# Totemo

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Totemo
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Totemo.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totemo
> Source revision: 1357166750
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Israeli singer-songwriter and producer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Totemo
| image             = Rotem Or.jpg
| alt               = 
| caption           = 
| native_name       = טוטמו
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|df=y|1985|10|13}}
| native_name_lang  = he
| birth_name        = Rotem Or
| birth_place       = [Tel Nof](/source/Tel_Nof)
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| death_place       = 
| occupation        = Singer-songwriter, producer
| years_active      = 2008–present
| instrument        = Vocals, electric guitar, keyboard.
| genre             = [Indie pop](/source/Indie_pop), [electronic](/source/Electronic_music), [dream pop](/source/dream_pop)
| label             = *[Anova Records](/source/Anova_Music)
*BLDG5
*I Am You Records (IMU)
| associated_acts   = [Garden City Movement](/source/Garden_City_Movement_(band)), [Of Monsters and Men](/source/Of_Monsters_and_Men), [Sivan Talmor](/source/Sivan_Talmor), ORI
| website           = {{URL|imu-music.com/totemo/}}
}}

'''Rotem Or''' ({{Langx|he|רותם אור}}; born October 13, 1985) is an Israeli singer-songwriter and electro-pop musician, created in recent years under the stage name Totemo.<ref>{{cite web|title=Totemo Reveals Musical Memories, Dream Collaborations + More|url=http://diffuser.fm/totemo-interview-2014/|website=Diffuser|date=26 November 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TOTEMO|url=https://www.imu-music.com/totemo|website=IMU Music}}</ref> 

== Early life and career ==
thumb|upright=0.7|alt= |Totemo live in 2016

Or was born in a family home at [Tel Nof Airbase](/source/Tel_Nof_Airbase). As a child she wandered between the air force bases, Tel Nof and Nebatim, because her father served as a fighter pilot in the army.<ref>{{cite web|title=Totemo previews debut EP with 'Heavy As My Dreams'|url=http://diymag.com/2014/10/16/totemo-previews-debut-ep-with-heavy-as-my-dreams|website=Diymag|date=16 October 2014 |accessdate=16 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-26 |title=האור שבקצה |url=https://www.mnews.co.il/%d7%aa%d7%a8%d7%91%d7%95%d7%aa%d7%95%d7%91%d7%99%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%99/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%96%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%94/%d7%94%d7%90%d7%95%d7%a8-%d7%a9%d7%91%d7%a7%d7%a6%d7%94/ |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=מודיעין ניוז |language=he-IL}}</ref>

From a young age, she posted songs and doodles for the website "Bama Hadada", which eventually led to her recording an album.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-05-05 |title=New Stage &#124; במה חדשה &#124; Rotem Ore &#124; רותם אור |url=http://stage.co.il/Authors/RotemOre |access-date=2024-09-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505123752/http://stage.co.il/Authors/RotemOre |archive-date=5 May 2015 }}</ref> In 2003, during his military service, he released his first EP, "Lightly Easy", on the Jerusalem independent record company Fact Records. Musical influences can be heard on the album from both veteran producers such as [Kate Bush](/source/Kate_Bush), [Simon Wegerfunkel](/source/Simon_Wegerfunkel) and [Leonard Cohen](/source/Leonard_Cohen) and newer names in the music world such as [Fiona Apple](/source/Fiona_Apple), [Tanya Donnelly](/source/Tanya_Donelly) and [Cat Power](/source/Cat_Power).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-08-20 |title=Fact Records |url=http://www.factrecords.co.il:80/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=3&subcat=91&cat=Rotem%20Or |access-date=2024-09-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040820090559/http://www.factrecords.co.il:80/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=3&subcat=91&cat=Rotem%20Or |archive-date=20 August 2004 }}</ref> In 2004, Or recorded a Hebrew version of the song "One of Us Can't Be Wrong" as part of the music magazine "The Blind Server's" Foreign Song project.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004-10-20 |title=Blind Janitor - Magazine - |url=http://hasharat.co.il:80/html/mag7sec277.php |access-date=2024-09-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041020234246/http://hasharat.co.il:80/html/mag7sec277.php |archive-date=20 October 2004 }}</ref>

In 2012, 9 years after the EP's release, Or released his debut album, "Hard Magic". On this album, Or did almost everything alone: writing, composing, recording, producing and playing most of the instruments. He recorded and edited the entire album in his own home. Musical influences on this album were more recent producers such as [James Blake](/source/James_Blake_(musician)), [Feist](/source/Feist_(singer)) and [Laura Marling](/source/Laura_Marling).<ref>{{Cite web |title=דף האלבום "Hard Magic" |url=https://www.musicaneto.com/product/hard-magic/}}</ref> The album received praise and media exposure in the Israeli press and media websites and on various banda blogs abroad.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-10-26 |title=בכורה: אלבום רימיקסים לרותם אור. האזינו - וואלה תרבות |url=https://e.walla.co.il/item/2579414 |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=וואלה |language=he}}</ref>

Totemo has toured the world performing at festivals such as the [Milege World Music Festival](/source/Milege_World_Music_Festival) in [Entebbe](/source/Entebbe) Uganda in November 2017,<ref>{{cite web|title=Uganda: Milege Falls Short This Time|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201711300117.html|website=All Africa|accessdate=29 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kaggwa|first1=Andrew|title=Milege World Music festival is on this weekend|url=http://observer.ug/lifestyle/56145-milege-world-music-festival-is-on-this-weekend.html|website=The Observer|date=24 November 2017 |accessdate=24 November 2017}}</ref> the annual InDnegev festival<ref>{{cite news|title=WATCH: Tel Aviv Songstress Elevates Electronic Indie-pop in English|url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/2014-12-11/ty-article/.premium/israeli-songstress-elevates-electronic-indie-pop/0000017f-db67-d856-a37f-ffe752920000|website=Haaretz|publisher=Ben Shalev|access-date=11 December 2014}}</ref> in Israel and [Zandari Festa](/source/Zandari_Festa) in Seoul in South Korea. Totemo has worked with other Israel artists including Amit Erez, Alon Lotringer, Roey Avital, [Mo Kolours](/source/Mo_Kolours) and shared stage with a multitude of other Israeli artists.

In March 2019, his first full album called Totemo, "Everything Happens Only Once" was released, a direct continuation of his collaboration with producer Roy Avital.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Everything Happens Only Once, by totemo |url=https://totemo.bandcamp.com/album/everything-happens-only-once |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=totemo |language=en}}</ref>

The album contains 10 songs that Or wrote and produced in collaboration with Avital. The album also features Ran Yaakovovich on percussion and drums and Eden Barkat on saxophone and clarinet. The editing and order of the songs on the album was carried out by his ex-partner, Kwamy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=רותם אור החלימה מסרטן וחוזרת עם אלבום שנולד על ספת הפסיכולוגית |url=https://timeout.co.il//%D7%AA%D7%A8%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%96%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%94/%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%9D-%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%96%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%95%D7%9D-%D7%97%D7%93%D7%A9}}</ref>

==Personal life ==
Both Rotem's parents used to work in the Israel Air Force. Rotem grew up on a military base for most of her childhood until she was 12 when her family moved to Modiin.<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview: Taking the desired path|url=https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Interview-Taking-the-desired-path-456649|website=The Jerusalem Post|date=13 June 2016 |accessdate=13 June 2016}}</ref>

Rotem Or did her mandatory military service after high school and went on to join the [Hebrew University of Jerusalem](/source/Hebrew_University_of_Jerusalem) where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Psychology majoring in Brain Science.

In 2014 she contracted [breast cancer](/source/breast_cancer), from which she recovered.<ref>{{cite web|title=Totemo Documents Her Chemotherapy in This Intimate Video for "Hits"|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/totemo-documents-her-chemotherapy-in-her-intimate-video-for-hits/|website=Noisey|date=15 June 2016 |access-date=15 June 2016}}</ref>

==Discography==
===Albums===
{{Discography list
 | Type           = EP<!-- "Studio/EP/Live/Compilation/...", see codes below -->
 | Name           = [https://genius.com/albums/Rotem-or/Lightly-easily-ep Lightly Easily]<!-- "Name" or "Name" (album or EP/single) -->
 | Other info     = as Rotem Or<!-- added between parentheses after Name (album or EP) -->
 | from Album     = <!-- ONLY FOR EP/SINGLE: added after Name -->
 | Released       = <!-- "1992" or "11 February 1992 -->
 | Format         = CD<!-- "LP/CD/..." -->
 | Label          = [https://www.discogs.com/label/16513-FACT-Records FACT Records]<ref>{{cite web|title=FACT Records|url=https://www.discogs.com/label/16513-FACT-Records|publisher=discogs|accessdate=22 January 2018}}</ref> <!-- "Name" or "[Name](/source/Name_Records)", comma if many -->
 | Writer         = Totemo<!-- "Songwriter name" or "[Songwriter name](/source/Songwriter_name)" -->
 | Writers        = <!-- Use if there are multiple writers, comma if many -->
 | Producer       = Totemo<!-- "Producer name" or "[Producer name](/source/Producer_name)", comma if many -->
 | Director       = <!-- "Director name" or "[Director name](/source/Director_name)" for music videos -->
 | Chart position = NA <!-- "No. 1 U.S." or "No. 12 UK" or such -->
 | Sales          = <!-- "3&nbsp;million sold as of 2005" or such -->
 | Certification  = <!-- "Gold" or such -->
 | Tracks         = Sniff, Charges, Suzanne, La Dance, Untitled, On the move, Scream<!-- " "One", "Two", "Three" ", etc. -->
 | Bonus tracks   = <!-- "Four" (Japan edition) -->
 | Singles        = <!-- " "Single", "Other Single" ", etc. -->
}}

{{Discography list
 | Type           = Studio<!-- "Studio/EP/Live/Compilation/...", see codes below -->
 | Name           = [https://totemo.bandcamp.com/album/hard-magic Hard Magic]<ref>{{cite web|title=Hard Magic Album|url=https://totemo.bandcamp.com/album/hard-magic|website=Bandcamo|accessdate=4 January 2018}}</ref><!-- "Name" or "Name" (album or EP/single) -->
 | Other info     = <!-- added between parentheses after Name (album or EP) -->
 | from Album     = <!-- ONLY FOR EP/SINGLE: added after Name -->
 | Released       = 2012<!-- "1992" or "11 February 1992 -->
 | Format         = LP<!-- "LP/CD/..." -->
 | Label          = <!-- "Name" or "[Name](/source/Name_Records)", comma if many -->
 | Writer         = Totemo (As Rotem Or)<!-- "Songwriter name" or "[Songwriter name](/source/Songwriter_name)" -->
 | Writers        = Totemo (As Rotem Or)<!-- Use if there are multiple writers, comma if many -->
 | Producer       = Totemo (As Rotem Or)<!-- "Producer name" or "[Producer name](/source/Producer_name)", comma if many -->
 | Director       = <!-- "Director name" or "[Director name](/source/Director_name)" for music videos -->
 | Chart position = <!-- "No. 1 U.S." or "No. 12 UK" or such -->
 | Sales          = <!-- "3&nbsp;million sold as of 2005" or such -->
 | Certification  = <!-- "Gold" or such -->
 | Tracks         = This Is What You All Came For, Secret Particles, A Little Bird in Your Ear, Dear Sir, Untitled, Human Being, Covers, How I Lost Your Respect, Scholarships, A Flower For You, We Choose Future B <!-- " "One", "Two", "Three" ", etc. -->
 | Bonus tracks   = <!-- "Four" (Japan edition) -->
 | Singles        = Covers<!-- " "Single", "Other Single" ", etc. -->
}}
{{Discography list
 | Type           = Studio<!-- "Studio/EP/Live/Compilation/...", see codes below -->
 | Name           = [https://bldg5.bandcamp.com/album/heavy-as-my-dreams-ep Heavy as My Dreams (EP)]<ref>{{cite web|title=Heavy As My Dreams (EP) By Totemo|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5CJDewHfp7iBudzDwhshVy|website=Spotify|accessdate=22 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Kristobak|first1=Ryan|title=Totemo Just Broke All of Pop's Rules|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/04/totemo-heavy-as-my-dreams_n_6100182.html|website=HuffPost|date=4 November 2014 |accessdate=4 November 2014}}</ref> <!-- "Name" or "Name" (album or EP/single) -->
 | Other info     = <!-- added between parentheses after Name (album or EP) -->
 | from Album     = <!-- ONLY FOR EP/SINGLE: added after Name -->
 | Released       = 2014<!-- "1992" or "11 February 1992 -->
 | Format         = LP<!-- "LP/CD/..." -->
 | Label          = [http://bldg5records.com/ BLDG5]<!-- "Name" or "[Name](/source/Name_Records)", comma if many -->
 | Writer         = Totemo (As Rotem Or)<!-- "Songwriter name" or "[Songwriter name](/source/Songwriter_name)" -->
 | Writers        = Totemo (As Rotem Or) <!-- Use if there are multiple writers, comma if many -->
 | Producer       = Totemo (As Rotem Or), Roey Avital<!-- "Producer name" or "[Producer name](/source/Producer_name)", comma if many -->
 | Director       = <!-- "Director name" or "[Director name](/source/Director_name)" for music videos -->
 | Chart position = <!-- "No. 1 U.S." or "No. 12 UK" or such -->
 | Sales          = <!-- "3&nbsp;million sold as of 2005" or such -->
 | Certification  = <!-- "Gold" or such -->
 | Tracks         = Heavy as my dreams, Opposite of Charm, Host, Whois, Time to shine<!-- " "One", "Two", "Three" ", etc. -->
 | Bonus tracks   = <!-- "Four" (Japan edition) -->
 | Singles        = Host <!-- " "Single", "Other Single" ", etc. -->
}}
{{Discography list
 | Type           = EP<!-- "Studio/EP/Live/Compilation/...", see codes below -->
 | Name           = [https://totemo.bandcamp.com/ Desire Path]<ref>{{cite web|title=Desire Path|url=https://totemo.bandcamp.com/|website=Bandcamp|accessdate=4 January 2018}}</ref> <!-- "Name" or "Name" (album or EP/single) -->
 | Other info     = <!-- added between parentheses after Name (album or EP) -->
 | from Album     = <!-- ONLY FOR EP/SINGLE: added after Name -->
 | Released       = 2016<!-- "1992" or "11 February 1992 -->
 | Format         = EP<!-- "LP/CD/..." -->
 | Label          = <!-- "Name" or "[Name](/source/Name_Records)", comma if many -->
 | Writer         = Totemo<!-- "Songwriter name" or "[Songwriter name](/source/Songwriter_name)" -->
 | Writers        = Totemo<!-- Use if there are multiple writers, comma if many -->
 | Producer       = Totemo, Roey Avital <!-- "Producer name" or "[Producer name](/source/Producer_name)", comma if many -->
 | Director       = <!-- "Director name" or "[Director name](/source/Director_name)" for music videos -->
 | Chart position = <!-- "No. 1 U.S." or "No. 12 UK" or such -->
 | Sales          = <!-- "3&nbsp;million sold as of 2005" or such -->
 | Certification  = <!-- "Gold" or such -->
 | Tracks         = Dreamit, Seesaw, Kick, Hits, Prime<!-- " "One", "Two", "Three" ", etc. -->
 | Bonus tracks   = <!-- "Four" (Japan edition) -->
 | Singles        = Hits<!-- " "Single", "Other Single" ", etc. -->
}}

== References ==
<!-- Inline citations added to your article will automatically display here. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:REFB for instructions on how to add citations. -->
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/3295729-Rotem-Or Totemo Discography (Discogs)]
{{commons}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Totemo}}
Category:Living people
Category:Musicians from Tel Aviv
Category:Dream pop musicians
Category:Israeli electronic musicians
Category:21st-century Israeli women singers
Category:Israeli women singer-songwriters
Category:Israeli singer-songwriters
Category:Israeli pop singers
Category:1985 births
Category:Israeli record producers
Category:21st-century Israeli guitarists
Category:21st-century women guitarists

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Totemo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totemo) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totemo?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.