While Taylor Swift performs to sold-out stadiums worldwide, six Olim in Israel are filling a gap she's never addressed – bringing her music live to a country she's never toured. Six musicians have formed Wonderland, a Taylor Swift tribute band, and are preparing for their performance in Tel Aviv on August 5, 2025.
The band formed in 2023 and derived its name from a song title from Swift's 1989 album, released in 2014. The band has received an enthusiastic reception from Swift fans at their performances, with one band member describing them as a "really fun audience." "Swifties get very excited when they hear their favorite song. It's a really fun experience being able to play for people that get so excited," electric guitarist Noah Levin said.
Wonderland comprises musicians from diverse American backgrounds who have relocated to Israel. Lead singer Hila Oz moved to Jerusalem from California, while Noah Levin, 23, plays electric guitar after relocating from Albany, New York, to Givat Shmuel. Shoshana Leshaw, 32, handles acoustic guitar and backup vocals while working as a music therapist in special education in Jerusalem. She previously lived in Teaneck, New Jersey. The band also features Katia Polyak on violin, who moved to Jerusalem from Dallas, Texas. The rhythm section includes drummer Tzvi Gordon, 32, a New Jersey native now living in Jerusalem, and bassist Oliver Hazan, 37, who relocated from London to Jerusalem.
The ongoing war in Israel has created challenges for the band's performance schedule. "Scheduling is more uncertain now because we don't know how the security situation will affect concerts that we scheduled," Levin explained.
The band spans Swift's musical evolution from country to pop across multiple album eras. Their Tel Aviv setlist spans Swift's 18-year career: "Our song," "Love story," "You belong with me," "Mean," "Speak now," "We are never getting back together," "All too well" in its extended ten-minute version, "Red," "Blank space," "Delicate," "Cruel summer," "Lover," "Betty," "No body no crime," and "Guilty as sin."
The August 5 concert will take place at Levontin 7 in Tel Aviv at 8 p.m., offering Israeli audiences access to Swift's catalog for only 50 shekels per person. The affordable ticket price contrasts sharply with international Swift concert costs, where fans often pay hundreds of dollars and travel internationally to see the pop star perform live.
