לא מתקשרת לא חוזרת ולא עונה

I was first introduced to Israeli singer Roni Duani (or, as she goes by, Roni) by Pop Eats Pop, which, as Robpop recently mentioned, is very much missed. Anyhow, as you might guess from the fact that she featured on that blog, she's released a lot of covers of songs from other countries in her lifetime (she's a Pop Art artist, as is Daniel Zilberstein); in fact, she's often referred to as Roni Superstar since she became famous for her cover of Christine Milton's "Superstar." She's often referred to as the Israeli version of Britney Spears (speaking of Britney, I heard "Toxic" is a cover--is that true?) and, though I know what that comparison is getting at, I wouldn't quite run with it--Roni is...poppier. I know, I know, how can you be poppier than Britney Spears? Maybe what I mean is her songs are often cute, softer, even if the best ones still have that punch necessary for a pop hook.

Sukaria--like many of her hits, this song is a cover; the original (well, at least an earlier version that I presume is the original) was done by Russian singer Katya Lel's "Moi Marmeladny" (which I don't own [I probably would have posted that instead, since it's the original, if I did...and I've been wondering: is she someone worth investigating further?], but you can listen to it on YouTube if you want). The chorus features words that come out sounding like kisses and catchy "jagajaga"s. Roni's voice is a bit Lolita-esque.

To buy Roni's album Won't Stop Parts 1 & 2 (which combines two mini-albums), go here (physical). Her first two albums are also available on iTunes.

Next up: maybe something Icelandic or Swedish.