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Israeli Musician Tal Kravitz, who performed at the 26th edition of Kala Ghoda Arts Festival at Elphinstone College Quadrangle, opens up to FPJ's Sunanda Singh about his musical journey, inspirations, and growing love for India.

Mumbai's Kala Ghoda Festival 2026 turned into a global musical celebration as Israeli musician and multi-instrumentalist Tal Kravitz mesmerised the audience with his genre-blending performance, seamless language shifts, and rare instruments from across the world. Known for using music as a bridge between cultures and often as a source of healing, Kravitz left the audience spellbound and deeply moved through his performance on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Elphinstone College Quadrangle.

Tal Kravitz is an Israeli musician and singer who has performed around 3,000 times in 28 languages. The singer performs both classical, ancient traditional, and modern songs. Tal's philosophy is that he sees music everywhere, transforming everyday objects into artistic expressions. Beyond the stage, Tal is a dedicated educator who empowers youth, including those in special education, to craft and play their own instruments. He is a musician who wanders around the world in various remote areas and aims to bring back songs and sounds through rare instruments and the living story behind them.

Speaking exclusively to after his performance, Kravitz shared insights into his musical journey, inspirations, and his growing love for India.

"India has one of the richest musical cultures in the world"

Reflecting on Indian audiences, Kravitz was full of admiration. He says, “India has one of the most amazing, diverse, and rich musical cultures in the entire world. With so many regions and traditions, India almost contains every kind of music within one country.”

What struck Tal most was the openness of listeners. He further said, “People here are extremely receptive. They want to listen, learn, and experience music from all over the world. That makes Indian audiences one of the most open-minded I’ve ever encountered.”

How Israel's diversity shaped his sound

Growing up in Israel played a defining role in Kravitz’s musical identity. Describing Israel as a country built by immigrants, he explained how that diversity shaped his sound. Tal says, when Jewish communities migrated from Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, they brought their music with them.” He further added, “I was lucky to grow up surrounded by such a wide range of musical traditions.”

Singing in 58 languages without speaking them

One of the most fascinating aspects of Kravitz’s performances is his ability to sing in 58 languages. Surprisingly, he admits he doesn’t speak most of them. Tal says, “I don’t really learn languages, I learn how to sing in them.” He further says with a smile. “I memorise the sound, the phonetics.”

Kravitz writes lyrics using Latin letters, spelling words exactly how they sound. He says, “That’s how I remember songs, whether it’s Hindi, Arabic, or something else.” Although he speaks only three languages, including Hebrew, English, and Swahili, having lived in Kenya, he has basic knowledge of Spanish, Arabic, and Russian.

Love for instruments

During his Kala Ghoda Arts Festival performance, Kravitz played nearly 10 instruments, some of which left audiences guessing how he pulled off such an amazing feat. Talking about his instruments, he reveals, “I own more than 100 instruments. I collect local instruments from every place I visit and learn how to play them.”

One standout factor during the performance was the 'soul' instrument. It is a flexible piece of metal capable of producing hauntingly emotional sounds. “Even though it’s just metal, it can express deep emotion,” he explains. If Tal has to choose just one instrument, he'd turn to the piano. “It's an entire orchestra," he admits. "You can play melody, harmony and rhythm with your fingers.”

The struggle behind his musical journey

Behind Kravitz’s success lies a deeply personal struggle. Recalling his struggling time period, he says, "At the age of seven, I was told I had no musical talent. That moment changed everything. Music was my dream, and I knew I had to prove them wrong.”

"I wasn’t popular as a child. Music helped people connect with me. It gave me confidence and belonging. I had no formal training, and I taught myself the piano by listening and experimenting.”

Being in love with India

Kravitz visited India for the sixth time, and he jokingly admitted that he doesn't like the noisy traffic, but apart from that, he has no complaints.

"I’m in love with India, the people, food, hospitality, smiles, energy, and vibe," he smiles. While comparing the global audience to the crowd, Kravitz highlights India's unmatched emotional connection. “In Europe and America, the audience is polite but reserved. In India, people sing, dance, scream, and shower you with love. The energy is unreal," he concludes.