Artical from Mtv Asia
Gil: Here he is!
By Joel DuDois
Gil Ofarim is a very busy guy. Not only does he write and preform almost all his own music and appear regularly on German television, he also has to take care of all his hair. So feel honored that this 17 year old star is taking the time to jet over to Southeast Asia soon to see all of you. Yup, he's only17, but he's already had a lot more than his 15 minutes of fame. Although he only came into the public eye in 1997, when he was spotted by a talent scout fot the teen magazine Bravo in his hometown Munich, Germany, he had already been preforming on stage since the age of nine with his, Abi Ofarim. Abi is a musician too, and has scored chart-topping hits in Australlia and Germany, for example, with 1968's "Cinderella Rockafella." So it's no surprise that Gil displayed a talent for singing and guitar-playing at an early age.
In his native Germany, Gil has released five singles and has appeared and preformed on many different TV shows, like the popular soap opera "Gute Zeiten, Schlechte Zeiten" ("Good times, Bad times"). He'a also been on assorted game shows. But he hasn't only been successfull in Germany -- around this part of the world, he is just as well know. He has gold records in Malaysia, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan, and platinum records in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Among other signs of success is this one: he had three of his singles in the Top 5 in Thailand simultaneously a feat never before achieved by other artists.
Those of you who are familiar with his debut album "Here I Am" will find that his latest, "The Album," sounds different. Gil remarks, "I've gotten older, but my fans have grown older with me." The honest soft rock of "The Album" will bring two names to mind: Bryan Adams and Bon Jovi. Apparently other musical influences include Nirvana, Metallica, and Aerosmith, with whom he would love to jam on stage.
Of the future, Gil says, "I will always make music." He's also like to be involved in the production side of the industry, giving a helping hand to other young musicians who otherwise wouldn't have the chance to make it big. He believes his father was responsible for his own rise to fame and would like to help others in the same way.
Well, you can find out if his music is as good as his intentions, when he tours Asia soon. "People should decied and find out for themselves whether I am a teeny bopper or a musician who is to be taken seriously. They should find out for themselves that I'm not only a good-looking kid, but that I have some brains, too." We'll see. If his hair is anything to go by, it's probably a sign that Gil is the owner of a very creative mind.