Israel’s Offer Nissim parlayed a teenage love of music into global DJ success, discovers Reg Domingo.

Opportunity came knocking for Offer Nissim when he was still in his teens.

“On Friday nights I used to go out to The Theatron Club, which hosted the first gay parties in Tel Aviv,” he tells SX. “I came to know the owner and told him about my desire to play. He was intrigued by my eagerness to play at such a young age. So, one night, when the DJ got sick, he asked me to substitute for him. The audience went hysterical and the rest is history.”

That history encompasses more than two decades and has seen Offer become one of the world’s most sought-after DJs, and arguably Israel’s best DJ export. Madonna, Beyonce, Donna Summer, Christina Aguilera, Suzanne Palmer and Angie Stone are among a long list of jewels in his remixing crown, along with Dana International, the controversial winner of the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest. Dana was the first transsexual to win the coveted mantle.

“Dana and I started working together and made a song called ‘My Name is Not Saida’, which was a parody on the song ‘My Name is Not Susan’ by Whitney Houston. The local radio stations weren’t too happy with the song.

However, after a couple of weeks we opened the morning paper and realised it became a huge hit all around the Middle East, where it sold more than 6 million underground copies in the Arabic countries. We started performing with the song and the local audience became captivated by Dana. After she became singer of the year in Israel I encouraged her to enter Eurovision.”

Ten years later, it’s a collaboration that continues to thrive. “I just finished working on a new remix for Dana’s old song ‘Going to Petra’. I am very excited about this new single and this is the first time I am telling the public.”

In 2005, Offer embarked on a world tour which saw him play at some of the world’s most prestigious clubs and events including Gay Pride in Montreal, Carnivale in Rio, and famed dance palace Roxy in New York, his most memorable to date.

“Each and every time I get on stage I get very excited. However I do remember the closing party of the Roxy in New York as one of the more exciting parties I have ever played in, since the Roxy was a milestone in gay culture in New York.”

That event follows a significant achievement for Offer, in which he was signed to Grammy Award-winning DJ/producer Peter Rauhofer’s record label, Star69, in 2004. A milestone, too, for the year marked the fourth consecutive year Offer was named ‘DJ of the Year’ and ‘Man of the Year’ by Israeli music and nightlife bibles, DJ Ha’ir and Layla. 

2008 is set to be another stellar year for Offer, who has just finished applying his sleight of hand to another one of Madonna’s tracks.

“So far I have made three remixes to Madonna’s songs: ‘Isaac’, ‘Jump’ and ‘The Beat Goes On’, which hasn’t come out yet, but I believe will become a huge dance floor hit just like the previous two were.” 

And he is set to appear at this year’s official Mardi Gras closing party, Homesexual: Superheroes.

“This is the first time I’ll be playing in Australia and it’s a great honour for me. I am very excited to take part in this huge production [event producer] Stephen Craddock has been able to put on.”

Asked what we can expect, the answer he offers is simple:
“We are going to have an amazing time!”

Offer Nissim is appearing at Homesexual: Superheroes on Sunday, March 2, 10pm-8am, Home Nightclub, Cockle Bay Wharf. Tix and more info from homosexual.com.au.

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