"Harmony & Humility: A Conversation With Lipa Schmeltzer"

Eli: Welcome to another episode of podsitivity. I'm super excited to sit here with a good dear friend of mine Jewish entertainer who doesn't need an introduction emmm, yet I will give him an introduction just to be honorable and give him respect. He's a Jewish entertainer for over 30 years being misameach (bringing joy) just so many different people, and there are so many different entertainers out there that are being misameach (joy) but he is someone who took it to a whole new level by helping people in the community helping our generation to open up and having millions of people becoming a better version of themselves and he has shown to do that now with his latest album Elazar Lipa'la by creating three different languages like a Hebrew version, Yiddish version English version and all that because he understands that his message goes to so many millions of people and to inspire them on their journey of healing as well and bringing in a whole different life into healing through music. To all these people that have rejection and they have the blockages, to do that we can hear it in a song that goes easier into the heart. So I'm just truly inspired and amazed and excited for the conversation that we're gonna have and discuss a little bit of the album because people have so many questions from a good place, they want to know what is behind this song and what is that. And when you say oy vei instead of hovei and hovei instead of oy vei like what do you mean with these things and how did these ideas come to you? I'm happy we're doing the podcast now after the album was released, I was able to listen to it. And I saw that I have questions I'm curious how did you come up with this idea, why did you do this and what got you to do this? um and I'll start with my first question which is that all your songs over the past 20 to 30 years, I grew up on it thank God and I listened to all these albums all of your albums had a great message. And way before the journey, way before people spoke about healing. Ok so if you go even on songs as the coffee song that talks about, gives a concept for a person that life has from all kinds or the song gal galgal hachozer, or the song a poshiter yid (simple jew) so many of your songs were talking about meimka delipa you spoke about the heart and people didn't always understand why you had a heart on the cover of your album, we're going here 15 years ago It was always obvious that you love making me music that has a message, not just, you don't repeat other artists What has changed now that we have an entire album that talks inspiring messages to the heart, what changed between those messages and these messages from this album? Lipa: so first of all thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my words I still need to learn the halachos (laws) what's the differences between a vlog and a podcast if it's the same camera... So we all hopefully grow in life and my songs are growing with me, so as you said, I always spoke from my heart and hopefully to the heart but there were also more calculations of what's more appropriate to certain crowds am I allowed to say this or not, and the older I got with every year, the peer pressure decreased and it became more of my self but it was then also very much my self, some things are so authentic that I think back how did I do that? especially for that time in my life. Today I am much more into self growth that it's reflecting on the songs and I could've made an entire cd exclusively of such type songs, and I added some songs that balances it poel gevuros and other songs that are also healing because healing has a different meaning for everyone. But they are stuff that people could easily sing along and I also have heavier stuff and it's only made to listen to it. Let's say if I'll only have songs about the journey, it is too heavy. Some people will have to take a break after 2 songs. Even now there are those that need a break after two songs, so I had to alternate it. But the CD is different in a sense that I simply trusted my heart and went after what I felt and usually when something comes from a true and honest place it breaks through barriers and goes straight to the heart. Because truth has no obstacles. Eli: is it possible that the difference is what I mentioned earlier about the difference between dealing and healing? Meaning there are many people that deal with life but they're not willing to heal everything is like a Band-Aid. Everything is like, "yeah this is how I can cope with my life right now." Can that be more of a difference like instead of being in survivor mode and coping with life it's now more of your operating more from a place where you're living and even thriving, that you have more awareness and insight and choose a better life? Lipa: So it's very clear that I was not in the place then that I am right now, so it's clear that I cannot even imitate the things that I thought then. I can't even go back exactly but I'm sure that I'm now in a place where I'm so different, more open and hopefully healthier, and it is obvious, you can hear it on the songs. But, On the contrary I'm unique in a way that people can see based on my music how my life changed. Not only the other way around Not only that my life changed and so my songs changed, but you can tell from my songs how my life changed. Eli: I love that because people always say when I make restaurant reviews that you only talk positively about food. So I tell them if you watch me closely you'll be able tell exactly where I'm at when I bite into a schnitzel, if I like it or not. Yeah. So you're saying, guys, if you want to know where I stand look at the music and that will reflect where I am. We're currently holding about a week after you released the album, maybe a bit less. By the time this is released a week and a half after the album, I know that wherever I go and I'm not saying this just because we're friends, I know where I'm going. Lipa: By the time this is released will be a week and two days. 2 days haha okay good. I know I was just in the restaurant, and I met over there two tables from the typical average couple right and everyone speaks positively about it and I spoke to you personally and you're also saying that wow like how the public accepted it. How does that make you feel? Because when I heard about you the first time, by the way I know from 5 years ago thought you were going to work on such an album. When I heard that I was like, no no Lipa that's not a good idea, like I was still before my awakening before my healing journey like you know today I already have a podcast where I bring up therapists and different topics but back then I was like no no lipa don't do that. it's a suicide mission like literally, that's what I thought. And now, I heard the album and I vibed to it, it's helping me with my struggle personally where I am in life, and you are seeing the feedback that's so positive, how does that make you feel? Lipa: So, it feels unbelievable to hear the feedback. To be honest I did not know beforehand how the feedback will be Today I'm in a place in my life where for many reasons, one, from where I am life with my personal journey and from my personal growth, but also from experience from everything that I already did from I already brought from the music world I have a lot of experience under my belt in the music scene and also how the world changed, the music industry world changed. Generally speaking how many CDs are released at one time how many new singers and composers there are, and this entire package together that I just listed meaning how the music business changed, and how my personal life changed, and also from the experience that I have under my belt from the music business, all these things combined make me realize that when I release Today's days my creations, I try to focus how to keep the eye on the prize, to know what my focus is, meaning it's not something that I will be making a million dollars from it, it's not something that brings money, it brings jobs, it brings a little pride it's all good and well, and brings self satisfaction. and the more mature one gets the more you want to bring the real messages, and you don't focus so much on.. So it's a package I'm not fooling myself that it's entirely lishma (for God's sake), what does not lishma mean? Were all human everything is lishma but, if you have the right mindset, you are allowed to also want to have, you're allowed to want to feel good about what you do, and that's obvious. But to realize that when I create my art today that it can go in any direction. It could go in a way where it's another nice cd and not everybody talks about it, and only people that are into healing will get it. And then I have comments from other people saying, Nah look, when are you going to create a regular normal album? When are you go going to make your old one, when are you making... And I tell everyone, yeah... okay... thank you... how are you... And so Forth...then the same regarding the next album .... It could have been exactly like this. Eli, ye. Lipa: It could have also been that it would have come with a lot of pushback. People would say why you're bringing in things like this... It's less common today but it could have been so. Eli: Right. Lipa: It could have also been, which I hoped, that people will say wow he's bringing up so many concepts that are refreshing, new, unique. But we can't know beforehand. Eli: Right. Lipa: And if you don't take the risk, you stay... if nobody takes a risk, nothing moves forward. Everybody wants to play it safe. So from when I actually started talking about this album and we're talking about my own kids told me that I need to start marketing, you're going to release it I told them already before when I want to release it, want to release it in 3 weeks and you didn't even start talking about it, it takes time to do marketing. And this is also something that could go both ways. A person can do marketing for 3 months and in today's fast-paced world by the time you actually release it it's like okay I heard about it so many times already. Eli Right yeah Lipa: It could be that we should say, no! you have to build it up. Eli: don't surprise everyone. Lipa: Yeah, and then there are those that say that building up does help. You can't always know. But I'm learning, especially this market where we constantly learning new strategies. One can't say, I got this I have it figured out. You have to constantly reinvent. Eli: Right. Lipa: So I took 2 weeks which is a little risky meaning I did not do marketing before that, and I started marketing 2 weeks before. And before it was even released it gained publicity and spread like a fire People already saw they knew my journey from the last couple years, and it seemed like I was making a celebration like before someone is getting engaged where you know someone's going to get engaged for 2 years and we're going to celebrate now. Eli: haha: Lipa: It's like wow okay. I already started getting this before releasing the CD, you know I could have gone back to, let's call it the old automatic behaviors like maybe I'll get the notion that maybe neh, it's a healing album let's see how the public will take to it. But I'm focusing on having my eye on the prize I'm doing my part, and in the end of the day the love that I get from every circle, from every type of person, from all walks of life on this album is something that I haven't gotten in a long long time. Eli: Right Lipa: I sang at a wedding last night with Yossi Shtendig, and I thought to myself the working on oneself can come in many different ways there's no one way to do it. For one singer, working on yourself could mean that he needs to promote his own songs now, because he is a singer who usually does not push I would tell him, push/promote your sings. For me I've been in the business a long time already that I can be flexible. Like I can say, this time let me play this by ear, let's see how this unfolds. I'm not coming in right away with "okay today we're going to do my stuff..." So Yossi told me, listen I'm ready for all your songs, let's begin. and the crowd vibed so amazingly, there was a kumzits there. people were so excited so warmed up, before I could even start the entire crowd became part of it, and I can send you a clip. Eli: E: which song did you sing? Lipa: So we sang Chasdei Hashem (God's Kindness), which they began before that I sang Ich vil zich Zeh (I want to see me), we sang umm Gezint (health) at a wedding! I want to be healthy. Eli: Right, yeah you're also saying that song the night before you released the album. It became very, people loved it. Lipa: Thank God, and it I came out to be such a perfect puzzle that I must believe that there's something higher her in it. It's just coming together. And people are really really enjoying it. I also had... I usually produce my albums by myself and for this one I took my nephew zisha to co-produce. I always say that there are many types of producers. If you divide it in 2, there are those that I have ideas and I'll tell you what is good for you and what not. Then there are producers that work together with you and make sure that things get done plus they give their own input like but maybe don't do this soon maybe you should do that, but very very respectful and subtle, while allowing the artist to express himself and just to be supportive and have good backbone, and here I felt that with Zishe the co-producing ended up being a very good match and if not it probably would have taken another half a year until it would get released. Eli: Right Lipa: Was able to just stay on top of things and check in even just give a WhatsApp or phone call at night and checking in like were you up to? I took care of this I took care of that, it gave me a big boost and it's actually new that I had this time. And I feel that I always go along with the flow the new generations and that is a beautiful thing. Imagine somebody walks outside in the summer and notices there are fresh flowers imagine if somebody would just be busy focusing on the old flowers but they were nicer and more vibrant or were much nicer the old flowers, or you can say wow look at the new fresh flowers. I feel that people are really used to say in the past how people used to know what can we do, today, it's okay to say that Hashem inspires the new ones too and to say we learned a lot from the old ones but there are new flowers. There are a lot of good new things. I am happy that I am part of this. I am this tree that grows thicker thicker, you know like this tree that lives for a long time. Hopefully as long as God gives me the energy and strength I will continue to bring good products for the Heimish crowd. I even want to do more and improve the sound, even after for this CD I put in a new speaker, new curtain, and my perfectionism is that I want this to be painted and white and then I think, no maybe it's even better like this. l did it mostly for the sound. Over there someone put into the sheetrock a $6k - $7,000 Mike, and you banged your head into it already and myself as well, I'm thinking the next bang and I'm taking it down. Eli: haha Lipa: So I change things around every cd, it's like a little playground for me a big playground Eli: For those of you who want to see the vlog, the tour from the studio go to the vlog channel to Weberofficial. I'm going to make a short tour. We already released one block and maybe I'll make another one. Ha ha, my point is I have a funny question, and it may sound like it is supposed to come at the end but Lipa what's next? Ha ha ... Lipa: That's actually a very interesting question because I would think or I guess that for example Apple products they release a product and they know what they're going to do in 2035. I'm sure things change a little bit, but they know more or less, I'm happy I'm mentioning Apple cuz I want to share something I learned from them. Apple has the same letters as Lipa... But the main point is that, by me, um companies are able to plan ideas years in advance. But by me it's impossible to plan, why? Because let's say I have a plan about 3, 4, 5 CDs that I want to make. The outcome of certain albums of which we cannot know before reflect and keeps changes things around. Because how the next year turns out and how many people sing those songs, And how does it reflect? So the basic way I would put it sounds something like 'I have to make a new one of this because people really liked it. But I usually go backwards, like no if this is what people liked I have to leave this because if I do the same thing again Oh ok we heard it already so it's just a continuation when in reality I have a lot of continuations to create about this but that could be in 3 - 4 years from now. So what do I do next? That's one part of it, meaning even if I would have had ideas Eli: Right. I would have had to constantly change and update them. Then there's another point in order to go up a level and an album like this raises the of level up a lot higher so let's say I have another three ideas, I would be busy making calculations, okay is this now the next level? And then I also come in with this question: Oh Lipa, what are you doing next? And different fields for example a graphic artist they always like to show off what they already made and what they accomplished the work starts when the customer gives the deposit and walks out of your office, it's like okay practically speaking what am I going to create now? So someone that deals with creativity it's not like you can just sell a product and make your money. When it comes to creativity the question is, ok what am I doing here? But I have faith in my previous successes that God did not disappoint me until today and I'm hoping to continue. Now, speaking about Apple I wanted to say that it's a little interconnected. Intellectual property of ideas, there's a fear of other stealing your ideas with a fear of always having to come up with new ones it's interesting that Apple creates their own screens for their competition like Samsung. Now many of the Android phones being released now have much higher quality cameras than Apple. So Apple had to make the calculation that they perfect their products Yes there will be those naysayers on YouTube, who will be against it, there will be people who will make fun of the celebration having a better camera and will quickly put a review that Sony, and OLED had these cameras already 5 years ago, and Samsung... Apple just continues doing their thing. As long as they don't perfect products and they do not release it until till it's perfect. And all Apple fans still buy Apple products because they have built trust among consumers. So there will always be people who will make recordings and CDs especially those that may be less talented or have less than perfected their craft, they will be excited to try a new idea they heard and run with it. You can always improve and I make things better. But if a person would think oh of this idea was already so I'm not going to touch it it's just a pity because it's not going to be shared. Or there are those that can say you made yours and I'll make mine. And in a world where new ideas songs come out every day I feel that I need to stay focused on my highway. There are those people that can stay on their Lane at all times. But I did have many years where I compared myself and thought maybe I should do something else cuz someone else did this idea, and to be able to go on my highway, of course I always like to have new ideas but in order for me to drive on my highway and perfect my craft and do my thing without comparing what other people did or when they will release theirs, how are they releasing, I'm on going my own path. E: very nice. Beautiful! I love it! I want to get into the album and discuss the song separately a little bit, because people truly want to hear the feedback. I know for myself, when I listened to the album, I wished to sit down with you and ask you some questions, but before we get into it, I want to give a quick shoutout for the sponsors of this episode. First of all, piece of cake. A good friend of Jewish entertainment Dov Bleich, do you know of piece of cake? Lipa: and Dovid Shtendig. Eli: Yeah, that's right that's right, good Jews, they have a great company, Lipa: helped a lot. Eli: yes right. So they're doing moving now they have a company that serves all Jewish communities Boro Park., Williamsburg, Lakewood, Monroe, even California, Monsey, five towns, crown heights etc. Every Jewish community where people live statewide, literally. If a person needs moving big jobs small jobs, they do it. I shared with my friend that I'm bringing on Lipa, and he tells me well you know Lipa brings down the roof when he sings at weddings. I have a roofing company and I want you to talk about my roofing company. Craft roofing, my friend Moshe Rottenberg, they do roofing for companies that want a new roof. They also have finance option so you don't have to pay the full amount but pay with installments. Lipa: they only do this for a companies? Eli: no for residential, Lipa: Oh I didn't chap when you said company. Eli: Thank you, help me. And they do residential, I'm very new to ads by the way. I'll be vulnerable here I never wanted to to do ads. I took it upon myself not to do ads because I have my own company I have my own life and I don't need it but Hashem orchestrated the people reached out to me that they want to advertise. It costs me so much money for example, this episode is being recorded in Yiddish. There are thousands of people watching this will want to have captions So there's a Chasidish woman who's working hours on this, I think we're speaking here about 20 to 30,000 words and she's translating every word from Yiddish to English and enter it on to YouTube. This can cost about $1,000. Lipa: Wow. Should we change now the second half to English? Eli: maybe but truthfully, your English audience love to hear you speak Yiddish, as long as they can read and understand what you're saying. But anyways, so, Craft Roofing. Whether you want to build a house, and you'd like to finance it meaning if you don't have the money right away, they'll finance it for you without extra fees to make it affordable, and also whether you have residential or commercial properties meaning this is for individuals but there is another part of the business where they do new construction developments, or any type of construction. So reach out to my friend Moishy Rottenberg. The last advertisement is from my good friend Shloimy Bandau. which you actually sang at his wedding, it was the last wedding where Michael (Schnitlzer) was by the way. Funny how... Lipa: Yeah Yeah Eli: The last wedding that Michael was, was by his wedding someone that helped him so much, and he has a cleaning company called Cleanery. A lot of people know about it he's a sweet guy a nice guy to deal with. When I was in construction I worked with him. So they also focus on when somebody that needs a house, Pesach (Passover ) is coming up, you want to clean your house or if you have offices and you want it to be cleaned every week or twice a week, or you're doing construction, mid construction, post construction, reach out to my good friend Shloimy Bandau. Thank you. Thank you for coming along with the sponsors. I had a little pressure, but thank you for helping out First of all the introduction here I love! I read it the day it was released and you write that you're closing a chapter? I thought that when you created this album, that maybe you're opening a chapter. Like you're starting to talk about healing you're going to focus on this. What's the difference between opening a chapter on closing a chapter? Lipa: so, Eli: for you and for others. Lipa: I think it could be both. And I think nothing happens when a person says I'm closing a chapter, it's not entirely closed. Nothing happens when someone says the new chapter opened, and it didn't open fully, but I feel that this CD is a certain closure. This album has closure. That people knew about me and I spoke a lot, people know that I did a lot of digging old stuff, and a lot of healing and I feel that the community, in a certain sense, follows along my journey, and it's something that you can't choose. It's a gift from God. Everything, the journey, the fans, who I am, whole package. You can't have a company that can hire, it doesn't matter who the marketing company is, you copy a story from Lipa, with all his... This is something you can't order, you don't want to order it. It's a story that's one big package that God, like I'm telling you, the love for this album you can't order that! Eli: yeah Lipa: You can do however much marketing you want. In fact, I didn't put in a single ad now and people call me asking who's driving around with a truck and this magazine... I said no I'm putting in my heart and soul and a lot of money, I still sometimes think I should have built up my portfolio for real estate anything can still happen, but I put in my heart and soul (neshama) in the music, and one can think that oh okay so when you come out you'll need to make more noise, but it happens, the truth always comes out and this is my new mantra, and it's true. Eli: Can we talk about this? Like 150,000 plays on Spotify? That's a crazy number! Lipa: Yeah yeah, crazy numbers do you want to hear a number where I'm up to? I just got from 24Six, Spotify, YouTube, Apple just released today, together I'm up to a half a million listeners! Eli: what! I mean is this crazy?! Even for you, you've never seen this! Lipa: No, it's a lot. Eli: It's crazy, I think I cut you off. Lipa: I have to be honest, listeners don't always mean, it goes according to the songs, streams. Eli: Right. Lipa: it doesn't matter. Eli: still listens! Listens Lipa: Yeah yeah and... And... Yeah so, you asked a question. People are a part of my journey, and I feel that I'm expressing myself and I'm singing, so a song has a tremendous power. To come with such a project, I'm not making another one tomorrow you can say Lipa'la 2, Lipa'la 3, but the impact of a Elazar Lipa'la, with the boy holding such a CD, with this boy holding that CD, You can't remake that impression again. Eli: Yeah tSo this particular impression. And this is what I felt was a closure of like, ok I can't go to every wedding where people ask me what do you think about this and what's your opinion about that. I can't individually answer everybody it's simply impossible. I have compliments about the CD on my phone that I didn't even get to open those messages. And I would have liked to go through everyone, and it takes time. Eli: Right. Lipa: So I feel like this is a conversation that I'm having with people. Eli: Right Lipa: it's a conversation. Eli: the album? Lipa: This album, this is what I mean by closure. For example, somebody wants to ask me something regarding the past year and wants to know something, I feel that it comes out in my songs. Eli: Right. Chasdei Hashem, it's a very simple song, it's just Thank You Hashem Thank You. But underneath the song it brings out so much, before I start singing, deep breath in, here is where I'm at. Eli: Right so regarding the messages I'm happy that I pinned myself to the top of your WhatsApp , so that when I send a message you see it. Second of all, you answered very nicely. And I want to say that the thank you Hashem thank you, and it's funny you beat me because I was gonna say that. It's not thank you Hashem thank you; it's the way you sing it, and the way you're starting this album with gratitude I think from all the songs, this one is the place where your heart is releasing, thank you Hashem, thank you... And it's so. Lipa: Yeah. Eli: So what happened when did you make the song? How did it get to you? Lipa: So I actually created this song here in this studio, I was sitting with Yanky Steimnetz and Zishe Surkis, and why were they sitting here let me think a minute. I think just simply because I wanted to create music, he's a talented boy Yanky Steimnetz, and when you're sitting with a keyboard instead of showing him a song I started creating a song. It was that kind of night we created Chasdei Hashem, Poel Gevuros if we were still sitting here now, the entire CD would have been these types of songs. Eli: Haha I know! and... this song came out and he said this must be in your album. Eli: the whole song both parts at the same time? Lipa: Yeah both parts at the same time with a third part also. Eli: Yeah. Lipa: And it came out, Tarararum..... I changed it later too.... Teereeree. Eli: yeah Lipa: Everything makes a difference it's like a painting. So tarara, I feel like okay it became a language, I have to say bimbumbum Eli: hahaha So you made it unique Lipa: I made it unique and..... Makes one feel more grateful because it's teeeee...... So I changed it. Yankee is more of a commercial based thinker, let's say even the most basic simple song these small nuances are very important. For example, Chasdei Hashem ........ (singing) Because this song is so simple, give me a little bit of a small Eli: You made it with Kneitchen. Lipa: Yeah. Eli: Unbelievable! Right from the start you were not afraid you went straight in. Lipa: Yes, and that's how I made this song. But for Yankee he was like why do you have to make this style? Make it simple because people can easily sing along. So I told him, simple/plain was already created yesterday, and the day before. I always say when people challenge, they tell me: what if someone already created this? Lipa: So I tell them: If the person that has to be the Front Runner in the industry will also say that oh it was already created, then nobody will move forward! There's so many people that are saying already oh, I don't care, or it doesn't bother me. He just wants to get attention, tell people oh I made a song, thank you it's really nice, he just wants to. I'm not trying to dismiss that. There's just a difference between I'm not taking a risk, I'm creating a song people will sing it. Oh you see they sing my song. It feels good... That's one way. The other way is to be creative and push a little the envelope. It is a little risky, maybe one person is not going to be able to sing it because he can't sing ..... Okay, fine, so I will sing it. Eli: When did you decide you'll start the album with this song or why this song? Lipa: So I used to, probably goes into the category of obsessive behavior, I used to go back and forth obsessing over the order of an album and in general, speaking of healing, a lot of these obsessions on noise stopped. Eli: Congratulations! Lipa: With Hashem's help more. I told Zisha, we'll meet on Friday. The CD was released Thursday? Eli: Yes. Lipa: Friday before I said we can sit down to see the order of the songs and if we have to cut any songs. Eli... Till then you never thought about it? Lipa: No. Here and there I had the thought in my head, I said we'll decide right here the song order if any of them had to go or not if it's not perfect then we'll make the inside cover according to that. I think even after Monday night, literally 3 days before the release, I'm re-listening to the songs, I was like with Chasdie Hasehm, it starts with gratitude, Regular Hebrew, it's not too heavy I don't start with King David you're my therapist, what I went through first to give off an emotion. Eli: Sweet! Then the next day I had one small obsessive thought I was thinking eh I'll start with hipyakim, hipyakim, and then Zisha pulled me back I think you should use chasdie hashem. He reminded me about our conversation that day.. I figured you know what, chasdie hashem. I'm not looking back. Yanky didn't make an intro. He started with Chasdie Hashem. Eli: It's Sweet! It's a style. Lipa: I was like if it's the seventh song and no intro, It's the first song coming in strong. Eli: Repeat the hypiyakim, hipiyakim. Lipa: I made it up at the mic. Eli... I love! lipa come on! I heard it, for some reason it only caught my attention the second time I heard the album, I was like, Lipa what are you doing to me! What are you doing here? When you think you're done with your ideas, I was gonna say crazy ideas, but like no, you give us more. I'm listening to the song hypiyakim. Hypiyakim, what are you doing and I'm asking, but it sounds so good! So what happened? Lipa: There's 2 explanations on this. 1, Is simply the truth. And the other, There is a disagreement in psychology if everything in the world, if someone asks you a question, anything, or not even a question you ask yourself a question, if the answer let's say there is a designated office in the brain that has to make sense of everything, therefore making a conclusion of how it makes sense the brain finds the sensible thing that was originally the honest truth, in other words when someone asks you a question your brain works so fast, when I do this with my hands, do you know how many things have to happen, for the nervous system to send a message to move my fingers. For us it sounds so quick. What's considered fast or slow? So when you ask a question, or I ask you a question is how come while questioning the answer is already being formed in your head of why it has to be that way. I'll explain, like if there's this idea that came to me the first look of why I wanted to do this cause I'm a painter, in the literal sense I'm also an artist I paint, I do, but in song wise, I'm here to bring entertainment. My prediction tells me, it's not prophecy, it's a fact. Simply coming from my experience. From what I see, the entire entertainment industry is going to change, like lots of other stuff is going to change in the community. The world is designed with things constantly changing. A person always likes change, the brain is gravitating towards change. Some things take a long time to change. But in art and entertainment the definition is, give me some new and fresh. I'll give you the best steak in the world that you can't get anywhere else. Everyone is wow, people come they all want a piece. An hour later I'll give you another steak. Same one, an hour later another 1, and so on, for the side dish another one the main course another one, and desert another one. Until you'll be fed up. Do me a favor, I don't need any of your steaks Leave me alone. So the best entertainment, best songs, the best beats. Anything the best, if it's the same thing over and over again if it's not changing At one point people who are not an artist and not in this field they won't know how to explain why he's not the same anymore. But really the problem is he's still the same. But then people will say I don't know, he's not like he used to be. Eli: Give me old stuff. Lipa: The truth is if a person is still the same old, nothing changes, you'll see a lot of people come and go lots of careers We have to evolve and change. For example Tari la lye there's a selection of 5 different ones. Okay there's 20 versions. .... (sings) How about I did this one and that one and I'll take the completely new set. This and it's just the beginning. I bring in crazy colors. Just like in Visnitz they knew one version and it turned into a tradition. Why? Cause one Rabbi expressed himself vei vei. Eli: Right Next time a different rabbi would have a little more courage. no my father said vay vay, I'll say to tootinani then there would be a chasidus that says to tootinani Shaba's nany Eli: oh like nu nu, is a custom we say when you wash your hands. Lipa: So I paint and I like to make new ideas even if people will look back, the sentence I just said a minute ago, some people are afraid of new. What did you just say about this? Don't mix things up. Cause they're used to it. Every time we push the envelope a little more in a good way let's call it for lack of better words a kosher way. That doesn't upset anyone. I'll call it רצון שוב little by little yeah, רצון שוב is not literally it's far fetched example. You have to run away and do teshuva. I meant to say a little push is a nice idea. Now back to the philosophy I said if the mind always figures out to make sense of things psychology has such a question that while I was singing I also had the Mr. Challenger, why Mr.? I think it's a Mr. That comes into the mind hello what are others going to think? By the way all these things that a person has in their brain, In their mind maybe I'm not doing it right, it's also a gift because we wanna do good. I thought for a minute okay this song talks about carrying emotional baggage, the song is about letting go, how do you explain an entire life? It's not my life, it's your life, it's everyone's life it's mine and yours and everyone's. Can you tell everyone's life story in a song? Eli: No. Lipa: but if you sing it without words hykiyapim. impact in the entire life is one whole blah blah a dream, let the entire story flow. Eli: Wow I love that, you explained it now so well everything that you share is beautiful, but now I realize subconsciously and unconsciously people hear what you say, they don't even understand what it means but it transforms their mood into the song. Lipa: Our entire life we say words, who invented that this is a couch this is a word but it's also pyakim paye. It's a different piyakim Eli: I was thinking this before, in a sense it sounds like for the song it softens you up then you go into the song basically I feel like this song is a built on, in the beginning you sing it with heaviness we can see you feel the words you're saying, when you say the life you're feeling the intensity then you come to the point where you let go from the anger, which I didn't understand. Lipa... By the way I wanna the words. I say I don't believe in being angry, because I want to let go of all the anger, I let go of all the anger, it's a huge statement. I want to. I'm there a lot. It's a lot of work. The statement I don't want to be angry. It's like saying I don't believe in it anymore. I don't want it. I have anger again Okay, but I don't believe in it. There's a difference in the words Eli: We acknowledge it and it's there. Lipa: I don't want, I really want to let it go. I sit in traffic A person can say I don't sit in traffic anymore, but a person can sit in traffic. and say I'm not sitting in traffic anymore. or a person can say I don't want to be sitting in traffic anymore then he could still have some traffic from time to time. I wanna get there. I park my Car Eli: When did you get inspiration for this song? And was this a new song? Lipa: The idea for this has been in the works for a long time It didn't come as easily like Chasdei Hashem. The song itself, the flow of it, I made it on Hebrew words that also had to do with anger, not wanting to be angry it was more like a statement in Hebrew on the subject of not being angry and I had this idea of already letting go everything I was thinking I already have this song it's Hebrew fine I'll make another Hebrew song? Let's take this song we have the arrangements we have the feeling for it cause the meaning and the feeling were the same let me take it apart and I'll release my feelings. Eli: To someone having a feeling, like we can also ask you questions not as a singer, we can ask you questions as a coach as a person who just had a beautiful life experience. But not a coach. Coach is already a label. A person who had a beautiful life experience. And we, Lipa: It's actually very interesting people sometimes write singer Lipa Schmeltzer sometimes I get this feeling, don't write singer it's Lipa Schmeltzer. It includes everything, I'm also a singer. Eli: Yeah beautiful, I'm trying to think, so many people here they have a difficulty letting go. I shared my personal challenge with you that I had this week, it's funny I thought about sharing it with you, just to get your validation. I thought if a superstar like you can tell me Eli, it's okay. Like such a story is okay, it can happen, it would give me support. So I'm giving you the opportunity the chance for anyone having difficulty to let go of something. What's your advice? How can they let go? Lipa: So there's 2 things in letting go because I don't know if I'm allowed to say your case I'll give a hint, I wanted to answer you earlier it was meant to be said here. We'll talk without a story and we talk about letting go. So letting go can mean, okay someone owes me money he stole from me he's not paying me back I'm running after him I should let it go. In this itself there's 2 ways of letting go I have to forgive the money, the other way is okay I didn't forgive the money I still hope to get it but I let go of the anger and the idea that he stole from me. Then you talk about a thing someone wants a specific (shiduch) dating match and let's say it goes in a different direction, it's not applicable to let go on them like It's possible to let go on someone who stole money a $100,000. Eli: Right Lipa: It is 2 different types of letting go. If someone experienced something 10 years ago, you know I want to just let it go it's one thing, and if someone is fighting with someone over a property and it's something that the families are involved, or I don't know inheritance. The letting go is totally different types of letting go. Letting go feelings. And letting go of something that's really yours. Let it go from a strong thought that I want to have this house, and I see that I won't be able to have it. I'm thinking about it constantly, how can I let it go? It's 3 different letting go. Eli: Right right. Good explanation. Lipa: I already had all these examples that I just said. Eli: So how do we get started over here? Lipa: So letting go of something you can't have, that takes really hard work. But I think it's something every person in this world would want to master. Because everyone will experience at some point something they feel they want to have. And they won't have it. It's impossible for a person. Except for God, to have everything. Cause the desire never ends. Once you have this, you want that. There is always something I still want. And it's going to be. This is something I feel is beneficial to everyone to work on themselves. Either through journaling, or just to dig deeper. Through meditation. I'm not always going to get what I want. While the desire for what we want is burning, then it's even harder to work on yourself. Cause just like someone is learning Karate. He can't master the skill right before fighting. It's something to take in, even just now just for the awareness, we're not going to get everything we want. There will be times that we need help. There are times that we may grief. We know that sitting Shiva means after losing a loved one. We can take it into consideration, you can call it sitting Shiva or grief. Grief sounds a little lighter the word but it's the same thing. Being able to grieve for stuff that we didn't have. Some people have to grieve their childhood years, some people have to grieve their twenties. People realize when they're 25, when I would have known at 16 what I know now, I would have dealt differently. When I would have known at 18 my Shidduchim (dating circle) would be different. Okay I'm satisfied with you where I am, but in reality I would have dealt differently. This means you're not going to change your life. For a person who's married, and it feels like I'm not going to change my life. But it bothers me and I know a lot of such people, you too. Such a person would quietly have to find the process of grieving, sitting shiva for that time period I didn't have it. I made a decision that this is where I am in life, All I can do is grieve. You can do something to change but that's a different thing. You can do something to score, that's a different thing. You can do something to get the money someone owes you. That's something else. But talking about if you just have the anger and you can't move forward, my suggestion is to surrender, grieve, and explain it to yourself that's not going to help you, being angry and cursing all day, that's not going to help me. Then there's the Jewish way of Emunah, and knowing there's a bigger plan. I think I want this, but maybe it's not for me. Just like a person sees an airplane, so many airplanes crashed in the last few months. A person could think I missed this flight I'm angry at American Airlines, United, etc. And then you see you stayed alive. Sometimes you want to go with someone as a business partner. And only 5 years later, you find out that person is not even successful in the business, and it was the biggest mistake so you can go about it this way. You can journal; you can discuss it. Letting go, I think I gave a nice, good explanation. Eli: Right right. What I saw is basically in one word first thing you said is a little acknowledging, having a bigger awareness of it. The second part is to have Emunah. The way it was, is the right way. So you might as well let it go. So you might as well not dread about it, not think about it. Beautiful! Lipa: I want to add something, that maybe not everyone has, of obsessive thinking. There are people who can stay stuck on a relationship or on an anger or stuck on a thought. That really it has nothing to do with the actual story, but how it's about how their brain is wired. And this, these people have to go for help. To work on it. Cause just saying yea, it's a kapura Eli: I let go, I think Emunah, it's not working. It's eating them up inside. Beautiful that you touched on that. Sometimes people actually need help. Lipa: People can go crazy. Eli: Right, and thank God I feel that the way I was able to overcome it, is for me having consistent for me personally having consistent therapy, consistent coaching. People that guide me and help me and right away when my story happened, I was able to phone a friend talk through it, we made a list, I journaled about it. So I was able to give it out. Lipa: On your particular case I was going to tell you earlier this case what do you do in life, even though we don't say all the details. Sometimes you can just think about how many people didn't take the steps that you took. Eli: Yea I was also thinking about that. To get into that. Lipa: they don't even get there and they want to step in. They can't even get themselves together. You're already there. You have a flop here and there. But you're on the right track. Eli: Thank you Lipa, that's very validating. I appreciate it. Here we have an energetic hora, poal geviros, and I love it. It takes you back 20 years I mean, it's a little mystery because in an album of healing you brought in your inner child, you brought a song that it sounds like it comes from and oldie it sounds like I would say. It sounds like it's very old. Maybe you've had it in stock for a while. Is this a new song first of all? Or is it an older song? Lipa: So this is the same I made it up here together with, meaning I made it. But Yanky played on the keys. At Chasdie Hashem, at that same time frame. Talking about Zisha, Zisha encouraged me to add these 2 songs. It's possible that if not for him, Eli: you would just hold on to it. Lipa: then I would add another 3 heavy songs. And maybe it would be too much steak. There is something about listening to others' opinions. Eli: Right. Lipa: So Poel Gevirios, so first of all, it talks a lot about, it has the words Borie Refios. So this is already one thing. And then to go back, to make sense of it. I just sang it. Cause this is what came out. Could be subconscious lot's of stuff. But to make sense. Later I was thinking, what does Refuah mean? It could mean so many things. A person has to be strong, Poel Gevirios A person wants to have something new, enough with the old. Oise Chadushes. A person wants charity. He wants to be compassionate with himself not to beat himself up all day. It has so many things in it. Then in yiddish plain words, it has Poel. Poel ois. I'm calling this song poel, it contains all these things. And then Poel ois ales. Eli: I have 2 major questions that just came to mind, that I must ask. 1, it's a compliment, I noticed, there are some singers, they release an album. And everyone says it's sounds like one long song. I feel like you, I never thought when I hear your songs, oh this goes back to that. And you released the most albums from any other singer. That's number one. Question number 2 is, How do you come up with so many different genres you have so many, or styles whatever the correct word is. Slow, fast, in-between how does that come to you? Do you feel the blessing in that? When you compose songs, do you feel like you're sitting in a restaurant with hundreds of different dishes? Not just one type of food. So many other songs in your brain. What happens? How does a different styles songs come up every time? Do you get my question? I don't even know if I'm explaining it the right way. But the idea is. Better yet. Other composers, we know they have their style. He's good in slow, he's good in fast, he's good in Hora, he's good in energetic. How is it that you're a composer you make every style and it's so good? Lipa: so first of all, thanks for the compliment. I'm very grateful for the gifts I have, that I am like that. You can't take this yourself. You can sharpen it. You can work on it. But it's a gift. I once had, I went to someone for a session. That person told me that Hashem put in many many things into a small body. That person tried explaining to me that I have to channel myself. I used to, I struggle with a schedule. So my schedule by weddings is very simple because now's the wedding, this time, I have Gedalya, also a huge gift from God. Eli: Good guy, Good guy. Lipa: yeah and he calls me and says, ok, be there at this and this time. It's pretty simple. Eli: Right. Any other thing, like producing songs, practicing music, voice lesson, exercise meditation, breathing, writing songs, recording songs, add the mitzvas (good deeds) for cancer patients, add family stuff. What happens? There isn't so much time in the day. When I started doing scheduling, I started obsessing on this. Okay. I have a schedule. 10 minutes this. 20 minutes that. Then I saw that it wasn't really working. I have a calendar on the table that's according to the clock. A printed calendar. Not that I follow the time. I have this, I try, 2 weeks ago I started a new thing. I write down in the morning what I want to accomplish. At night, even if I didn't do everything, I accomplished some stuff. I feel like I accomplished something. Otherwise my brain is like, you didn't do enough. This goes back. It also has pros. So before the CD for example, I put a stop brake. I said I'm not doing anything except for performing wherever I'm hired and creating the CD. I mean nothing! I'm not talking about my kids. I didn't even exercise for 6 weeks. Which this, I really don't want to stop. I started again this week. I literally only lived for the CD. The next CD. I want to do it slowly. It shouldn't be crunch time. I've been working on the CD for a long time. But the crunch time, took away all of my time. So what I want to bring out, is with all the pros it has, there's also shortcomings. We want to do a lot of stuff. We have to balance it all. So how I have this gift, for sure it's a lot of work. I want to get to one innovation. Except for saying it's a gift. One innovation that I did break through, also after hard work. That I believe contributed to this. But before this, I want to add. It has a lot of advantages also, to yes. Let's say a composer that we recognize all of his songs. In the regular world of art, it's a blessing. Oh, it has value We know it's his work. Just like in paintings, one of the biggest things of successful artists, they have to develop a voice. We all know it's his painting. One of my biggest struggles is, I don't want to paint circles for the rest of my life. This is Lipa. I want to express myself. It has both sides. Then there is hidden Ingredients. And I know we can call it divine providence. But then you'll tell me what did you add? As if you want to hear a down to earth answer. But the real answer is there are hidden Ingredients, that we don't even know. Even in the entire world. You can see sometimes so many talented people in certain aspects. One of them is really successful for years. We think maybe it's this. Maybe it's that. And really, it's a lot of little nuances, Ingredients Don't laugh, the person's appearance, the essence, the way he talks, the style, the singing, the story. So many things contribute to the success of a person Of why it works. That we can't replicate. He does that. I remember Michoel, I hope I'm not offending anyone. You were a good friend of his To honor his name. It came out. Btw, I was just thinking. I didn't plan on saying it. It's vulnerable. I wanted to send it to Berry a message privately. I was thinking, I'm going off track. I'll remember both things. When I came out, Michoel was very strong. I came out. People went crazy. People would carry me on their shoulders. Let's say he was singing at a wedding. I came in, I took over for 20 minutes. I was the new thing. Only recently, it got me thinking. I know what it means, even for myself. In different ways. I can feel. Someone sings an entire wedding, I come in for 20 minutes. I already did it for other singers. Nowadays, you can talk to the singer in advance It's a normal thing. Everyone understands. You have your talent. I have mine. Whoever comes in as a guest star, usually takes over for 10 minutes But when I was a young guy, and he was singing for a nice amount of years. And I came. He always gave me respect. Lipe'le and he told me how good I was. After he passed away. I was thinking, I hope I never offended him. I was thinking, hold on, it's his show now, I was young I so badly wanted to be famous, that I didn't think, maybe I'm stepping on his toes. I didn't have the knowledge to tell him Michoel, last night at the wedding. Was I stepping on your toes? Is there anything I can do better to respect you more when I sing? I feel like crying when I say this. It would have been really nice if I did that I didn't know. It's important to tell others. I wasn't born perfect. I say this now, for Michoel Ben M'shilum Zisha, I hope I respected you enough. I never meant to step on your toes. At that time, I didn't realize, coming in to a wedding. And I do, I was a new energy. This is what I wanted to say Oh speaking of Michoel, the other thing I wanted to say was, there were people who wanted to copy Michoel when he came out One thing about me, I was always original. Let's say my biggest inspiration in style of singing the Yiddish way, is Mordche, meaning Mordche I grew up with him I used to imitate his vocals. Even though it doesn't sound like it. It's two different worlds. I'm very inspired by Mordche. It's the truth. I grew up Eli: I just watched the video of the Lipa Experience, we see there, where you say., "this is my role model." People ask me all the time. Lipa: it's true. It's true. I can go back to Mordches CDs and have lot's of nostalgic moments, that people have from my listening to my CDs. I'm very connected. Then we became friends. We're very connected. Even before hand. Just my inspiration. So of course I took it to the next level. Cause one day someone will take my stuff to the next level. That's just how it goes. The entire world gets better. I was very inspired by him. But I never copied. I always had this thing, of being original. I never wanted to be, let me do the vocals like this, I should sound like this. There's a big difference to be inspired. At Michoel his amazingness was his voice. There were people who tried to sing like that. I remember I was a young guy. At that time, I was already thinking, all these people are good for a gimmick. For a period of time. Because the original is the original thing. It goes even deeper, I'll take a deep breath before I say this. We have to be careful all around, on everyone's respect. But it's haytochen to say, the smallest thing that made him Michoel, was his voice this thing. In other words, this was his Poel Yoitzah from the bigger picture, from this person btw, his voice is .... I'll give you an example. In the secular world, people, on your podcast I can mention it. There was a blind singer, his name was Ray Charles. He used to sing in a very hoarse voice. When someone would take only this character, because he wants to sound like him and sing in a hoarse voice, and it's not working for him. He doesn't realize he's making the hoarse voice. He doesn't realize there is an entire package of singing, composition feelings that come out as a result. In that persons characteristics he's very hoarse. If you take this part, it's not going to make you famous. When people came and wanted to imitate Michoel, they thought if I move like this and I sing like that, they didn't realize that there's an entire package of ingredients. That most of it, we don't even see. We don't know what's beneath the success. We don't know. After a few years we see, this was just a phase. I remember asking someone, I'm not imitating him. I was born like this. Eli: Wow. Lipa: But you understand my point. Eli: The point that I take out of this is, Lipa: not that it is God forbid wrong what they did. Eli: The point that I take out of this is that there is so much uniqueness in every individual regardless of, yes yes. Things that you will never realize. Lipa: And you know who else won't realize? Not that I run a business that's named Lipa Schmeltzer and I have secrets that I won't share with anyone what makes me Lipa, no not this is the case. I myself don't know all the ingredients that makes Lipa Lipa. Eli: Right right. I can share my experience. You can start tomorrow to learn how to paint you can immerse yourself into it for the next 3 years, you can become the best painter. In art there is an amazing analogy, you can have a podcast just for this itself. Especially by our community when there isn't much education about it many times people can say,: Who buys an art by us? Nobody buys it we don't need it. The next day, if we will go into a conversation that you heard there is art that's being sold for millions, he becomes a mechutin right away, ah so one day this could be worth lots of money. Now, from this word that art is nothing, to that that it is being sold for millions, there are huge worlds of people that don't actually have an income, people that have some income, people that get stolen, and why/what is his story, what makes him. You can learn till tomorrow and paint a beautiful picture of a forest and a picture of a face, if many people have made the same thing before, you won't be this unique artist. Eli: Right. So now there is a whole other thing, this goes back to the questions regarding the composition. We started why someone is like that and someone like that and I went into that regarding ingredients, you asked on myself. When it comes to the actual answer, it is a lot of hard work, it is a gift from God, and I don't know all the ingredients. Eli: Oh you're saying we don't know, Lipa: wait a second, and then it gets to this. In overall What is right or wrong? I will believe with passion that I know what I am doing, and look at my CD's, then there are people, with your entire podcast and everything that looks so amazing, they will laugh and think that I landed from the moon, they'll say that he's making himself crazy. When he composes a simple song it would be much better, it's a petty, nebech, and they feel that that is the main thing, they will convince you a thousand percent why they are right, and there probably is space for that. There will be many groceries where you won't hear healing you will keep on hearing trrrrtrtrtrtr, and you'll buy chips. Eli: Lipa haha I love you. okay alright. Lipa: I think I answered everything. Eli: You answered very good. He is showing me that were already at an hour in, it feels like we are sitting for ten minutes. We can go a bit quicker. I want to respect your time. Lipa: I also want to respect the time of the people who watch this. Eli: yes. So maybe we will go a little faster So first you have a good hura (fast dance) that you can sing and we already hear it by weddings. Lipa: Yes Eli: Zich Zein, this song is something, I think it right away became a favorite by people, you introduced Nachman I think he never sang in an album, a solo. Um, Lipa: I want to see you in me and I want to see me in you. Eli: Right. What does this even mean? and whatever Lipa: Yeah so it's very interesting, first you wanted to think that this is a love song, that's why you are smiling, that's what I am assuming right? Eli: Right. Lipa: The truth is that it is a love song but it is based on God. He actually, Nachman composed it and did not add in the pasuk and Nachman is very straight forward, meaning to say, as how I know him, he composed it from a very pure place. And people who have such meditation places and stuff, started singing it and it is interesting because by my own song I can challenge myself that I don't know if it is, have to see what the listeners will say. You say that you feel that people like this song, also simply means that I have a taste because I heard it and really like this song. I told him that if he gives me this opportunity, and he had many people who wanted it this goes into the blessing that I have of who I am, not myself just as in public, company that it's a nice thing for him as well, so I told him I want to have it. And I told him let's add a pasuk (פסוק) because as an abstract idea it would be, just sing it as is But I felt that אני לדודי ודודי לי is actually love between Hashem/God with a jew and a person, so just say it and it can bring it together very nicely. Also, this song didn't have a note where it went higher. Very many meditation songs, it goes many times just simple, one tone, relaxed. So I felt a little bit, in overall this entire CD, you're saying regarding the time, I think when we answer a long respond on one song, it answers a bunch of other stuff as well. So for example, Eli: You're saying that the further the less we'll have to talk about each song. Lipa: Exactly. Eli: Haha. LIpa: So I wanted to make a healing album, yes, but when a person is in a certain box, he thinks everyone is there. I always used to say, uh I don't know if I should be vulnerable and talk about myself. I was once in Israel and I had my times when I was up and down I was something whatever, call it the color red or green, whatever it was, it was Yom Kipur, I went to daven in Belz Beis Medrish. I was then for 2 weeks, I don't know where but somewhere in Israel, I was in my zone, studios or whatever. Not something who know what but I walked into shul for Kol Nidra, the shul was packed and it hit me. One minute, I'm back here, tons of chasidim, everything is still running I went into this Yom Kipur zone in one minute because I just down between all the people. What I'm trying to say is that wherever a person is he becomes very quickly inspired on the moment. Blessed people like us that can be one minute with thousands of chasidim at a Kol Nidra and then be on a podcast, not everyone has this. Very many people have boring lives. They want, give me my schedule I have 4 kids, I see by my kids as well, one more one less, someone wants structure, now I am going to shul, give me the zman tfilah I need to go now, he must have. Through my kids I can appreciate a lot more from where we come because I see, I have one son he wouldn't manage, He must have everything, this is halacha, this is structure, rasha says this, he must have it perfect. And that's why it's designed, we have all types of people, some people are very creative, some people are like give me my. So my point is, where did I go, it's ok. One second. Oh so when we sing like "zich Zein" and you are in a healing setting, you think that everyone will understand in one minute exactly what you are saying. And you want to release a healing album, and you are surrounded by people who are into healing, now understand where got here to the analogy of belz you think that the entire world is in healing. It's just like I say when a person let's say smokes, when a person is addicted to marijuana Eli: Right. Lipa: You'll talk to him, he will say, "you're crazy, everybody smokes! who doesn't smoke?" Then if he stops smoking, after 90 days he will say "you're crazy, everybody is helping themselves, people don't smoke anymore." This is btw also a song that we can have, everyone thinks that wherever he is at, everybody does that. You start eating healthy, today there is healthy food, people are waking up. When you eat cake and chocolate, look everybody eats cake and chocolate what do you want. Everybody thinks that wherever he is, you know I always say it's another song to compose, I told you the analogy of the photographer. Did I tell you that I once spoke with a big artist, he told me when he wants to eat soup he is thinking, should I eat the soup or should I photograph it. If I will photograph it, we have to bring lighting and the soup gets cold so there will be no soup. Or eat a god warm soup, he always has these dilemmas. When I talk I'm thinking should I compose a song out of it, should I talk about it on the podcast or will I compose a song out of it. Eli: Right. And that's the beauty of your mind. Lipa: Exactly. Eli: Very nice. Lipa: it has pros and cons, we were used to that everyone is the same, things change that people I am designed differently and this is a fact. This is it we can't fight it. Right. So when I wanted to compose a healing album I had to realize that I cater for many types of people, Eli: Right. and not everyone wants to hear the word healing now at the moment. So that's why I took off, it was supposed to be named "My Inner Child". That's why I put just Elazer Lipele because I felt it is giving everything, but it doesn't give you that smack on your face... A person, give me, let see Elizer Lipele, I don't want to see in my car all day when I look at the screen "healing". So when it came to Nachman's song, I really liked it I said we have to make it that a simple person should be able to sing to God אני לדודי ודודי לי and I think it is really nice for people, it brings a certain love and it is beautiful. Right. He originally made it in the English language and I translated it in Yiddish. So whenever something comes out first you think that's the original but in this case the English is first. Oh wow. It's going to come out I think Nachman has lots if fire in him. Eli: It blends very well the voices the way it mixes and you were happy to add on a different voice? I mean you don't usually do that. Lipa: Yes so I feel, I am very okay with that. If it's up to me I would take a few more duets, I believe it adds nice color. But I feel that when someone buys my CD he wants to hear a lot of Lipa also, because this is my CD. Eli: Correct. Lipa: There's enough place to have more duets, I think it's ok and Nachman is a. I also feel that with him I have chemistry with him, he has, as much as I think that I'm flying, he has tons of ideas and if I sit down with him and hold him down, I can get out of him together many nice songs and we will do it. Eli: Um your voice in this song, and specifically in this song which we just spoke about how deep it is and how you know, um your voice for that song is beautiful and I actually love, we see the contrast. You over here are the soft voice, sometimes you are the rough, but you are the soft voice and he is the thicker voice. And that's a compliment, I think that throughout this entire album your voice is just one hundred percent beautiful and perfect. Lipa: Thank you. Eli: Crispy and clear. Yeah talk about your voice because I know it's a little bit controversial. You had different stages Lipa: yeah different voice teachers. Eli: It can become very controversial what people say about the voice but I think over here it's great. How do you feel about your voice now and how do you feel about your voice in... I'll try to answer this in 2 avenues I'll make it short. The first avenue is in overall many things boil down to stigma and confidence we spoke before about being hoarse, I thought to myself let's say my voice isn't coming out so clear, let's say I'm singing. Here you say for yourself it's neat and clean, yes. And I am taking the compliment. But this compliment also causes me to think about this while I am singing and sometimes such a passionate cry comes out or when I sang it I felt my whole body cried out, my soul a word, but then I'm saying, me it's not perfect because, nobody sees how I am standing in the studio and they don't know all these feeling and later when you listen to it on the computer I hear that you can hear it not being so clear and I think, a petty because I sang it with such intense feeling why should I erase it. I still have that dilemma. Yes but the person doesn't know and make it beautiful and neat, what does it mean beautiful and neat? Like, continue about painting. So the old paintings used to be called big, 500 years ago, when the painter was able to copy a great face it should look like a photograph but they couldn’t say yet that it looked like a photograph, because there wasn’t yet a photograph. A painter was basically a craftsman who they hired to take a picture of their family so their grandkids should be able to remember. Later, when there were already cameras, the artist that let’s say, was with my way of thinking, and he had other people who said create plain pictures and came someone that everyone says he was a funny, crazy let’s say. Eli: ya Lipa: and he said everyone makes already these pictures; I want people to see the scratches. So, it sounds like this dilemma how you still wanna be an artist so I just wanted to bring up this point that it’s this dilemma and maybe with time a little you became older you scratch a little, ok. Then, on the other hand you can put in work. A person can lose weight, a person can work on his voice Eli: This is the reason? Lipa: A person can work on singing on tune, they used to not know that. You know, a person can take a piano a person sings completely off, I don’t know by which age because the older you are the harder it is. And a piano that is electric it doesn’t fool you, it singing perfectly in pitch and you video yourself with your phone and you hear how far off pitch you are, then you go again, and you go, ahh ha ahh and by mistake you make ahaaaa ok you hear it again, and you make ahhh and you’re better. You could learn it; it just takes time. So voice, I just told you two things I’ll tell you now a third. So the first I told you already the first point just a philosophy with the scratching and the art. The second is that you can learn and I have good teachers. Today I have Shimon Cohen, and I also learn online, I say openly I hope it’s ok. I mean for Shimon if I say it, Shimon is my (heimisha chavrisa) partner that if I have any question, I ask him because on the internet I can’t ask and then I can’t bother him all the time because sometimes I want to have an hour daily, I find things similar to what he does and I do it myself, and it’s ok. Like when someone has a gym instructor, but he also looks online. You can learn. And the third thing is a huge, huge innovation maybe I already said it in public a few times, when you say a person heard already like this like that, back then, today, that I had anxiety, and I didn’t know that this had the biggest effect on my voice. Eli: Oh my God Lipa: There are 12 muscles that are involved when a person speaks. Vocal cords you call it vocal cords is one thing. When you put your hand here, look how it’s supposed to feel, ahhhhh. Can you make- put your hand there, can you make ahhh? Eli: ahhhh. Lipa: Did it move more inside? Do you know how many things are moving? So when a person is over worked, he has anxiety where becomes the first hard? Here. So he feels in the middle wow I have a good voice and something, by the chuppah crazy, I had a good voice and I sang and- he doesn’t know he’s thinking the entire time that it’s not going to be good by the chuppah and he is afraid and what happens is, he stands by the chuppah and the fear that he has makes his voice just go beeping (scratching). Eli: I never knew this, this is unbelievable. Where did you get knowledge on this? Lipa: Me too, for years I didn’t know this, I’ll tell you a real story. I had a teacher Einhorn and by the way I want to bring out I believe that I have a part in smoothing out in the business. When I went into the business of singers there was still, every business still has 3 people that they decide if you have to fight or it’s going to be peaceful. So in the beginning when I went into the business there was a little more, I believe, maybe they don’t even know of it. But the being jealous is a natural thing and it’s always going to be and it’s if you work on it. I believe that I have a part in bringing together that ok everything is good, everything is peaceful, we are good with everyone, and by now we are like a family. And even though know there’s still here there a person who has little issues, so in the voice lessons there used to be such a thing, if I go to this teacher then this one gets canceled and this one doesn’t understand and this one ya, and I told someone once, I learned a lot from him he very much built a part of my voice, when I have to go high, a certain, that there still is. Then I had to go away to go a little soft, develop. Because I only went up high. Eli: now you have such a sweet voice it’s just wow. Lipa: Everyone has their part but I went away- Eli: I thought I was imagining it. But you’re saying, no, that it’s true. Lipa: I was once by someone, for a lesson, a story, I’m telling a story that I never said in public, the healthier you become the more you can tell. You need to take off the screen protector from the phone that everyone is afraid the other person will see he also sees shmiras halooshin Eli: chuckling Lipa: Anyway, so I was by Einhorn and Weinstock got married, you know the Weinstock that, Leizer? Eli: Yeah. Lipa: Leizer got married and Berry Weber sang. Eli: Ok. Lipa: and I wasn’t busy then with weddings I went to Weinstock as a gift to sing at the wedding. It was a packed crowd, and Beri gave me the mike, I remember- I don’t think he would remember it, but I remember I told him “I can’t speak” I felt like I couldn’t speak. He asked what happened? I said I don’t know. And suddenly, I was then going for help already for a lot of years, I went into my car- I sang , I pushed through Eli: Yeah. Lipa: I went into my car, I sang over there for only a few minutes, and I thought wow I went out from Einhorn, my voice was very good. I felt like I owned the world, I came from Boro Park to Williamsburg I come in and I am stuck Eli: Ye. Lipa: I realized wow it fell down a thought I haven’t sang in Williamsburg then in that time for a long time, I had (butter on my head) then it was whatever that I walked into a huge hall with black, full of people. I had my own noises in my head, and it made my whole voice for a minute something shame, crazy tight. Eli: Right. Lipa: that’s what it was and since then for a good few years more and more and more I never went back to that thought, I knew ok this is anxiety first I took something for anxiousness, and I say it here and I said it somewhere else for the reason that someone told me that I sing the song of medicine, and a person can say the doctor is telling me lipa doesn’t say lipa talks about not taking medicine that is abusive and addictive and I’m not talking of a person that has to take something like food for his health, so and I did what I could from that moment that my anxiety must go down in order for me. Eli: Right. Lipa: Yeah, and the healing started then at wedding how many years ago, I already go for many years to healing. Eli: Right Lipa: Now I’m a free man, I’m very calm now when it comes in the middle of a wedding a thing comes to tell me that I’m not going to be good I have ways how to talk back to it, it’s ok. You can talk, I’m here we will make it through. You made it through 26 years you’re going continue doing it. Eli: wow. Lipa: and um you said before that I’m an entertainer for over 30 years, I think it’s 26 years that, you said well because I’m singing from when I was a kid so Eli: Right, so somewhere over there. Maybe it’s more, maybe it’s 40 years. Um I want to talk about anxiety but I think that if I ask you it will take way too long to (explain). Lipa: Let’s see if I can make it fast. Eli: I want to ask how you overcome anxiety I know it’s something that you feel. Um in the zodiac we’re both water signs and um, Lipa: I’m a Pisces. Eli: You are a Pisces, I’m a Scorpio and I know that the water signs have the deepest emotions, and I know that that’s something you had, the anxiety, and probably still deal like you sing in the album anxiety is here to last. How can somebody get over anxiety? And a lot unfortunately a lot of young married men, teenagers struggle with this so if you can give a word on it. Lipa: So I’m going to try to. Eli: When they hear that you have it, that’s the most validating then when you give a method, they can apply it. Lipa: So first of all, we can talk about this all night and write books so I’m going to try to touch snippets and bits and pieces on the topic. Eli: I want to know how you define it and how you deal with it? Lipa: I first said it and I said it already a few times I think I’m going to say it more and more things are just going to happen. The last 2 years I also... about all the healing I thought that if I’m not going to sing what am I going to do? It was also anxiety and income. Eli: yup. Lipa: I wanted to be I want to do this and that. I’m in a good place I feel like everything is going smoothly. I sing, and if I have to do anything else it will happen. Look how much I speak of help, and if I will need to open an office will happen. Eli: Right. Lipa: But the point is I want to hang up I have a degree in Sonia psychology, and I have a degree from Columbia in creative writing visual arts, and painting my things I want to go for a masters maybe I’ll still go but the word is that I hang up a huge degree in the center double the size of all of the degrees that says life experience. Eli: Right. Lipa: but I really feel that from that place I’m coming from. I was once by a chasidisha man that helped without a degree but he’s very very good, I went twice but my trigger why I went away plain because he doesn’t have WhatsApp and he has a flip phone. Eli: Ok. Lipa: And I thought not because of the flip phone. Let’s go into the trigger, I had a thing if I could get triggered if I’m allowed to give into the trigger or not. Lipa: and I was like I want he should help me, my entire business is with the times and technology and if he doesn’t know when I'm releasing a music video or my songs or what triggers- or where I am in life. Eli: Yeah. Lipa: when he has his flip phone it is hard for me I should be able to Eli: Communication. Lipa: ya. He should relate to me. But anyway, he told me a nice thing. I told him that maybe one day I want to become Eli: He is a what? An anxiety expert? Lipa: no, no he is just some guide. Eli: guide, ok. Lipa: I was just by him twice and he told me a few things. I told him that I want to maybe one day be a healer, and I want to go for a degree, a higher one. He told me you could go for a degree, you don’t have to go but let me tell you one thing. And it's a beautiful thing that he said: he told me when a person comes to you for help, do you know what you bring him? You bring yourself. You don’t bring your degree you bring yourself, if you are good and healthy. Eli: wow Lipa: then you could come without a degree and you’ll help them, if not you can have 30 degrees on the wall. Eli: right Lipa: and you won’t help them. It's powerful. So I say about anxiety I bring myself here. Eli: yourself. Lipa: so the topic of anxiety first, there are things in our community, the trauma of genetics that we went through. We went through things. Eli: right Lipa: This is inside our DNA. This takes time to break out, there are levels how much you have and you have and you have to understand- Eli: meaning you have to accept and understand that it’s a little bit in our nature Lipa: a nature. Eli: born with anxiety you’re not a victim of it. Lipa: ya and then, to accept it that it’s a gift as well; to live entirely without anxiety a person wouldn’t be able to live, a person needs to sometimes be able to think what am I going to do, plan for tomorrow. Eli: Right. Lipa: a person needs to be able to think I need to be careful a little anxiety you need to have. Lipa: First you have to accept it that it is a part of the gift of life you just got it with a ladle, ok. Eli: Yeah. Lipa: e are going to talk about it But first, it’s a thing that you can’t live without you must have anxiety. Eli: right. Lipa: Moda.... Al Kol Ha’Anxiety, call it anxiety call it horse, call it health. You must have a little. Lipa: afterwards, there is a concept of knowing that just like where we are now in this beautiful community, where we are all growing Eli: Yeah. Lipa: There is still a lot of peer pressure, and I sing about it in the Cd. Eli: Yeah Lipa: and peer pressure is what I want to go into another thing and I mentioned here about Gedalya I hear here another thing I see as if the thought lipa talks ahhh, he is worried for me. I want to put in that the healing is very accepted by the community, is because it comes from a good true place, it doesn’t come from a place of resentments. There is a difference when a person says our community has anxiety. Some can feel anger and there is a way to say we’re in this together. Eli: yup. Lipa: so the peer pressure it’s a person can realize that the more peer pressure you have the more anxiety and if nothing happens, if you take a pen and paper and you think what will make my life easier, my number thing is that I must be healthy, my number one thing is not that I must make happy my mother-in-law, father-in-law, father, mother. My number one thing is I need to be healthy. oops one minute before someone gets angry they need to say see I knew my father wasn’t right, my mother in-law… I'll tell you a story. Someone told me, he said a person who has a friend a therapist that a man was by him, and he said: "I want to put my tzitzit under my shirt, but I’m afraid of my father-in-law." And it went weeks back and forth about the tzitzit Eli: ok Lipa: I don’t like my tzitzit outside and I can stick it out but I don’t want a this- a whole back and forth. Then that therapist asked my friend that does a lot um healing and whatever, what do I respond to such a person? Lipa: My friend told me, I answered. Everything depends in the price that you’re going to pay. What causes you more anxiety? Is it going to make you more anxious, Eli: oh wow. Lipa: that you’re with the tzitzit under your shirt and every time your father-in-law sees you, you feel crazy and 3 days before a wedding you’re already thinking 3 days after you’re thinking about it, go already with tzitzit outside. Eli: Ya. Lipa: you’re going to feel, no, I feel anxious every day I feel more put together when my tzitzit is under my shirt I feel better is a kapara for the two days that you go to your father-in-law. So everything depends in the price that you pay take a pen a paper and what gives me the most anxiety? It's enough what I have. What makes me more anxious? Ok so me makes more anxious when I take upon myself last minute. When I need to cook things a half an hour to Shabbos that makes me crazy, ok this can’t happen I need to finish Friday, 12pm food needs to be cooked. There are people that Friday 12 a-clock their food must be cooked, this is crazy anxiety for them. For me it’s easier right before Shabbos. Eli: Right Lipa: So you have to know what triggers you and start with your 2 things, and take these 2 things off the table. This makes me anxiety, out. Sometimes can happen a flip, a slip, but Eli: Right. Lipa: Make it easier, you’re allowed to make it easier for yourself, then there are things I tell it to people people that I know, don’t come to me only when you just crashed, and I should listen now to 10-minute message about how angry you are. You don’t lose weight a day before the wedding. Do the work, do breathe work, this breathing בדוק ומנוסה no one can criticize it, that it’s not a medicine it is a medicine it’s acceptable it’s not acceptable the jewish way not the jewish way it’s breathing! Take every day 15 minutes uh but I wanted I just couldn’t I was busy… if it’s not your first priority to be calmer then we’ll wait. Eli: Yeah Lipa: But a few things, there is journaling. Some people in writing every morning just writing down the feelings. Eli: ya Lipa: You’re afraid someone’s going to find it, throw it away, it’s only writing. So in conclusion do what you have to do that you should be healthy. Lipa: Write on a paper what triggers me the most? What can I do to take off things from my life 2 things that will make me easier? Eli: Take inventory from your life. Lipa: yes inventory, you should know yourself. If you don’t know yourself who will know you? Eli: Right Lipa: so. Eli: and the third thing is- the second thing is don’t burst out in a specific place like understand Lipa: stronger, stronger you can’t tell that person he shouldn’t burst out. Eli: he bursts out, exactly. Lipa: don’t work on yourself when you crash out because you are now done (experiencing a breakout). Eli: right, put in healthy habits. Lipa: Healthy habits when it’s a calm green Tuesday that Thursday when there’s a hard moment you should be strong enough to keep yourself calm. Eli: Yes, and a good sleeping schedule, a good eating schedule a good social. Lipa: eating Eli: ya. Lipa: it’s a fact. This is another thing; you want to make an inventory? People say that food plays a big role in the mood. We are food from before we are born Eli: yes. Lipa: everything is food. Make yourself a note. Look, maybe making coffee gets you anxious let’s say you drink more than you’re supposed to? Stop for one week and see if your mood improved. Maybe this is what makes it Eli: ya. Lipa: sugar, one minutes, Motzei Shabbos I feel always bad I think it’s because of long Motzei Shabassos? Maybe because you drank alcohol today and you ate cholent that had all types of spices and Eli: coffee and stuff. Lipa: and kigul that was cooked, and you don’t even know what’s in there, and then cheesecake in the morning and your stomach (gut) is telling you what’s wrong with me? He doesn’t know Yiddish he doesn’t know English your system only knows brrrrr Eli: Exactly coffee is an anxiety increaser and it’s proven. Lipa: It has no benefits except for keeping you up and I also drink it. But only 1 sometimes 2 a day, a half a year ago I took upon myself not to drink for a month to prove to myself that I can stop. Eli: Yes and I started drinking tea and people don’t know that a cup of coke, one of such big cups is like 1 and a half coffees. Lipa: Yes. Eli: Meaning you drink a whole Shabbos meal a bottle of coke it’s like you’re drinking 4/5 coffees that amount of caffeine that goes into your body. Lipa: Yes that’s so unhealthy! Eli: Yes. Lipa: We have no clue and the coke doesn’t fool you because we know that it’s anyway trashed so they will do what they can just to make it sweeter and to fool you in. Eli: Yes, ok, אוי להם (name of a song) Lipa: ooh. Eli: I told you, I sent you a message a day after the album, I told you that I listened to the Yiddish words I burst out crying I heard the when you say the pain of young men, and I see it, I get these messages because people listen to my podcast and my podcast is about wellness, and I see everyday messages, thank you thank you, you saved my life. So when I heard this pain I just I cried for other people Um ya talk about this song a little bit. Lipa: Um, ya so this is an example of, I gave the message and went on. In other words when I want to really go deep in, I can go another 4 hours rhymes on this song Eli: Right. Lipa: because the awakening on me was the, from this song that גלות doesn’t mean how I was brought up only that when נבוזראדן will chase the jews into גלות. Eli: Right. Lipa: And until Moshiach comes and we will bring sacrifices, because we don't relate with this in today's world. People say I have a car and I have a house. What do I need Moshiach for? Why are you telling me גלות (exile)? And to open them up to yes you do have a גלות. The peer pressure you live with every day, and you think that you're only good because you have a nice car, this is גלות. And this that kids want to be more connected to to their fathers and there's blockages, not because it's this one's fault or the other ones at fault, no one is to blame, but this is גלות. You only feel good if you're constantly told how good you are and how nice you are and you can throw a big party. This is גלות. And I could talk about this many more hours. And this song was made by Moishy Glauber - he also made it very meditative and on the same level. And it would come out oy lee na na na na na like that and I wanted it to be ooooooy leeeee on different levels. So I needed to find a way and it wasn't easy. I'll give you an example so that you could better understand. There's a bridge on top and you can either bring it down a level or build up a ramp. So I made the first note to build up to the second and third levels of the song so that it cuts more But the understanding of the song, he brought with the lyrics. For a long time I told him I have an eye on this song and not only that for a while I felt I don't really listen to songs from people Eli: Oh so you're saying he also made this song? Is it his song? Lipa: Lemme tell you He sang a song with 3 notes, but the structure was different. The first note isn't what it's like now so it came out that the song was three notes at the same level and there's nothing wrong with that. I myself made a song like that- mi sheomar liolomar dai . mi shoemar liolamar dai dai dai, it doesn't have a high verse. Not every song has a high verse. He made it from a place of Eli: Calm. Lipa: a place of meditation and I wanted the oy lee to be more of an emotion of begging. So it's his note the oy lee but in order to get to that place I wanted to change the first note and also could be its subconsciously, we are talking about being vulnerable. I invest so much money into a cd, and there's so much talent, so many songs, why should I sell someone else's song and two days later somebody will make a YouTube clip of it, so I also wanted to put in my thoughts and feelings- open, honest and blunt. I have already overcome the feeling that it's ok to have that healthy part of the ego that I anyways want to give my taste. So from Nachman and also from him I wanted to add a note. And I usually don't listen to songs from other people because I don't have time but God will find a way it should get to me with, and the yiddish words I added. Eli: So first my opinion I think that the tune Lipa: one min also the Yiddish words was implanted to me by a thought that Moishy Glauber told me that he thought the גלות by him the oy lee, I feel it's very depressing. The words alone are from kinus and I wanted to sing it to Yossi Shtendig and he said to me maybe people will find it too dark and when a person is at a wedding he's not in the mood of dark, that people died al kiddush Hashem. We are broken down from being cast aside, maybe I can sing it at a Chuppa a time that the חתן breaks the glass. Today people can play whatever they want at a wedding, but I'm saying I felt I don't know. So in this cd of healing, chasdei hashem has hope, poel gevuros I felt it's so dark. I'm saying oy lee they kicked us out and I said it to Moishy Glauber. So he told me he doesn't look at it like the גלות, when will we bring karbonis. He looks at it as children who don't have school! People are being thrown away by their parents! And there's so much pain in the world. Once he told this to me, I was like I must make this in yiddish. Eli: Right, I think that tune wise, I really love the tune. I think it's very warm. I have a question; what does it mean "smart men with a lot of talent the גלות doesn't let them reach the western wall?" I don't want a long explanation I want a short thing that I can understand. I don't understand the line. I want to understand Lipa: it could mean two things one simple Eli: Ok give me the simple explanation Lipa: one I didn't want to say but I will give an explanation I was thinking that I don't want to explain these lines. Eli: You don't have to; you have the right to veto the question. next song let's do the next song. Lipa: No I'm going to say. Eli: No, I purposely don't want to go into controversial stuff Lipa: It's not controversial, one is very simple, one explanation is and I'm sure people have many explanations that people can find on their own. But one explanation is people are so caught up with so many things that they don't reach their potential. Eli: This is what I thought. Lipa: They don't reach their own potential. Eli: They would be able to reach the western wall. Lipa: Because so many things bother them. The mind is very much in גלות and people can't reach their potential. I call it western wall. But it could mean business, it could mean anywhere a person can't reach because he's trapped in his mind. How many years have Lipa been trapped in my mind? Eli: Wow that's beautiful. Lipa: And in hindsight many many people are very fake to become leaders of Klal Yisroel. The way it's set up to become a leader by us with hereditary and what not. They don't have a chance to become the biggest leader. I felt that someone would explain it like that, and it could be controversial. So I made this play in my head that there isn't one father in the whole world that can criticize me like that, and I will answer him with this and he wouldn't be like whoa and he will accept it. Why? Because every father loves his child. So let's say one person will say maybe you meant this and you touched upon (you know what I mean} Then he should ask me this question and I will answer him. Do you know what I would want? That your son should become the biggest Rebbe. Eli: Do you believe in that? Lipa: Do you believe that your son would be the next biggest Rebbe. And every father will say you know what wow. But you really can't. But why not? Eli: Now think about it. Lipa: I think it's ok to give a little to think about. Eli: O-k the present. Did I lready say my favorite? Tis is my favorite. This is the one I heard the most. The one I sang all Shabbos. It's in my head and couldn't go out. I love the idea. Instead of oy vey I am in hoy ve . So how did you get to this idea? Lipa: This is one thing that just came in. There are things that you see are divine providence and it comes in and you want to acknowledge that it's your own ideas. But really, it's like honestly the more work I do on myself and the older I get, it's like so obvious that everything is pre arranged and the Rambam already struggled with this question. What does choice mean? Everything is prearranged so what choice do I have? And I will leave this for the Rambam But not from halacha or spiritual point but plain. But yes spiritual because from a spiritual perspective this story is all because we are driven, and it's designed like this that a person should make a personal effort. Because really, we came down to earth, I have a task (shluchos) and ideas come and the words that I spoke about a minute ago. Eli: So it just came to you one day? Lipa: I don't even remember where. Ho ve and Oy ve Not the song, that instead of oy vey, I want to be in hoy ve Eli : That's beautiful. It took me a minute to define hoy ve. Lipa: And the music is such a different sound. Eli: Very, I love it. I don't know. you come into the song so different. Lipa: Do you know how many people complimented me on this song? And I almost took it off the album because I felt that it's such a different sound then we are used to. It's like a chill, Tel Aviv something dry, the vocals aren't processed. Eli (singing) instead of hoy vey. Yes, you're a bit hoarse. Lipa: And I made the song in Israel. He took the guide, I was singing live and this is what he processed, and he put the music And I told him the plan was he will send me music and I will re-record it. He took every piece I put in and he put in the melody of the guitar and when I listened to it I already knew what he added. And for some reason people grew into it. Different kinds of people compliment me. People like it. It takes their feelings into a good place. In hoy vey, I'll tell you a few secrets that I'm not sure even you understood what I was saying. Hamtuna is a matuna (gift). What does this mean? Hamtuna means waiting. Hamtan, wait. Hamtuna in loshen kodash (hebrew) means wait, relax. Matunah Eli: means a gift. Lipa: means a gift. Hamatunah in loshen kodesh means the gift. In yiddish a Matunah . Hamtunah is a Matunah, a Matunah from God. And then I say a Matunah from Hakovah (הקבה). What does this mean? Eli: I don't know. Llipa: No one asked this. Eli: Yea, I don't question your songs. Lipa: How do you write Hakodesh boruch Hu in abbreviation? הקב"ה. So God has so many names, and you can put it in today's language. So a מתנה (gift) from הקב"ה (God). Eli wow. Lipa: Yes. Eli: That his name is a gift? Lipa no instead of saying the present is a מתנה a מתנה from God which is nice to say. Lipa: God has so many names and how many more artistic ways that you can call God is even better. So I put in a new one. A מתנה from Hakodosh buroch Hu, but like you read it with the abbreviation מתנה from הקב"ה . Hamtunah a matunah מתנה from הקב"ה. And in Hebrew, Matunah Shell Hakoba. Do you understand? Eli: wow I feel like it's a thing people don't get. It's amazing. One of the things I like is that you say instead of oy vey man gresta toivah (the best thing for me) bin ich in ho vey (to be in the present) in hey vo in hey ve. I love the nuance in the song. And when I hear it I think this is Lipa. Your mind went there. You were like a new rhyme. Let me make it a little different. Ok- Gezint (health). I think this song You sang it to me before the album came out and when I heard this song I said "ok I understand the album." This song kind of wraps up what we're talking about. Lipa: Yes, I also feel this way. This was also a very strong option for the first song, and I felt this would give out the whole meaning of the album. Ultimately, I didn't put it as the first song, but I feel that people, and more so middle-aged people, can very much relate. You think this and you think that You look around. What does life mean? How fast is life? And I want to be healthy and calm. That's it. Eli: Right- De Beste Medicine (the best medicine). I love this song. It's a very high energy song. The music from the beginning I love, and I love what you did in the end. You put in a bunch electric. You bought back a bit of the electric style. Throughout the album you have it. Lipa: This is Yanky Cohen. This is truly his brain. Eli: Delicious the song is just delicious. And it speaks to you because you say it's in my heart and I sing from hearts. Lipa: And there's another play in words. What? de beste medicine voos ich hub is in man hartz in my arts. (the best medicine that I have is in my hearts and in my arts!) Eli: ok what does arts mean? Lipa: In my ARTS!! My singing, in my painting. Eli: Haha You got me, you got me. Lipa you are unreal. Lipa: This is made for an ordinary person to sing it over in their hearts and I sing arts. Eli: Why do you do these things? So you can tell it to people? Lipa: Because look how beautiful it is? If not, this whole podcast would take only four minutes. Eli: You are unreal. Another few things I noticed. Lipa: I don't do it for this, I do it because this is what comes out. Eli: Because it's art. When you make actual art do people understand? Lipa: If not that then what? Why shouldn't I do my art? Eli: A few places in the album, you put in like self talk . Like you say ba ba ba this ba ba ba that. I saw it in a few songs. Lipa: Yes, now I'm struggling to translate an entire song to English, and now I need to change it just because of this. Eli: right right. Lipa: But I feel it's very important. Eli: The song the journey there's nothing really to say it's just beautiful. What was the inspiration behind it? Lipa: Very interesting the journey. I will tell you that I started this song about three years ago and people ask me what happened in כתה ד (grade 4)? So grade 4 was a tough year, and in grade 5 nicknames - old times. But basically, the inner child in me wants to talk to tell what happened But it's not relevant anymore, it's different times and hopefully that it's better now. But it's very tough and I sang this song. And all the years I carried stories and I knew this is my story and I really lived this. And after I did a lot of processing and healing, I realized this was small change and I went through things when I was much younger, and I thought let me change the song because that's where I need to go in deep. But I thought no, because I'm also singing for others. And there's people who went through something in grade 4 grade 5 grade 1 grade 2 It's all the same thing and who said that everything has to mean that he went through something? Someone can listen to the song and think how good it was for him in school everything was good. Eli: oh wow lipa: So who says everything is about going through something? Maybe I will listen to it in two years and think only of the good things I went through? But but, but today, I decided that I'm going to revamp this song with the Hebrew and English version. I decided to revamp this song like a whole new choir, different classes to stop by other classes go fast. So you can hear this track three times and hear many different tricks. Eli: Tzitzis . For a while I've been wearing tzitzis I strengthened myself and I think it's beautiful what you said. Lipa: Yes, it's very nice and it's nothing if you decide one day that it's not for you anymore. And it's important to say on a podcast because if someone decides he wants to do something different, but he says once I start today like this, and then tomorrow like that. Today a wool tzitzit cotton, shabbos. The mitzvah from the Torah is when you have a cloth dress, you should go like that. Lipa to Zishe, Zishe sit in the middle. Zishe arrived Eli: Welcome Zishale. How are you doing? Lipa: So it's custom to go dressed like that and tzitzit every day but it's also important to know that what you do is ok. We come from a place where we need to reconstruct, that whatever you do is so nice and good. And not to put the focus on what we are not doing. What are we yes doing? Eli: I love how he sings it. Lipa: Shimmy Eli: and you come in with the word tzitzis. Sounds like this was preplanned. He sings and it's beautiful and you come in with the word tzitzis Lipa: I put on tzitzis. One day I had this warmth for tzitzit and I ran around looking for thick tzitzit and then I was with Shimmy in Disneyland and I told him. Maybe I will make a song about tzitzis? And I tried, and I told him maybe you can also make a song about tzitzis. I wanted to give him confidence. Eli: Oh really? Lipa Yes. So he made one note and I added two note that didn't come out good because at the time I wanted to make the whole Vayomer. Vayomer is quite a long piece and there's a cantorial piece in the middle. So we remained stuck He put a note. We opened a group, me and him. A whatsapp group that's called Totty Shimmy composition. And I told him when you think of something, when it comes to mind, put it away, you never know. So one day he put in a different note unrelated to this song I decided the cd needs to come out already, and there's already too many songs. So I told him. I'm sorry, I don't think this song is for now And then I spoke to someone. Actually Hershey Weinberger was on the phone and I asked him and he told me, look, your son is never going to be 14 again. So I thought to myself and questioned my heart and I said my son is 15, and I decided we are going to do this. by hook or by crook or this cd is not coming out. Eli: wow. Lipa: So what did I do? I took the note that he made. I put another note then I added another note and then took the new one he didn't know about, that he made the unrelated one . He made it fast dan dan dan dan dan dan dan. It was like a new version of a note and I slowed it down and I surprised him. I made the production. And I saw a story that the song isn't one note two stance boom boom boom... Eli: Yes Lipa: Everyone can see themselves; someone sees their childhood as krias shema lman tizkori someone see the loy scosciri- the whole thing, and some can see the story of the exodus from Egypt. The piece of music in the middle takes you to how many years are we doing this? What's going on? Wow Eli: it's a beautiful lesson that you said that tzitzis is something we have been wearing all these years Lipa: So I gave him that song. He made a good job with the singing. and one day he sang a few tracks, and I picked a few songs, and Yanky sent me his music. And I went back with the music with Zishe, and Zishe just walked in, and I am spontaneous. A big part of me is spontaneity Eli: I'm all about being natural and not cutting anything. You know I learnt with Zishale in yeshiva. I was with Zishale together in yeshiva. Eli: I still have five songs. Lipa: By the way, before you go further, I want to say one word. I want to say that one, you Eli also have a story and one day you'll share your entire story as well. And yes, since u don't want to cut from others, put out your story as well. Eli: Yes, maybe one day. Lipa: So Zisha really helped me a lot, and Zisha is my nephew. And this is also a huge experience for him. But you were a big help to me. And I already spoke about you earlier in this podcast. Yes, Eli, we spoke about Zisha? Eli: Yes, a lot. Lipa: I created the entire cd, and if the cd was created just to take off a bit of the stigma not just from the person himself that goes for healing, but his sister goes as well, then the whole cd was worth it. Eli: and also you made it sweet. Lipa: Yes. Eli to zisha- ok nu Zisha: it was a lot of experience. Eli: What's the biggest challenge of working with Lipa? I will ask u specific questions. Zisha: One of the biggest challenges is that you can have an arrangement done and he will come last minute and change it. Here comes something else, make me the brass, make me different lines. Eli: At what point do you put your foot down? Zisha: So, for a moment it's a challenge because it's done, and it sounds good. But then you hear the finished project, and you realize, wow he had a point. Lipa: And just to point out to the next generation of music arrangers, and even those of today that I'm not just here to make you crazy, I want to tell them for an important reason. To learn something from it. People can also feel that they want to be a singer. I also want to tell the arranger to make me this and that because we are talking about people who want to copy me. And Lipa does this so u can do that, but also understand the whole package I do. I'm not just here to tell an arranger to re-do something. I let an arranger basically surprise me. Even though I may have had a different vision, I will allow the arranger to surprise me. Even though I thought it would go one way, I can go your way. Where I can get stuck is sometimes it can be that I just had a different feeling. One chord can change the whole song. But normally I put my faith in the arranger, hands down. I let them do their thing. Because I know I like it when people let me do my art. And when I put in Yiddish words and they comment right and left this verse do again. But I like when people let me do my own thing. Eli: But here you had new arrangers. Lipa: So I will tell you. I let everyone do their thing - do their art. When do I become for lack of a better word, strict? It is when I feel that someone wants to become a second person. The lines are repeated that we already heard twenty times And especially with new people when I argue with them. That person wants to come in. What does it mean to come in? He wants to come in and be like someone else but what he does not comprehend is he wants to be like someone. That's why he went into the business. So he starts to do stuff that someone already did, and I tell him someone already did that. So he responds yes but this will go at weddings. And I tell him it's true, but you want to make something fresh and new and later you'll thank me for it. And you need to erase this because someone already did this. And I give him a new sound and he thinks it sounds funny. And I tell him it only sounds funny because it was never heard of yet. And then the next person will want to copy you and then after he records everything, he comes back and tells me wow you were right. So only then I tell them what to do. Normal circumstances I let the arranger do his own thing but I feel if it was done yesterday and the day before then what am I bringing that's new to the table? Eli: right right I understand. To Zishe- tell us something that nobody knows about your uncle Lipa? First of all, the amount of chesed (good deeds) he does behind the scenes that I had the privilege to see. Eli to Zishe spill the beans Eli: I know a bit but tell me more. Zishe: I don't know if I may share. Eli to Zishe, tell us only what cannot be cut out. Zishe: People only know about chesed, but I'm talking about things that he has done that Lipa doesn't get any attention for like nothing. Lipa: Except for now that I'm getting some attention. Zishe- but I didn't say what. Ok what else? Lipa: Chesed, there's no better feeling than helping others. It's hard before, but after, you feel very good. Eli: They say the most selfish thing you could do is to do someone a favor. Lipa: Exactly. Eli: it makes you feel good. Eli to Zishe- do u have anything else in mind? Zishe; that the audience doesn't know? Lipa: How much time and energy this takes out of a person. Such a project. It doesn't walk by feet. It doesn't happen overnight. People say he has mazal (luck) why his particular cd, everyone talks about it. No, it doesn't work like that. Zishe: We are talking about recording for hours, days, and nights. Eli to zishe: Did you ever thought about walking away from this project? Zishe: never. Eli: I'm trying to get the scoop. I never had on a podcast that I brought up someone to talk about someone else. Zishe: I never thought about it. Lipa: The funny part is I remember when he was born. I remember his mother's wedding. And now we are sitting together co-producing. Eli: You have always been very supportive of your family. Lipa: Yes. Thank God, I try. Eli: You really worked hard. Zishe: I'll tell you more, it's not just family, you always supported my group. Oh! You're new? Lipa: Sometimes it's not easy because they don't always have experience. Not even necessarily in music, even just the way to deal with someone. Sometimes they are pushy, sometimes they simply don't get it. This is the main thing to do with people. To let them grow and give them a chance. I always tell people I had someone that I criticized some of his work and then he felt I may have hurt him. After I told him, he fixed it. I said look, sometimes I still make mistakes. The idea should be that you are open to listen. The whole difference between a person who is a failure or a success stems from mistakes. Both make mistakes. One says ok what can I do better? The other says it's your fault because you didn't tell me And that's the end of the chasina (saga) Eli: Right, the bottom line Zishale is you did an amazing job. Lipa: I already said this a few times about Zishe and I want to say it now again. That the main thing is that Zishe knows when to come in strong with his opinions and when to give space. When to push and when to take a step back. And this is honestly the main thing because a person doesn't want to feel intimidated. I remember back in the days, we are talking twenty years ago I could feel intimidated by certain people that I worked with. But I didn't tell them I just didn't work with them again, because it was hard. I need to be able to have my own space. So you need the space to be able to express to be yourself, and also know how to tell someone something. And when Zishe says something dayos (opinions) but I don't want to use the word dayos bec when Zishe says something it doesn't feel like dayos (opinions). Eli: Right Eli: Ok we have 5 songs - one min each - Man Michkind. Lipa: The song man mich kind speaks for itself. It was very hard for me to sit down and write the song. The writing of the song itself can take 20 min, but the buildup to write it is what takes time. So a creative idea like Moishe Rabeinu for example. The idea is there. I now need to take the patience and sit and write. And even this we can argue, because you can write it over and over and it gets nicer each time. But in this case with such a song the hardship is what am I saying. Am I talking to the michkind (inner child)? Is the michkind (inner child) talking to me? Am I talking to the communities inner child? Am I talking to your inner child? Is my inner child talking to your inner child as an outsider? In the end it went very simple, that I'm talking to my inner-child and that's it. I will give you an insider's scoop. There's a piece in the song tei ra ra rei …. And I added the last min right before it was almost mastered, that this is how you Eluzer Lipa'le commanded. You built a strong career and Zishe told me that the music is so nice and because we talk, we lowered the music in the mix and I feel like its calling for singing. And I told him there will be plenty of singing. I feel this cd is a closure and the talking is I'm just letting go of it. And understandably, I already had this with Zishe, and I mentioned it one time to him already. But I will now tell you another one. It was at 3 am with Waladorsky with the cover, and I went back to him and I said maybe I should take down the words? And he played back to me what I told him yesterday. That no, you are making this now and you wanted to put out these words so leave it there and it's good. So I feel like this. I have a friend who comes from Skvere - today he's a prosecutor in the army, American Army. He's now stationed in Denver and he told me he heard the cd and he was crying. And I hope maybe some people know who it is, and I hope it's ok. I've had a lot of history with him, many positive things and he was crying, and he told me this song needs to go viral to the whole entire world, in English. I told him it will go where it needs to go but bottom line it touches the hearts. Eli: Hishkif. I personally love this- crazy energy. Lipa: very fresh. Eli: Sounds like you love the song, it's composed by you. When did u compose it? Was it the same night? Lipa: No, I made it a few years ago. So it's important to know, I like colors. It's a very interesting thing; you can buy paint colors. And many paints are already synthetically modified with machinery. So if you need paint now, I'll make you the paint. Years ago, when we needed paint like 500 years ago, you needed to go to a specific stone like cobalt blue. So, you needed to dig out that stone from the earth and this was like in Africa or in France and it costed then and still cost now a lot. 50 to 60 dollars a bottle. So I feel that with singing a person is where he is in life. I can make tomorrow a cd with fifteen songs but it's important to give space. Why? Because the song I'm making today is quite different then the song I will make in two years from now. So I already have 3 songs that didn't make it into the cd, and I think it's good because let it rise, put it away and in a year I will make other songs and the taste Like the song Hiskif I made 3 years ago. Eli: One night you were just jamming? Lipa. Yes we were jamming. One night I called him to make music and we made a few things, and we saw which ones will come out good. And this song came out so good I told him take it now the way it is add music and we are putting it out. And it came back to me and by then I was in ten different places, and I was making other songs, but I let it rise. But we did add some nuances, harmonies etc. Eli: It feels like a real lipa song, and the energy of it the hayesh hayesh.You sound very passionate about it when you sing it. Lipa: I feel the message is also very good because what is it saying? It's saying that a person is meant to question, what is God? What does this mean? What is this trying to teach me? And why not? Why am I allowed to question? Hashem mishamayim Hishkif God is looking down from above. I started with the word mishamayim and then I saw how it goes with Hashem, and I was thinking maybe I should change the song. But then I realized that it's all part of Hashem, and I'm saying mishmayim hishkif I'm saying everything. And later I mention hashem so I said that the words are God is looking down from heaven to see if a person is looking and questioning as a smart person to see what does God mean? I think it's a very powerful message and in the end, I say and I want to see if people will ask me questions. I'm explaining it to you - the secrets, the small artistic nuances. For example, I say "up in the sky there is a window where God is looking up on us." We are used to the fact that usually God looks down on us but looking up on us has two meanings. Eli: Right Lipa: He's looking up to us but also that we are up and down (spiritually). Eli: I'm thinking that you put in this album so many things that people can look upon as controversial, like you gave a good slap and said pick your poison. This is it. It's just like trump. The first week office he did 100s of things and people don't know where to hold him accountable. So I feel like in a sense you did a similar thing. You gave out so many lines that people can question instead of just listening to it. They don't have the time to stop by every line to think. What did he mean? Lip: This coin has another side too. It's not that I'm putting down.... Trump came in with an agenda of what he wants to do. Of course, I know it's not the same thing. I want to add, I am really in life what I sing I am actually. So these things reflect years and years of my growth. Eli; right. Lipa: I don't even realize it anymore. It comes naturally to me. And Thank God that I am at a place where God chose me for some reason to make a package that the message is received in the place where it needs to be. But a person doesn't need to be influenced by my thoughts ever. A person can get a message way deeper than I intended and according to his level, holier than I intended. Whatever the listener takes out. It has nothing to do with what I take out from it. A listener can hear a completely different thing. And today I hear back words that I sang 20 years ago and think I was so innocent. That line with the mind I have today, could've meant.... How did I sing this? People didn't think that maybe there's a meaning to it? And at the time I didn't mean anything. So it goes both ways. A person could look at it very simple. A person can take the song Hiskif and think what you think up and down or he could simply think I want to think of God. Every person can think differently. Eli: You say here: Holy Dovid Hamelech I am so connected to your soul. I'm asking you to please help me explain to the community that it's normal to talk about healing. It sounds like this is the essence of the album in one song. Lipa: yes! and this was also supposed to start the album. I wanted it to. Eli: First of all, where did the idea of Dear Dovid Hamelech come from? It sounds like you are very sad and emotional Lipa: it's very simple Eli: it's also very satisfying to listen to how you say it. Lipa: This is basically, God gives me an opportunity that not many people get to express my feelings as if it was a broadcast. Basically, this message in one word, this was not redone. One word slightly I felt that I made a mistake if you will listen closely and relisten The way I ask it is a little bit of a mistake. I don't even remember where because it's so complicated. When I say over there, I wanted to say when you say Ref Hashem Vnairufa (God heal me) it doesn't bother anyone that we talk about healing. Eli: Right. Lipa: But when we say it in English and we talk about healing people look at it as a stigma. But the way I said it fast was: we say everyday ref hashem vnairufa . But because it is not Yiddish or English it can be a stigma, I was a bit confused, and I wanted to squeeze it in but because it was so authentic the way I said it. Eli: You can see you mean it honestly. Lipa: Suppose I was giving a speech and I had a small tongue twist Eli: Yes. Lipa: and people understand. Whoever has obsessions will think... the message is there. I listened to it about 5 times and when I re-listen it almost sounds like a funny poem. I made a tiny mistake but people get the message exactly the way I said it. Eli: But here comes Lipa, because it's not a sad emotional song. You take it into a calm place. Eli singing Dovid Hamelech my first therapist ta ra ra ra rum. You composed this song. When I said before about different styles this is a different style. Lipa: So this for example was composed right before the cd was released. The idea that he's my therapist is an idea that's been cooking in me for a while. Eli: and the tune is? Lipa: and then I found a person named Moshe Yakov together with Zishe. When that person gives a chord, and I go into a certain zone and I just allow myself to sing. I sang the whole song and it almost has no changes. I sang over the vocals. There's a song like sada kadishe where there's no difference what shape it just comes out. Whichever way I sing it, that's the way it is. Eli: Shalom; another one that I really love. Lipa: Shalom is actually Zisha's credit because I didn't want to have it on the CD, I was thinking it's too simple. Eli: Oh this really brings in the simplicity into the album and maybe we can give him credit because I can see you wanting to have the album be heavy, but I need a break between the songs. Lipa: So one production secret for the people who are in production people should know Eli: yes. I have a vision that people can easily duplicate and think this way. And I would give a lecture when I teach that when I only have songs like oy luhem and I have 4 more songs like that, and I have 4 more songs like poel geviros and 3 more like chasdei hashem and this is the album. 13- 14 of such songs then it's just a reg album and it's too mainstream of an album. Eli: right. Lipa: And if I only had songs like the journey and like Dovid Hamelech is my therapist - such 13 songs it would be like Lipa you have gone too far .So Zisha brought a balance, and Yanky Steinmetz sat here and this is a little bit. Sometimes I'm on defense but ultimately, I take it in. When no one is around I listen to it, and I think maybe that person is right. So it's good for me that people know that sometimes you tell me something and even if I'm defensive but ultimately, I listen and I take some of it in. So I find that the album became a perfect balance of ok, there's some spicy stuff but there's also very simple stuff Because Moshe Jacob asked me this question. You say that you make very artistic stuff: you can see oy luhem is a number 10 also for a reg album you made 10 years ago. I told him you are right but if I made 10 oy luhems then its only one style. You need to be able to balance it. So oy luhem in this album stands out in a big way because it's the one and only song of its kind in this album. Eli: Wow right. Lipa: You understand and with chasdei hashem the same thing. 4 chasdei hashems wouldn't be the same thing. Eli: neshuma and neshimah also a unique idea Neshumah with a yid is a yiddishe neshuma . Lipa : So you can say neshima already has a yid because it's spelled with a yid but the neshima the breathes with the yid. There is the yid in the word because it's spelled with a yid. Eli: but it could also mean the actual yid - a jew. Lipa: Yeah It's very very interesting. Lipa: By the way is this even a breathwork? One song a neshima 3 min like this? But it's an introduction. Now a person can go to someone who does breathwork in Boro Park, Monsey, Lakewood or Toms River and ask him or in Williamsburg and tell him I heard Lipa's song and I wanted for a while to have a session. And it makes me happy. I sent in the last week several people for different reasons to certain things and I said to one person who's been on this journey with me. I said can you believe I have become a vessel, I get nothing from it. I'm not in this business. I'm not asking for a commission. He asked me and I gave him a number. I feel like he would fit with this person, so I recommended him. Go do something. It's beautiful. What could be better? Eli: Right, absolutely, beautiful. Lipa anything else you want to add? I know where you're going right after this podcast. I know you're going to record. Lipa: Yes, I'm going to record the English but I'm going to take a break for a voice a little bit. Also, I want to record today because I want to give out the English one. But the difference of Lipa from days before to the Lipa of today is trusting the process. If I see that I'm getting tired in a half hour and I have a wedding tom and this can postpone the cd with one more week, and it's a season now with Purim and stuff but flow. The way it goes. Eli: ye in the right time - there could be some kind of change Lipa: Yes, I don't need to impress anyone. I already made the cd everyone knows about it. The English and the Hebrew is more lishmu (for God) then everything. Why? Because the Yiddish is my authentic thing. My fans come in and I'm getting the love and the feedback is amazingly good. But the English we are holding a few weeks after for the people that the right hype already was. They are listening to it quietly but there's no hype. But some lady in Lakewood and a young man in Los Angeles who only know English is right now going to tune into the cd and in there lies the mitzvah. Eli: right. Lipa: beautiful. Lipa I'm truly inspired by your journey by every word you speak. It's amazing and beautiful and congratulations for what you achieved and accomplished in your journey. Lipa: I will end off with one thing you asked me and to make a statement. there's a big artist Van Gogh and he left over 900 paintings and his story is pretty famous. I will say it here because it's a good learning lesson. His paintings are untouchable, they are in the biggest museums we are talking about numbers we can't even think about. Ok we can think about it yes. When he was alive - do you know how many paintings he sold? Did I ever tell you? Eli: no. Lipa: One painting. This huge artist only sold one painting. And he later became depressed and they put him in an institution. He cut off his ears and he sent it to his brother in an envelope. and then he painted a picture of himself, a self-portrait without ears and he died. I'm getting emotional from the story. So he left all these paintings, and his brother had all the paintings and he tried to sell them. In the olden times there were no food stamps and Medicaid and people tried to help each other. In families if someone was successful, they helped each other out. The world keeps changing. Think about it that not long ago one brother has money, the other doesn't so they live together and help each other. Families worked together, let's not digress from the story. The brother tried to sell the paintings, but he couldn't. This brother was barely married and it was very difficult. After Van Gogh died a few years later the brother got sick and he died. A sister in law that came into the family was cleaning the house and she found 900 paintings. She came in with a fresh energy and without knowing the backstory she said she's going to try to sell it. I don't have the exact details who was the first one to buy or she was willing to give it at cost price. She went from place to place and in her lifetime the name started to become big and got even bigger after she died. To sum it up a man puts in efforts into his works in this world and not always do you see the results, not always do you see the fruits of your labor. Here was an artist. Maybe it's not exactly our style, and we don't understand art, but he's today one of the most expensive artists in the world and he only sold one in his lifetime. He was broken they laughed at him, he became crazy. His brother who tried to help him, didn't have much success either and even the sister in law tried to sell a few. Only strangers recognized his greatness. And we don't understand right or wrong but not always do we get to see the fruits of our labor The punchline is: that I thank God that I am here. I'm alive and after many years of very hard work that I put in a place that I'm sitting on a couch and I started to breath in the nachas and love from a healthy place that people love my work and the wonderful feedback. And I hope to go on and be able to put in more and more work. And even sometimes when I put in the work and don't see the fruits right away I know from history from many other people in the world, that what you put in will eventually arrive somewhere. And if there's someone who is not getting where he wants, in the end the work will make a difference somewhere. Good night. Eli: Beautiful. Lipa: Eli and your podcast also. In years from now, when you will be a great great grandfather, this will still be here. They will say, look at zeidy (granpa) he was once skinny and handsome. Eli: beautiful. Lipa thank you. Eli: thank you, um listen, I am starting to value your art now even more, even though I loved it, but I can technically take a piece of your wall and run with it. If you notice something missing … Thank you everyone for listening and if you don't know by now check out Lipa's new album “Eliezer Lipe'le.” It's available on all streaming platforms or you can buy it in the stores. Thank you lipa for your time. I really appreciate it and wherever you listen to this, subscribe, leave a comment, give me some feedback, I really appreciate it. Check out the membership you can join the membership where you can see deleted scenes from, possibly from this conversation or from extra footage that I constantly record. We recorded footage for a vlog, I'll post it for the member that pay $9.99 to support the channel just helps us out. Keep in my that I also have a company Weber Media that does social media marketing, Instagram, LinkedIn, content to help you grow your business. Brand awareness and even to increase sales. Thank you so much for listening and remember our sponsors, Piece of Cake, Craft Roofing, Rottenberg and my friend Shloimy Bandau from Kleenery, and tell them obviously that you saw it on the podcast and tell them that because of us, even if you didn't actually through me, but if you can tell them that it's because of me, it helps me to get new sponsors. But really mention my name, Lipa: If they saw this podcast these words, it's because of you. Eli: I actually have a deal with all 3 of them that they will give discounts if you mention The Weber podcast so if you happen to need to move, or need cleaning or need a roof, the links with contact info for these companies will be in the description and if you want to get in touch with myself, there's a link in the description to my WhatsApp where you can follow, and there will be links to the album for all streaming platforms for Luzer Lipe'le. Lipa thank you, I love you it's a pleasure, Lipa: sure sure.