What’s your story as an artist?
I was born and raised in Israel. From a young age I was raised to believe that I can do anything I want and that there’s no limit to possibilities. Music and performing arts were always something I was drawn to and that enhanced my self expression, so it became my main focus growing up. At the age of 12, I decided that one day I’d study musical theatre in London. Growing up I studied at different musical institutes in Israel, and when I was 19, I finally moved to London to pursue my childhood dream. A year later I realised that with time I had drifted away from that dream, and that I was more drawn to creating and writing music, which resulted in me moving to a contemporary music institute. There I felt that I truly met “my people”, and through working and collaborating with them I discovered my sound and identity as an artist.
What do you want your music to communicate?
My mom is South African and my dad is Israeli, both from complicated countries in their own way. They raised me from a young age to be aware of the world I grew up in with all its complexity. I was encouraged to ask questions and not accept things just because “that’s the way it is”. I believe that mindset has heavily influenced my music and the discussion I tend to raise in my music. The youth of today are presented with many challenges, and are expected to just “deal with them”. I naturally find myself questioning this reality.
What are some sources of inspiration for your storytelling?
I’m inspired by my environment, whatever that may be. For example, the EP that features NUMB, (AmIAlive), discusses my own journey of moving to London and finding my place, the personal and social impact of Covid-19, and my general relationship with the world and myself – confronting vs escaping, loving vs hating, having a lot of hope but also fear.
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
That’s a tough one. I really like the general direction that the music industry is going in. There are so many artists doing interesting things, and almost every day I find that a song blows my mind in a different way, so I can’t say that I currently have one artist that I look up to more than others.
What’s the record or artist that made you realize you wanted to be an artist?
Another tough one! Growing up I was set on musical theatre as a career, but I think it was my Lana Del Rey phase that unlocked something in my brain and influenced me to start writing at the age of 14.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about:
After moving to London, I met an instrumentalist/songwriter and we just clicked. One day he came to me with an instrumental idea that he’d started a few years before we met. Straight away we had this vision of an apocalyptic universe that inspired the writing process of this song, and we just started building on that idea. The base of the song was done pretty quickly, and we just kept developing it over time as my team for this EP grew. We started NUMB almost 3 years ago, but kept adding to it until the very last minute. That’s the interesting thing about most of the songs we’ve worked on together. That even during the final stages someone says, “Hold on! I have an idea I want to try!” and that’s exactly what happened with NUMB. The guitars at the end were a last-minute addition, where we intended on replicating a car speeding through this apocalyptic universe, going over bumpy surfaces, screeching at a corner and eventually driving off into the distance. It was an intuitive addition that just elevated the whole song.
What inspires your sound?
I was raised on alternative and psychedelic rock (thanks to my dad) – Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Jeff Buckley… They paved my way. Later, I found myself listening to the likes of Daft Punk, Tame Impala, London Grammar, and PVRIS, who have more of an alternative electro/pop sound. My own sound is based on combining big, glorified rock elements with today’s modern electronic music.
What’s your favorite tune of yours?
I don’t know why, but You Know What I Mean by Cults has always held a special place in my heart.
Where are some things you really want to accomplish as an artist?
I want to live my life playing festivals… and to meet Robert Plant.
Favorite lyric you ever wrote?
“You might never even know that you’re the sun that makes it feel like home,” from my debut single Paper Airplanes. I went through a lonely patch before moving to London and for about a year after that, when I felt overwhelmed and confused. Those lyrics signify the moment when I began to find my direction with the people I met along the way.
Was there ever a moment when you felt like giving up?
I’m quite stubborn, so I can’t say there was…
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
“Just keep swimming” – Finding Nemo.
Where do you think the next game changer will be in the music industry and entertainment scene?
I think the concept of fitting into a specific genre is fading away, as along with “mainstream music”. I believe that the next “big thing” in the music industry is going to be that there isn’t one big thing.
