The closest equivalent to Avraham Tal in American music might be Gwen Stefani. Both had successful careers as singers in underground rock bands whose style wouldn't necessarily have been earmarked for mainstream success based on the chart standards of the time. But they did break through in a huge way and could have cruised indefinitely, their reputations secure thanks to two albums worth of megahits. Before that could happen, their bands broke up and they launched their solo careers, going full-fledged pop.
Both are charismatic but not in a larger than life way that transcends the many genres they've worked in as solo artists. Both have even been coaches on their respective countries' versions of "The Voice". However, Stefani doesn't have "the voice" that Avraham Tal has. Not even close. He boasts a high end that would strain the vocal cords of almost any male pop star anywhere in the world. And as I discovered during his concert, he can sustain that style of singing throughout a ninety minute concert and make it seem effortless.
Avraham Tal is too talented for his songs, which is a nice problem to have as far as biggest flaws go. He's not a top tier songwriter but has had a knack for knowing what the public wants and with whom to collaborate at the right times. During his show I was hoping for more slower songs that allow him to showcase that voice -- the most intimiate portion was his duet with his former "The Voice" protege Nitzan Shayer. But it's hard to complain about the string of uptempo hits that we actually got.
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