experimented with music from a very young age, but by 24 she found herself at a crossroads: her mom said she needed to study something serious.

She panicked, and she decided to audition for the Israeli version of American Idol, HaKokhav Haba. While she thought she’d be cut after the first two episodes for being too experimental and unique, Netta ended up winning the competition and going to Eurovision, where she subsequently took home the top honor. By winning both of these singing competitions, she realized she can stay as quirky as she is, and still maintain her mainstream appeal.

She’s taken that same ethos with her since winning Eurovision. Her colorful follow-up singles “Bassa Sababa” and “Nana Banana” were paired with eclectic music videos — one where she portrayed a magical pink rhino in a big pink tutu — which amassed millions of YouTube views, further solidifying the pop diva’s place in contemporary music. In recent years, her track “Ricki Lake” became a bombastic anthem and playful critique on western pop culture, while follow-up ballad “Cuckoo” showcased a touching sincerity for the songstress (both tracks were featured on her Goody Bag EP). Last year saw the release of a covers EP (The Best Of Netta’s Office - Vol. 1) which, inspired by her YouTube performance series of the same name, included mind-altering interpretations of songs like Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” “Barbie Girl” by Aqua, and the Mary Poppins staple “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.” She recently released her powerhouse track “CEO” about running your own life, making your own decisions, and taking charge as well as it’s counterpart “DUM,” a pulsing spiral into the giddy ways we lose ourselves when Cupid strikes.

With 650 million global streams to date and a plethora of ingenious pop concoctions in the works, Netta’s quirk-pop star is set to rise higher and shine brighter than ever throughout the remainder of 2021 and through 2022. More to come ...

Emily Curl is a host and on-camera personality. As the Digital & Social Host at iHeartRadio, she conducts intimate interviews with artists and covers exclusive live backstage and red carpet moments at major iHeart events. Alongside being a music and pop-culture expert, she also specializes in lifestyle, beauty and fashion. Originally from Georgia, now based in New York City, her personality makes viewers from all over the world feel welcome in hers.