On November 26 and 27, 2026, Georgian singer Nino Katamadze will perform in Tel Aviv and Haifa with her new program Lilat. For the Israeli audience, this is a meeting with an artist whose voice has long been recognized from the first notes. But behind her music lies a story that includes a refusal to tour in Russia, helping Ukrainian refugees, and participating in protests against the political course of the Georgian authorities.
Tickets for Nino Katamadze concerts in Israel — Showman
Author: Pavel Shveiko, NANews — Nikk.Agency.
A voice that needs no translation
Nino Katamadze was born on August 21, 1972, in the Georgian city of Kobuleti, on the Black Sea coast. She studied at the vocal faculty of the Batumi Music Institute and began collaborating with the Insight group in 1999.
Her music combines jazz improvisation, Georgian vocal tradition, folklore, and rock. The singer often abandons the usual song form: the voice becomes an instrument, and the melody develops right during the performance.
Over the years of her career, albums Black, White, Blue, Red, Green, and Yellow have appeared. Katamadze has performed on international stages but has kept the Georgian language at the center of her creativity.
The Israeli audience is already familiar with her concerts. The organizer Showman reminds of past performances that were sold out. Now the artist comes with new music.
In 2019, she said ‘no’ to Russia
On June 30, 2019, Katamadze announced that she would no longer perform in Russia. The decision followed mass protests in Tbilisi, which began on June 20 due to the appearance of Russian deputy Sergey Gavrilov in the Georgian parliament.
Her last concert in Moscow at that time took place on June 22, already after the protests began. The singer called it the hardest in her life and referred to Russia as an occupier.
This statement was made three years before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. For Georgia, the issue of Russian occupation had its own history: after the 2008 war, Moscow recognized the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which the international community predominantly considers Georgian territories.
Katamadze made a public choice, fully understanding the significance of the Russian concert market for her career.
Ukraine became part of her life long before 2022
Katamadze’s connection with Ukraine did not start with the war. In 2008, she toured with the Ukrainian chamber ensemble ‘Kyiv Soloists’. In 2014–2015, she worked as a judge on the Ukrainian TV project ‘X-Factor’. Her protégé Dmitry Babak won the fifth season.
After February 24, 2022, musical ties turned into concrete humanitarian work.
On March 28, 2022, the Nino Katamadze Foundation was officially registered. It helped Ukrainians arriving in Georgia find housing, receive medical assistance, and find employment. Special attention was paid to children in need of psychological support and social adaptation.
In an interview with Ukrinform, Katamadze talked about how the needs of refugees constantly changed. Initially, people needed a roof over their heads, then work, legal assistance, and the opportunity to return to normal life.
On June 17, 2022, in Lviv, the singer also announced that she no longer intended to give interviews in Russian and would speak to journalists in Ukrainian or Georgian.
NANews — Israel News | Nikk.Agency considers her visit through this history of relations between Georgian and Ukrainian societies, well known to many immigrants from both countries living in Israel today.
Ukraine: ‘Chornobryvtsi’, concert in Kyiv metro, and Order of Princess Olga
In June 2022, when Russian troops continued to shell Ukrainian cities, Nino Katamadze came to Kyiv. On June 10, she performed in the capital’s metro, where concerts were held during the war to support Ukrainians. Georgian and Ukrainian musicians played with her.
The concert opened with the famous ‘Melody in A minor’ by Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk. The piece for the program was chosen by Georgian conductor Nikoloz Rachveli. That evening, Katamadze also performed the Ukrainian song ‘Chornobryvtsi’ — about maternal love, home, and childhood memories.
For the singer, this composition holds a special place. Although she performs almost her entire repertoire in Georgian, ‘Chornobryvtsi’ became an exception. Katamadze said she perceives the song’s words very emotionally and sometimes performs it during rehearsal before a concert to cope with stage fright.
In April 2023, she performed ‘Chornobryvtsi’ again — at two charity concerts on April 28 and 29 at Kyiv’s Parkovy Convention and Exhibition Center. The song was performed in a special arrangement and became one of the most emotional moments of the performances.
Recognition of her support for Ukraine also came at the state level. On May 23, 2025, Ukraine’s Minister of Culture Mykola Tochitsky presented Katamadze with the Order of Princess Olga III degree. The award decree was signed on September 4, 2023.
As reported by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, the award recognizes her contribution to interstate cooperation, support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the promotion of Ukrainian culture worldwide.
The Order of Princess Olga is a state award of Ukraine, recognizing women’s contributions to society and the state. For Katamadze, this became official recognition of her long-standing connection with Ukraine, which after the Russian invasion turned into ongoing humanitarian and musical support.
Georgia: protests, protection of a journalist, and a fine for civic stance
In Georgia itself, Nino Katamadze continued to publicly oppose the political course of the authorities and support participants in the protest movement demanding democratic reforms and the preservation of the country’s European future.
On January 26, 2025, the singer participated in a rally at the house of Kutaisi Court of Appeals judge Malkhaz Okropirashvili. Participants demanded a fair trial for Mzia Amaglobeli — a Georgian journalist and co-founder of independent publications Batumelebi and Netgazeti, detained during protests in Batumi.
On February 10, 2025, the Kutaisi City Court found nine participants of the rally, including Katamadze, guilty of violating the rules for holding demonstrations. Each was fined 5000 Georgian lari.
Before the hearing, Katamadze performed the Georgian national anthem.
For the singer, known far beyond her homeland, this was another instance where her civic stance had personal consequences. Katamadze does not limit herself to statements in interviews or from the stage — she participates in events shaping the future of her own country.
Lilat: new music and the Israeli stage
At the November concerts, Katamadze will present a program related to the new album Lilat. According to Showman, the material was recorded at the Trixx studio in Berlin, and the title in the Svan language means ‘Beloved’. Svan is one of the Kartvelian languages spoken in the mountainous regions of Georgia.
The singer will be accompanied by keyboardist Papuna Sharikadze, guitarist Giorgi Tsintsadze, bassist Levan Deisadze, drummer Alexander Japaridze, and saxophonist Giorgi Berishvili — Khondzi.
Concert schedule in Israel:
- November 26, Thursday, 21:00 — Tel Aviv, Beit HaHayal Hall, 60 Weizmann St. Tickets — 226–356 ₪.
- November 27, Friday, 20:30 — Haifa, Rappaport Hall, 138 HaNasi Ave. Tickets — 216–336 ₪.
Tickets for Nino Katamadze concerts in Israel — Showman
Prices and availability may change. Current purchase conditions should be checked with the organizer.
The poster was prepared with the participation of the project partner sTDe | NAnews — Israel event poster.
Nino Katamadze comes to Israel not with a political performance, but with music. However, her biography today can no longer be separated from decisions made offstage. And for listeners who know what has happened to Georgia and Ukraine in recent years, this music may sound especially personal.