"They said it was a gimmick": 13 years later - The Revivo Project settles the score
"You're standing at a traffic light and something you created is playing": The members of The Revivo Project are launching a new children's song album, preparing for Selichot performances, and looking back at the big moments in their career.
The weekend corner "7 Boom" of "Maariv Culture" continues to bring Israel's leading artists and creators for a candid conversation about their professional path, behind-the-scenes stories, and new projects. This morning, the guests are the members of "The Revivo Project," who are marking 13 years of activity as a group that has become an extraordinary cultural phenomenon.
Alongside a special tour of Selichot performances across the country together with the Israel Andalusian Orchestra Ashdod, the group is surprising with a new move: launching a children's song album for the first time in their career. The project includes 11 beloved Israeli classics in fresh arrangements, a special collaboration with Tzipi Shavit, and AI-generated animated clips, aiming to connect the younger generation to the songs their parents grew up on.
How do you start your day?
Nir Ben Menachem: "Black coffee. Definitely. I don't need big rituals, but without my black coffee, the day starts crooked. It's my moment to reset. Those who know me know it's better not to talk to me before the first coffee."
Raviv Ben Menachem: "Latte (Afuch). I need this moment in the morning before all the phone calls, studios, and work begin. A few minutes to clear my head — and then I can start."
Eliran Tzur: "Morning blessings (Birkat HaShachar). Before the phone and the noise, it's important for me to start with gratitude. It puts me in perspective and reminds me to start from a place of faith."
Works that changed your life
Nir Ben Menachem: "As a boy, I went to a concert by Haim Moshe. Watching him on stage, I felt something happening to me. That was when I decided I wanted to be a singer. That concert changed my path."
Raviv Ben Menachem: "'Rikud Romanti' (Romantic Dance) by Ishay Levi. Working with him, I realized I wanted to focus on production. Looking back, I see a real turning point there."
Eliran Tzur: "Funny enough, the work that changed my life wasn't supposed to be what it became. I arrived at Raviv's studio to record a song for my personal album, and instead, we recorded the first medley of The Revivo Project. Sometimes you arrive with one plan and leave with a completely different career."
The moment of success
Nir Ben Menachem: "My most significant moment wasn't on stage but in my personal life — when my eldest daughter was born. I grew up without a father, so becoming one myself was a revolution. It was bigger than any professional achievement."
Raviv Ben Menachem: "After our first three medleys went up on YouTube. I started hearing them bursting out of cars on the road. You're at a traffic light, next to you is a car with open windows, and something you created is playing. That's when it hit me that it had left the studio and become the audience's."
Eliran Tzur: "I remember it clearly. I worked in a factory in Caesarea when Raviv and Nir called. They told me about the crazy reactions. I was in my regular routine, and suddenly I understood that my life was about to change."
On critics and the future
Regarding the most annoying things said about them, all three agree: "At the beginning, many said the project was a gimmick that would disappear in a year or two. Today, marking 13 years, I can mostly smile. Time gave the best answer to all the critics — they were wrong, and in a big way."
Looking ahead, the members dream of collaborations: Nir with Yehoram Gaon, Raviv with Boaz Sharabi, and Eliran with Shlomo Artzi. The transition from massive concerts to children's content illustrates the group's range and their status as an inseparable part of the Israeli soundtrack for the whole family.
