OneJerusalem.com

Shiran Shirazi is only 21, yet she is already making a big splash in Israel’s music industry. The daughter of Rikko Shirazi, whose recent run-ins with the law were noted here recently, Shiran’s continuing success as a singer and entertainer have been noted recently in such media publications as Barak Rom public relations network, NRG, and Yediot Ahronot. Shiran began her career as a teen model in a modeling agency owned partly by her father, Rikko. She also was discovered to be very talented as a singer and composer of pop songs that are becoming very popular with kids her age.

“I really don’t know what my father does, other than he is a ‘businessman’ who has a lot of connections” she was recently quoted as saying. Regarding Rikkos brief incarceration on a number of counts, including extortion and money laundering; “My father is a very strong person and took what happened to him very well. After all, a jail cell is no Five Star hotel. I would have gone to pieces (like Paris Hilton did) if they (the Police) would have put me there. Dad is very tough.”

Despite her dad’s ‘colorful ‘ occupation, Shiran seems to have no problem making it on her own in the very tough and competitive music and entertainment world, without having to go through the grist mill of talent competitions such as A Star is Born, Israel’s version of American Idol. The girl seems to have it all: a sensual and provocative appearance, a good singing voice, and a talent for composing her own songs. “I wrote a special song dedicated to my dad when he went to jail” she added.

Besides her looks and talent, this girl also has a lot of “moxey” or hutzpah as Israelis would refer to her being able to handle herself in the tough entertainment world.

Shiran had become a well known status symbol, driving in her black BMW ragtop in the Ramat Poleg neighborhood where she and her family lived until recently. This car appears to have been ‘totaled’ in an accident and she is now driving “something else”.

Shiran didn’t do army service, perhaps because she didn’t want to be there as “the daughter of Rikko Shirazi”. She appears also to have accepted her parents divorce about a year and half ago, and still has good relations with Rikko despite this “change”.

Many are comparing Shiran’s family to the immensely popular American TV series The Sopranos, which recently completed a six year stint on the Home Box Office cable network. The only “similarities” between the Sopranos (all Italian) and the Sirazi’s (Jewish of mixed North African and Southern European background) are “business enterprises” that both family heads are involved in. The Soprano family managed to stay together throughout the series, despite Tony’s constant philandering with a seemingly endless array of women, most of them of ill repute.

“You know, men who are divorced go out with a lot of girls” Siran said regarding her father’s recent social life. That’s nothing to make a big deal out of as far as Shiran is concerned. She is happy that he father is letting her do what she loves, and that is her music and lifestyle.

“My dad says that I am very smart and will go far with my career. We are alike in many, many ways; and both of us like to stand for hours in front of a mirror to admire ourselves.”

And judging from the way Shiran looks, peroxide blond hair and all, why not?