Orit Shimoni “Over”

For more than two decades, Orit Shimoni has been on a search—not for fame, fortune, or recognition, but for the genuine human connection that can only be found on the road. Though she spent years moving between cities, countries, and stages across Canada, Europe, and the United States, Shimoni’s identity is firmly rooted in consistency, sincerity, and independence. Often placed under the broad umbrella of folk music, she draws just as deeply from soul, Motown, rock, and protest traditions, carrying forward the idea that one voice and one guitar can still hold enormous weight. “I’ve kept it simple, always about the songwriting first,” she says. “If I can write, sing, and accompany myself on an instrument, and find a place where people want to gather to hear it, that is always enough.” There is a certain badge of honor in unshakable autonomy, and Shimoni wears it well.

Most musicians build their songs layer by layer, tinkering until everything sounds just right, but it takes a certain kind of ear to know when less is more, when stripping a song to its most essential elements will stir the most hearts. Shimoni’s “Over,” grounded in an acoustic melody, a tranquil vocal, and little else, speaks to her ability to distill the human condition into a cluster of poignant refrains that linger deep in the soul. The song reflects the double-edged sword of sincerity and isolation that people around the world felt during the height of the pandemic lockdown.

Unsettled by the divisiveness and viciousness bubbling up in the news and in everyday life, Shimoni found herself apprehensive about humanity’s darker impulses, and yet, she couldn’t help but notice how people were coming together in beautifully creative ways. That is when the realization struck: That is when the realization struck: it has always been like this. “The good and the bad and the ugly, and the very beautiful” are not going anywhere, because that tension is what makes people human. And though  there is a quiet comfort in knowing that all of the hostility and all of the benevolence have always been there, “over and over,” this is also an admission of fatigue: “Is there even any reason for us to still be watching, keeping score” – and a plea for something to change: “come on then, now, let’s just change the tune!”

Considering that Shimoni has been on the road for over two decades, viewers might be surprised to learn that she was an educator before dedicating her life to the arts. Years ago, she assigned her students to cut out and wear paper plate masks, and the image of that uniform group moving through the classroom in a larger-than-life way stayed with her for years to come. In the “Over” music video, an array of human archetypes emerges from their dwellings, returning to one of humanity’s most primordial rituals as they confront the end of things. Huddled intimately around a fire, the dancing flames illuminate a spectrum of hand-painted expressions: dismayed, bewildered, compassionate, hopeful, and everything in between. The remastered track aches with that same vast humanity, deepened by a surprise feature from Dan Bern, offering a glimpse of the magic to come on the dynamic duo’s upcoming Canadian tour this summer.

We’re grateful to be championing the lovely and talented Orit Shimoni once again and to have the opportunity to help spread the word about her “must-see,” brand new “Over” music video! Her tour of Canada with Dan Bern begins on June 6th and will bring their songs to Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and smaller markets in between. Thank you for considering including it in your programming and online presentations, it is very much appreciated. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the HIP Video Promo team at 732-613-1779 or info@HIPVideoPromo.com with any questions, or if you’d like us to send some well crafted Orit Shimoni merch for contests and giveaways. For the latest on Orit Shimoni visit https://www.oritshimoni.com/  for more info.