Maya Bouskilla

Buskila was born in Netanya, Israel, to a religious family of Moroccan-Jewish descent. She was discovered by a scout for Helicon Records, one of Israel's best selling labels, who heard her singing in a karaoke bar. Four years later, Roberto Ben-Shushan and Eyal Malul became her managers.

Bouskilla claimed to still be religious when she was called up for mandatory service at the age of 18 and received a deferment. In April 2008, after criticism of her draft-dodging, Bouskilla voluntarily enlisted to the Israeli military for a short period, reportedly so she could set a good example for other young Israeli women. Her enlistment at the age of 30 made her one of the oldest new recruits ever to join the Israel Defense Forces.