Steven Smith Chats with the star .
Some songs entertain, others inspire, but every so often a piece of music comes along that reaches far deeper, touching something deep within us. Adagio is one of those rare recordings.
After spending years carefully nurturing the project, Shimi Goodman is preparing to unveil a breathtaking classical crossover interpretation of the timeless melody made famous by Lara Fabian. Produced by George Guerrette, with sweeping orchestral arrangements by Shay Alon and performed by members of the renowned Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, Adagio promises to be one of the year’s most ambitious independent releases. Available in immersive Dolby Atmos, the recording combines cinematic grandeur with deeply personal storytelling.
Accompanying the single is a visually stunning music video directed by Omri Dagan and filmed within the haunting beauty of an abandoned Victorian boarding school in Hereford. Together, the music and visuals explore themes of memory, faith, love, loss, hope and redemption, creating an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the final note fades.
Ahead of its release on 3 July, I caught up with Shimi to talk about the five-year journey behind Adagio, the challenges of bringing such an ambitious project to life, and why this deeply personal recording marks an exciting new chapter in an already remarkable career.
Tell me about Adagio. How did the project come about?
I’ve loved Lara Fabian’s recording of this song, and the classical piece it’s based on, for years. I was fascinated by the famous story that the piece was reconstructed from fragments found after the bombing of Dresden. I love the idea that even from the darkest of times, something so beautiful could emerge.
In 2020, I approached Shay Alon, whom I knew from the production of Salt & Honey, where he was the musical director and I played the lead role. I asked him to create orchestrations for both Adagio and Feeling Good. We recorded members of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra remotely while Chris Hamilton and I were performing in Asia. I watched the session streamed live from Prague as Shay conducted from Paris. It felt extraordinary. Hearing members of the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra bring those arrangements to life was one of the proudest moments of my career.
We completed Feeling Good and even filmed a music video for it, but then Covid hit hard. Our work came to a complete halt, the budget disappeared, and Adagio was left unfinished on an external hard drive for years.
During that time, Chris and I officially launched Tiano. We’d been performing together since the day we met, but the duo was really born during Covid. Once lockdown ended, we were fortunate enough to perform around the world, both as Tiano and in our solo shows, so Adagio remained tucked away.
Then, last year, I met producer George Guerrette backstage while he was playing trombone in one of my shows. He suggested we work together and immediately connected with both the song and its story. Together we completely reimagined the project. George suggested producing it in Dolby Atmos, which was a first for me. I loved the idea of giving this timeless classical piece a contemporary sound while honouring its extraordinary history.
George did an incredible job, and when Grammy Award-winning mixer Justin Gray said he loved the recording and wanted to work with us, we knew we might have something rather special. I really hope listeners feel the same.
Would you ever consider entering the Eurovision Song Contest? And what is your all-time favourite Eurovision song?
I absolutely love Eurovision! I’d love to enter the competition one day. I think Tiano could potentially do quite well, and it would be an honour to represent either of my countries.
Chris and I get completely immersed in Eurovision every year. We print score sheets and take it incredibly seriously. We’ve been invited to Eurovision watch parties before, but quickly realised they weren’t really for us. Everyone else wanted to socialise while we were busy analysing every performance. I even ended up shushing people! They weren’t too impressed, so these days we happily watch it at home.
Choosing my favourite Eurovision song is almost impossible. I may be slightly biased, but Hallelujah, which won for Israel in Jerusalem in 1979, still moves me every time I hear it. I also have a real soft spot for Conchita Wurst’s Rise Like a Phoenix.
The music video was filmed in an abandoned Victorian boarding school. What was that experience like? And what were your own school days like?
When I spoke to Omri Dagan, the brilliant director of the video, he immediately understood my vision. He found the location online almost instantly, and I knew we’d found the perfect place.
It was a four-hour drive from London to Hereford. As I was away performing, we couldn’t visit beforehand, so it was a bit of a gamble. Thankfully, when we arrived it was exactly as we’d imagined—an abandoned, eerie, beautifully decaying Victorian school that perfectly matched the atmosphere we wanted to create. I loved every minute of filming and also enjoyed designing and sourcing my costumes beforehand.
.It is reconstructed from fragments said to have been found after the bombing of Dresden”
Afterwards, I looked up the school online and discovered it’s one of the UK’s most sought-after ghost-hunting locations. Every time I watch the video now, I half expect to spot a ghost wandering through the background!
My own school days were incredibly busy. I attended a school specialising in science and engineering, but at the same time I discovered my passion for musical theatre. Gradually my focus shifted from academics to performing, and I spent most afternoons at my local community theatre group.
My teachers recognised where my heart truly lay and encouraged me to follow my passion. I began taking private lessons in singing, acting and dance, and thankfully it all paid off.
When did you first realise you had such an incredible voice, and how did your singing career begin?
Firstly, thank you—that’s incredibly kind.
It wasn’t something I suddenly realised. Other people believed in me before I believed in myself. I was often given the leading singing roles in youth theatre, but it wasn’t until I started performing professionally that I truly appreciated how audiences connected with my voice.
A real turning point came when I attended a summer course at the Guildford School of Acting. I was unexpectedly offered a place on the full three-year BA Musical Theatre course.
I remember thinking, “Wow… I must be doing something right.”
The plan had been to move to England a year later, but suddenly I had just one month to leave Tel Aviv and begin a completely new life in Guildford.
I was incredibly fortunate to have the full support of my parents, siblings and friends. Sometimes I wonder how different life might have been if they’d said no.
After graduating, I fulfilled my dream of performing in London’s West End in productions including Evita and Chicago. Eventually, however, I realised I wanted audiences to know me as an artist rather than simply as a performer in someone else’s show.
With the encouragement of my now-husband, Chris Hamilton, I created my own concerts. Chris introduced me to his agent at Gary Parkes Music Limited, and before long I was performing around the world.
Who have been your biggest musical influences?
Without question—Barbra Streisand.
I’ve always admired everything she’s achieved, both as a woman and as a proud Jewish artist. Her voice, her acting and her determination have had an enormous influence on my own musical journey.
I was lucky enough to sit in the front row when she performed at London’s O2 Arena. During the show I couldn’t resist shouting, “You’re like butter!”—a reference to the famous Saturday Night Live sketch.
To my amazement she actually stopped, laughed and spoke to me. We joked about creating a product called “Like Butter”—butter without the butter!
If I ever had the opportunity to sing with Barbra Streisand, I could honestly die a happy man.
“Barbra… can you hear me?”
How did you meet your husband, Chris?
We met while studying at the Guildford School of Acting. Chris had already enjoyed a successful career as an Oxford-educated lawyer and award-winning pianist before deciding to return to performing.
We’ve been making music together ever since.
We’re incredibly fortunate that we both love travelling and performing. We occasionally work apart for short periods, which makes us appreciate our time together even more.
Looking at today’s music scene, who would you most like to collaborate with?
Andrea Bocelli and Céline Dion would be absolute dream collaborations.
I’d also love to work with Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and legendary producer David Foster. If David Foster ever asked me to sing for him, I’d probably faint before I reached the microphone!
When you’re not performing around the world, how do you relax?
Honestly, by sitting on the sofa watching all the television I’ve missed while travelling.
I also love going to the gym, which keeps me focused, and whenever I’m back in London I try to get to the theatre as often as possible.
If you were hosting the ultimate dinner party, which five people—living or dead—would you invite?
Judy Garland and Gene Kelly would definitely be there. My father introduced me to their films when I was growing up, and they still remind me of him every time I watch them.
Barbra Streisand would have to be invited, of course, along with Golda Meir—such an inspirational woman.
Finally, Frank Sinatra. A wonderfully complex man with one of the greatest voices of all time.
Finally, what are your ambitions over the next five years?
I’d love to see Adagio enter the classical crossover charts and for Tiano to become a household name.
We’re slowly but surely moving in that direction. We have an incredible US manager who first discovered us through her sister-in-law, a Tony Award-winning Broadway producer. Together they’ve helped introduce us to audiences across America.
We’ve been fortunate enough to receive visas for artists of extraordinary ability and have already performed throughout the United States. We’re hoping to return to New York, Las Vegas and many other venues again this year.
Ultimately, though, success isn’t about fame. It’s about making people feel something.
If audiences leave our shows happier than when they arrived, then we’ve done our job. I sincerely hope Adagio touches people’s hearts in exactly the same way.
Adagio is released on 3 July, with the official music video premiering on 10 July.
2Shades Magazine 