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91传媒

From Silence to Song: Ortal Edri鈥檚 Journey from Trauma to Viral Street Performer

Edri has been singing for the homeless since she arrived in Los Angeles a couple of years ago.
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July 24, 2025

Ortal Edri stood in front of the Chinese Theater on Hollywood Boulevard and sang her heart out, performing 鈥淚鈥檒l Stand by You鈥 by The Pretenders. Beside her, among her audience was a man held holding a large cardboard sign that read: 鈥淓ven $1.00 helps,鈥 and in big, bold capital letters, 鈥淔OOD, WATER.鈥

Unlike many performers who appear on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Edri doesn鈥檛 do it for money. She does it for those who often go unseen 鈥 or rather, ignored: the transients who sit on the sidewalk and beg.

A man wearing a hat with a cardboard sign was clearly moved. He joined her as she sang, 鈥淚鈥檒l stand by you, I鈥檒l stand by you, won鈥檛 let nobody hurt you, I鈥檒l stand by you.鈥

Edri has been singing for the homeless since she arrived in Los Angeles a couple of years ago. In Israel, she participated in a singing competition called 鈥淎 Star is Born,鈥 and in 2023 she auditioned for 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Got Talent.鈥

鈥淚 sang a Demi Lovato song, and 鈥渢he audition gave me so much confidence that I said, 鈥楥ome on, let鈥檚 go sing on the Hollywood Walk of Fame,鈥欌 Edri said.

Edri has a powerful voice that鈥檚 hard to ignore as when on the street she belts out songs by Celine Dion and Whitney Houston on the street. It feels like she鈥檚 been singing her whole life, but in an interview with The Journal, Edri revealed she only started singing at 18 鈥 and had no idea she had such any talent. In fact, she hadn鈥檛 spoken at all since she was nine years old.

鈥淢y father committed suicide when I was nine, and I stopped talking,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 suffered such trauma that I didn鈥檛 speak at home or at school. They tried everything, including sending me to a psychologist, but I didn鈥檛 utter a word. When I was 17, I started talking a little with my mom 鈥 just simple things like, 鈥楬i,鈥 鈥楪ood morning.鈥欌

When she received her recruitment order for the IDF, her mom was happy. 鈥淪he said, 鈥楩inally, you鈥檒l have some friends,鈥 because I didn鈥檛 have any friends 鈥 I couldn鈥檛 talk.鈥 So she enlisted, and while standing in military formation, she began humming a tune. The sergeant major approached her, and she was sure she was about to be disciplined. Instead, he said, 鈥淚 want you to sing for us at basic training graduation.鈥

The 18-year-old soldier was shocked but decided to go for it. During the ceremony, she sang 鈥淪hir HaMa鈥檃lot” (鈥淪ong of Ascents鈥), a popular and uplifting psalm expressing spiritual yearning, gratitude, and hope for redemption.

Her performance earned enthusiastic applause and appreciation 鈥 and it made her commander realize her talent. With his support, she enrolled at Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts in Tel Aviv and began taking vocal training.

鈥淚 was able to combine my studies with my service,鈥 Edri she said. 鈥淚 used to travel in uniform to Thelma Yellin. It was the first time I had seen Tel Aviv. I didn鈥檛 understand why people were so impressed with me, and I thought to myself, it鈥檚 because I鈥檓 from the periphery.鈥

This was the first time in Edri鈥檚 life that she attended an extracurricular activity. Bit by bit, the shy girl gained confidence and new friends.

鈥淲e were very poor, so my mother couldn鈥檛 afford to send me to any classes as a child. We hardly had enough money for food. That鈥檚 why I鈥檝e always had a soft spot for those less fortunate and wanted to do something for the homeless.鈥

Another first time Edri sang on the street was in London鈥檚 Piccadilly Square. She uploaded the video clips to her social media accounts and it immediately went viral, receiving millions of views. Her TikTok account now has 1.2 million followers, and her Instagram boasts 384,000 followers.

One video of her singing Beyonc茅鈥檚 鈥淗alo鈥 to a man in a wheelchair earned 1.5 million views, while another clip of her performing Whitney Houston鈥檚 鈥淚 Have Nothing鈥 garnered 7.9 million views. These videos caught the attention of several music industry professionals, including songwriter and producer Rickhard Nowels (who has worked with Dua Lipa, Stevie Nicks and Lana Del Rey) and acclaimed songwriter Diane Warren, who invited her to record with them.

Currently, Edri and her soon-to-be husband, Shamir Fink 鈥 a music producer 鈥 are working on her first album, 鈥淚nsanity,鈥 which will feature original songs. The two met 11 years ago and run a recording studio in Herzliya, Israel, which they plan to bring to the U.S. when they settle down.

Her mother, she said, is one of her biggest fans and supporters. 鈥淲hen I first told her I was going to audition for 鈥淎 Star is Born,鈥 she was skeptical and said, 鈥業 hope you鈥檙e not going to embarrass us on TV.鈥 But when she saw my first audition, she couldn鈥檛 believe it, she was so excited. Sometimes I can鈥檛 believe it myself 鈥 I have to pinch myself to see if it鈥檚 all real.鈥

Follow Edri on Instagram @ Ortal_edri

 

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