Yuval Banai

{{BLP one source|date=July 2011}} {{more footnotes|date=July 2011}} {{Infobox person | name = Yuval Banai | native_name = יובל בנאי | native_name_lang = Hebrew | image = Mashina - October 2021 15.jpg | alt = | caption = Banai in 2021 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1962|6|9}} | birth_place = Tel Aviv, Israel | death_date = | death_place = | spouse = {{marriage|Orly Silbersatz|1987|2007|end=divorced}}<br>{{marriage|Amalia Rosenblum|2017}} | children = 4, including Elisha Banai | father = Yossi Banai | relatives = Banai family | resting_place = | years_active = 1984–present | signature = | occupation = {{hlist|Singer|composer}} | module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes | background = solo_singer | instrument = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}} | genre = {{hlist|Pop rock|new wave|ska|alternative rock|hard rock}} | label = {{hlist|Hed Arzi|Helicon|8th Note}} }} }}

'''Yuval Banai''' ({{langx|he|יובל בנאי}}; born 9 June 1962) is an Israeli musician, best known as the lead singer of the influential Israeli pop rock band Mashina.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brinn |first=David |date=2023-01-31 |title=Israeli Rock Band Mashina Plots Beacon Theatre Celebration, Documentary: ‘We’re 60 but at Our Peak,’ Says Frontman Yuval Banay (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2023/music/global/mashina-yuval-banay-interview-new-york-beacon-concert-documentary-1235505965/ |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Career== Banai served in the Artillery Corps of the Israel Defense Forces during the 1982 Lebanon War. While in the military, he met guitarist Shlomi Braha, with whom he formed a band. The two went in different directions after their military service ended, with Banai forming the band ''Shlom Ha-Tzibur'' ("Public Safety"). In 1984, he and Braha decided to form a new band, which they called Mashina. They released their debut album in 1985. Over the next decade, Mashina released several successful albums.

In May 1995 the group disbanded after a series of four farewell shows. Banai went on to release several solo albums: "''Yuval Banai''" (1997), "''Rashi Dub''" (1999) (produced by bass player Yossi Fine), and "''Nish'ar BaMakom''" ("Staying Put") (2001). Mashina reformed in 2003, and in 2005 they released an album entitled "Futuristic Romance" ("romantica atidanit"). In 2008, Banai released another solo album, "''Me'ever Le'harim''" ("Over the Mountains"), produced by alt-folk singer Allan Moon.

Banai has also worked as an actor, appearing in Yaky Yosha's Summertime Blues and in the movie ''Nadia'' in the 1980s, as well as in the TV series ''Chunt Lee'' (2002). Recently Banai has returned to TV, this time as a Mentor on the Israeli edition of The Voice.

His most recent musical project is titled "Mobius Trip", an electronic music project which consists of new songs as well as electronic remixes of existing work.

Aside from his musical career, Yuval Banai served as coach and mentor (alongside his teammate, Shlomi Braha) on television show, The Voice Israel in the second season.

==Personal life== Yuval was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Ilana and Yossi Banai. He was one of the more prominent members of the Banai family, which includes many noted entertainers <ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-29 |title=The Banai family: from vegetable market sellers to Israel Prize winners {{!}} The Jerusalem Post |url=https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report/the-banai-family-from-vegetable-market-sellers-to-israel-prize-winners-635956 |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en}}</ref>, among them Yuval Banai's uncles Gavri Banai, Ya'akov Banai and Chaim Banai (actors) and Yitzhak Banai (judge); his cousins Ehud Banai, Uri Banai, Meir Banai, and Eviatar Banai, all of whom have found success as musicians, and Orna Banai, an actress and comedian.<ref>[http://www.jewishjournal.com/arts/article/a_deux_ex_mashina_you_wouldnt_believe_20060505/ A Deux Ex ‘Mashina’ You Wouldn’t Believe]</ref>

He married actress Orly Silbersatz in 1987, and they had three children together, including Elisha Banai, before divorcing in 2007. After their divorce, Banai met screenwriter and novelist Amalia Rosenblum, his partner since then. The couple have a child together, Aaron Banai, born February 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-11-13 |title=יובל בנאי שר לאביו יוסי: "אני מתגעגע" |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4591417,00.html |access-date=2026-05-11 |website=ynet |language=he}}</ref>

==Discography== {| class="wikitable" !align="left" valign="top" width="40"|Year !align="left" valign="top" width="350"|Album !align="left" valign="top" width="140"|Label |- |align="left" valign="top"|1997 |align="left" valign="top"|Yuval Banai (יובל בנאי) |align="left" valign="top"|Hed Arzi |- |align="left" valign="top"|1999 |align="left" valign="top"|Rashi Dub (רש"י דאב) |align="left" valign="top"|Hed Arzi |- |align="left" valign="top"|2001 |align="left" valign="top"|Nish'ar Ba'makom ("Staying Put", נשאר במקום) |align="left" valign="top"|Helicon |- |align="left" valign="top"|2008 |align="left" valign="top"|Me'ever Le'harim ("Beyond the Mountains", מעבר להרים) |align="left" valign="top"|8th Note |- |align="left" valign="top"|2015 |align="left" valign="top"|Od Shir Echad (עוד שיר אחד) |align="left" valign="top"|NMC United Entertainment Ltd |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.mashina.co.il Official ''Mashina'' site] * {{IMDb name|id=0051535|name=Yuval Banay}} * {{Mooma artist|id=1516}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080520091754/http://www.eonline.co.il/facts.asp?id=634 Yuval Banai] at E-Online {{in lang|he}} * [https://letsquiz.com/quiz/yuval-banay-quiz-how-much-do-you-know-about-this-fascinating-topic Yuval Banay Quiz] at [https://letsquiz.com LetsQuiz]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Banay, Yuval}} Category:1962 births Category:Alternative rock musicians Yuval Category:Israeli entertainers Category:Israeli people of Iranian-Jewish descent Category:Israeli pop musicians Category:Israeli pop singers Category:Israeli rock musicians Category:Israeli rock singers Category:Jewish Israeli singers Category:Living people Category:Singers from Tel Aviv Category:Hard rock singers Category:Israeli new wave musicians Category:Pop rock musicians Category:Israeli ska musicians