Throughout his career, Gideon Unna has been a unique and holy soul in the contemporary music genre, blending the threads of Israeli culture, Judaism, and traditional songs into one that seems to be less an act of listening than a journey home. From the time when he made his appearance on the stage as an independent troubadour, his songs have been a kind of sanctuary where love, spiritual longing, and genuine human connection are felt rather than just spoken of. Unna, with this remarkable creation titled “Heaven Is Here” with Naomi Shapira, has outdone himself again by creating a work of art so beautiful that it almost seems weighted down with grace. Released on May 13th, “Heaven Is Here” is a tour de force that takes us on an emotional journey. From the very first notes, this song bridges the gap between earth and heaven with a tender embrace. Unna and Naomi Shapira blend their voices with such amazing chemistry that you can barely tell them apart from each other. This song serves as a reminder that we do not need to wait until the end of life on earth to experience heaven because, at times, heaven can break through and be found right within the midst of ordinary life.
It was Unna and Shapira’s great ability to create the right atmosphere from the very beginning that made this song a classic. It starts with a bright mood in the tune of the song; a feeling so good, warm, and cheerful that it is just like a sigh of relief that touches your soul, telling you that no matter how bad things look for the moment, it is all going to be alright. Before even a word of lyrics could be fully appreciated, one is already assured that they are not only hearing the song but having the best moments of their life.
Ultimately, what this original song is, is a deep, soul-searching call to see the heaven that is present in this very breath we take at this moment. Gideon Unna has devoted all of his intellect and artistry to the construction of heaven, of faith, and of consciousness, but there was one particular realization which formed the foundation of this work; and that is that as descendants of Adam and Eve, we still walk under the same sky and breathe the same world that they breathed before the Fall. For Unna, it was not the loss of physical paradise, but a change in our consciousness that took place during the Fall. In “Heaven Is Here,” he encourages us to clean our dusty lens. Where the great song by the Beatles encouraged us to imagine a world without heaven, Unna goes in exactly the opposite direction, declaring that heaven has always been there. It dwells in those little sacred moments of everyday life, in the tiny successes that we ignore all too often, in our good health and in our connection to our loved ones through devotion. Life is a miracle that we should be thankful for every day and cherish. For people who have been through the hell of health issues like me, this song is more than just a piece of music because it reminded me that recovering and being healthy was my heaven. Listening to how Unna and Shapira craft this message is enough to make one know that living and recovering from such struggles is actually heaven itself, a source of hope even during the toughest days in one’s life. This is indeed a piece of art that not only touches the heart, but makes one, and people like me, feel understood.
The conception of this song is as earthy and poetic as its message. Birthed through the strumming of an acoustic guitar by Unna in his native kibbutz, the song started out as a small whisper and became a full-fledged musical sanctuary. This earthiness and soulfulness were meticulously developed through the amazing collaboration of the talented Unna with his trusted partner Lior Medan, who composed a breathtaking arrangement that used state-of-the-art, artificial intelligence-assisted music production in such a way that it only makes the humanity of the song more evident. Once the arrangement was completed, the vocals by Naomi Shapira added another layer of heavenly emotional resonance to the song. Recorded in the sunny and cozy house studio of Yoav Asif in Moshav Tzrufa, the song resonates with an analogue character, which is perfectly aligned with the lyrics about paradise right there where your feet stand. Even Asif himself, the genius producer and mixer behind the mixing desk, admitted that he could not stop listening to the track as the immense joy that it gave him did not let go of him—a powerful endorsement from the man who was responsible for shaping the song’s sound. It is a wonderful answer to John Lennon’s “Imagine,” replacing vague dreams about life in heaven with the shocking idea that heaven is actually right here, right now.
Moreover, yet another amazing aspect of this musical work is the high degree of intentionality that Gideon Unna uses when creating each and every single piece in the composition, which makes the message of the song resonate even before it becomes audible. To ensure that the listeners will really understand the heart, the soul, and the overall vibe of the song, the cover art of the song helps the listeners create a mental vision of what heaven means to Unna. In particular, the song cover features the title of the song and is filled with numerous symbols of what heaven means to the artist: on the right, there is a bright shining sun; on the left – a little butterfly; in the middle there is the peace sign; in the bottom there is a little bird and some flowers which symbolize peacefulness and revival. This way, all those symbols remind the listener that no matter what one could think about heaven before, a changed point of view and an attitude full of grace can help people realize that heaven is everywhere around them, even where they do not expect to see it. As we all know, each person’s road in life is different. For example, health, life, survival, and healing are my personal heaven. That is why I believe that this artwork and this composition prove that heaven is extremely personal and diverse.
But this is no ordinary song; it is an inviting, soul-searching call to awaken to the presence of paradise in this very instant. From its warm opening chords to its thought-provoking themes, every element of this musical piece is sheer magic. Gideon Unna and Naomi Shapira make a brilliant combination, considering how they have used their hearts in composing something that is nothing less than magical. I am looking forward to listening to their other songs, whether individually or together, in the days to come. Well done, everyone!
Stream “Heaven is Here” on Spotify
Follow Gideon Unna on his socials: Facebook, YouTube
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