Israeli Singers Face Backlash Over Allegations of Copying Palestinian-Chilean Star Elyanna's Music Video

Two Israeli performers have sparked controversy after being accused of replicating scenes "frame by frame" from Palestinian-Chilean artist Elyanna's 2024 hit music video Ganeni. The track in question, titled Zahara, is a collaboration between Gal Juma and Asulin, released on August 4.

Shortly after its release, fan accounts for Elyanna began circulating comparison videos on social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. The side-by-side footage quickly gained traction across culture and entertainment pages, accumulating thousands of comments that frequently characterized the alleged similarities as cultural appropriation.

The criticism specifically targets visual elements rather than the musical composition, as the songs feature different lyrics and melodies. Observers highlighted multiple matching sequences, including a desert setting featuring a white Mercedes surrounded by patterned rugs, interiors decorated with elaborate fabrics, rooftop dance routines, and figures silhouetted against a setting sun. Other shared motifs noted in the posts include an eye painted on a performer's palm and similar camera framing during choreography.

Zahara combines Hebrew and Arabic lyrics over a 2000s-inspired R&B beat infused with violins. Gal Juma and Asulin appear together in the music video and share songwriting credits. Asulin performs under the stage name of Israeli singer-songwriter and producer Rotem Alagem Asulin, previously known as J Lamotta. The video was directed and filmed by Bruce Melan.

In contrast, Ganeni was released on April 12, 2024, as part of Elyanna's debut album, Woledto. Directed by Naghmeh Pour and filmed in Spain, the original video has amassed over 200 million views on YouTube, while Zahara reached approximately one million views by Friday.

The online reaction has also spilled over into the comments section of Gal Juma's Instagram page, where users have labeled the production a "copy-paste" of Elyanna's work. As of Friday, neither Gal Juma nor Asulin had publicly responded to the accusations, and Elyanna had not issued a comment, with no formal copyright complaints announced. The National has reached out to Elyanna for comment regarding the situation.

Elyanna, 24, was born and raised in Nazareth. Her career milestones include becoming the first artist to perform a full Arabic-language set at Coachella in 2023, collaborating with Coldplay at Glastonbury and on Saturday Night Live, performing ahead of Canada's opening World Cup match in Toronto, and being featured on the official FIFA tournament soundtrack with the track Illuminate, a collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez.