"More Zionist than the Israelis themselves." Coach, speaker, singer, and French author, Sylvaine Messica is a multi-talented personality. With a deep sense of listening and rare empathy, Sylvaine easily puts herself in others' shoes and dedicates herself wholly to helping each person she encounters rise. By combining her two great passions, coaching and music, Sylvaine has achieved her mission: to do good around her and support people in their life journeys. The fateful date of October 7th changed her perspectives and the direction of her career; she now primarily dedicates her songs to her unconditional love for the land of Israel. Sylvaine aims, through her gift, to alleviate the suffering her people have endured for almost a year.
Sylvaine Messica, originally from Paris, is married to an artist and is the mother of three boys who are studying film. Since childhood, she has dreamed of breaking into the music industry. Given the inherent challenges of the profession, she started with a commercial career to ensure financial stability and simultaneously ventured into theatrical improvisation. She founded LIORA, the first improvisation league to spark artistic awakening within the Jewish community in Paris, organizing various shows. "An exceptional adventure," she says, which served as a springboard for her.
A few years later, Sylvaine established her coaching company "En haut de l’affiche," using improvisation and the arts—a unique concept that leverages her artistic talents to benefit others. "My creativity and intuition help me a lot. I offer personalized coaching, and I have trained hundreds of people in the business world through art and my expertise in theatrical improvisation and pedagogy," says Sylvaine Messica, who also teaches improvisation.
Author of two books, La puissance de la spontanéité : retrouver son authenticité, released in 2019, and 7 intelligences pour révéler votre leadership et construire le monde de demain, released in 2021, Sylvaine never loses sight of her goal: to express herself through song. "Singing is about laying oneself bare and exposing one's sensitivity; you can't hide—it’s where you can truly be yourself and aligned with your values," says Sylvaine.
Today, Sylvaine has fulfilled her dream, having been a songwriter, composer, and performer for eight years. She proudly made a name for herself with "Les filles de Simone Veil," a committed track released in 2018 that addresses the fragility of women's freedom with an ironic tone. "It’s funny because Jewish radios never wanted to play my song, and it was the French Christian radio that agreed to do so—there's not always Jewish solidarity," she says.
In 2023, Sylvaine openly showcased her love for Israel with "Tel Aviv, t’es la vie." A true declaration to a country she first visited at the age of 19 during a three-month experience at the Yagur kibbutz, which captivated her forever. Her pure Zionism, akin to that of the pioneers, led her to return to Israel more than 25 times. She now dedicates her major hits to it.
"My song about Tel Aviv was born during a songwriting workshop where we had to write about a city, and I naturally chose Tel Aviv. I have always wanted to shout my love for Israel, but in everyday life, there are few opportunities to do so. This track carries very strong Zionist messages. In September 2023, I made the video and translated the song into Hebrew with my cousin Nathalie, who made a true adaptation. Israelis loved it; it touched them directly," declares Sylvaine.
A Troubling Prescient Event
A few months before the war in Israel, early in 2023, Sylvaine had a profound experience during her hypnotherapy training that would radically redirect her career.
"We were doing a session under hypnosis on past lives, and I visualized the sun, the desert, the blue sea, and me in white telling people ‘stop the conflict’ with a large golden book from which hundreds of white doves flew out. It unsettled me, but I immediately understood that I was being sent a message about Israel," Sylvaine recounts. It felt like a premonition for the artist, as if God was warning her in advance of the tragedy and entrusting her with a mission.
Following this significant spiritual event, Sylvaine wrote a song about peace in French and English, "Music is where peace lives," which she addressed to the people of Israel but also to humanity. "I want it to have a universal reach. I made the video in a white dress to stay true to what I had seen during hypnosis. I want to speak to all people living through wars," Sylvaine declares.
Shortly after October 7th, Sylvaine recorded "My heart is blue," in both English and Hebrew. "The track was released in April 2024 in tribute to the victims and in support of the families of hostages. It describes my immense sorrow; my heart has been entirely Israeli since October 7th. I want to give strength and hope. The impact on me has been considerable because the attack on October 7th is an attack on all Jews and our identity," Sylvaine asserts.
"We must be proud of our roots and defend our identity. Music is far stronger than a thousand political speeches combined. I want to send love and positive messages and especially avoid falling into divisions. Our people need to be united away from political divisions that only serve our enemies," Sylvaine states.
Sylvaine is collaborating with a Christian African musician from Nigeria, Emmanuel Asuquo, on two EPs to be released in the coming months—one dedicated to peace and the other to jazz.
Sylvaine plans to fully commit to helping Israelis traumatized by the war through music, alongside psychologists.
"I want to coach Israelis on the ground because they truly need it after a year marked by daily tragedies. I want to convey my sensitivity and emotion directly to others' hearts because we all know how music soothes the soul and brings happiness, even in dark times like those we are living through," she concludes.
Caroline Haïat
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