A Song, a President, a Moment: Singing with Milei
At Israel’s 78th Yom Ha’atzmaut torch-lighting ceremony, President Javier Milei of Argentina delivered a deeply moving address as he lit the twelfth torch. As a Jewish Argentinian, hearing those words from an Argentinian leader felt unprecedented—filling me with pride, emotion, and a sense of something almost miraculous.
Then, in the midst of that already powerful moment, something entirely unexpected happened.
President Milei joined Israeli singer Hananel Edri on stage—and began to sing.
I reached out shortly after to my friend, Hananel Edri, to understand what it felt like to be part of such a spontaneous and historic moment.
Q&A
Ariana Mizrahi:
Your performance with President Javier Milei captured global attention. What was that moment like from your perspective?
Hananel Edri:
I’ve been performing and singing for most of my life, but what made this different was that it was completely spontaneous.
The ceremony itself is iconic for Yom Ha’atzmaut, and it’s something I hadn’t done before because I’m usually touring abroad. This year, because of the war, I stayed in Israel. I had just returned from performing in Washington and New York the day before rehearsals. I landed, went straight into performing for Yom HaZikaron, and then I got a call asking, “Can you sing in Spanish?”
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Ariana Mizrahi:
I remember—you actually do.
Hananel Edri:
I’ve performed in Evita and sung in Buenos Aires, though my Spanish isn’t perfect. Still, music is international.
I recorded something quickly and sent it. Then they called back and said, “They loved you. You’re going to sing for the Argentinian president.” That was the first surprise.
Ariana Mizrahi:
Unbelievable.
Hananel Edri:
They told me the song—Libre. I learned it and came to rehearsals, but everything was uncertain. He wasn’t even supposed to come at first.
And then, even when Javier Milei decided to come—like that—everything was still very up in the air. They told me, “We can’t really plan this. He’s unpredictable.”
Ariana Mizrahi:
Very much so.
Hananel Edri:
At rehearsal, they said he might want to sing with me. So I took an extra microphone and put it in my back pocket—just in case.
The plan was that I would start singing while he walked to the stage. But when they introduced him, he sprinted to the stage. Everything changed.
They pressed play. I looked at him, he looked at my microphone. He hugged me—I gave him the mic—and that was it.
We were singing together.
Ariana Mizrahi:
That’s him. That’s exactly him.
Ariana Mizrahi:
For me, as a Jewish Argentinian, this was incredibly meaningful to watch. I was in tears—it was deeply emotional.
Hananel Edri:
Yes—for you, it’s like a jackpot.
Ariana Mizrahi:
My brother, Dan, saw it early—he was different—and got our whole family following him. Now we all truly admire him. We’re big supporters of Milei.
And the way he came onto the stage—so spontaneous, so authentic—that’s really who he is. He carries himself that way in everything he does. It’s something powerful. It fills us with pride. It’s something we’ve never had before in an Argentinian leader.
Ariana Mizrahi:
At what moment did you realize this wasn’t just another performance?
Hananel Edri:
In that moment. I was fully present, but also thinking, “What is happening right now?”
When the song ended, he hugged me, and my knees were shaking. Backstage, the entire crew was standing there, screaming. They couldn’t believe what had just happened.
Ariana Mizrahi:
And it felt completely natural.
Hananel Edri:
Yes. And within minutes, it was already on the news. It went viral right away.
Ariana Mizrahi:
What did it mean for you personally to stand there and sing—especially in a year like this, with everything that’s been happening, including the return of the hostages?
Hananel Edri:
Yom Ha’atzmaut is always a happy day, but this year the happiness is not entirely complete—but the pride is.
No matter what happens, we always find a way to continue.
Seeing the hostages return, and seeing Ran Gvili’s mother light a torch—it really felt like a full circle. Those moments carry something very deep.
Ariana Mizrahi:
Was there something about this performance that stood out to you in particular?
Hananel Edri:
Yes. I was told that his sister is very involved, and that this part—the singing—was something they were really looking forward to. She said it was actually his favorite moment. To sing for the Argentinian president in Jerusalem, on Yom Ha’atzmaut, while he’s coming to honor Israel—it’s something very special.
Ariana Mizrahi:
In a year like this, does music take on a different meaning for you?
Hananel Edri:
Music is my refuge. It’s where I process everything I can’t express in words.
Ariana Mizrahi:
What stayed with you after the music stopped?
Hananel Edri:
It’s something I will cherish forever.
Israel is an enigma—it’s a miracle. And to stand there with the President of Argentina, so connected, blessing Israel and even singing with us—it’s something truly unbelievable.
I see it as a gift—another gift that Israel has given me. And it reminded me of something simple but powerful: music brings people together.
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Watch the full interview: https://youtu.be/MURNa0f37y4?si=KCTQewp3RDY74T2E
