As1one Interview
The first Israeli-Palestinian pop boy band, as1one, will release their debut EP on December 2nd. But for now, we have their sophomore single, ‘Stranger.’ Accompanied by an entire music video. In this interview, the group talks all about the importance of as1one and the future of their group with this upcoming EP and new single.
A Dive Into As1one
Why do you think your group holds a strong importance in music at this time?
Neta: I think people tend to look to people like us for solutions on how to make things better in the
world. We are by no means experts on politics or know what the answers are, but we do have
important stories to tell. We speak the universal language of music, and our hope is that the world
will listen to our stories and celebrate the culture of Israelis, Palestinians, Jews, Muslims, Christians,
and any other culture that we have the privilege of representing. Add onto that our true passion for
music, and you get as1one!
What are you excited to share on this debut EP?
Neta: I think the music is very unique, and it encapsulates our experience as a band over the past
few years. We are excited to share what we have to say because it’s something that no one has
heard before.
Does this single ‘Stranger’ demonstrate anything in particular over other tracks in the EP?
Nadav: So first of all, it is important to say that all of the songs on the EP are very different from one
another and mean something different to us in their own special way. We wrote these songs at
different points of our lives here in LA. “Stranger,” in particular, we wrote after a long time away
from home, missing our friends and family. So for us, it’s almost like a love letter to our families and
the people we love, as well as our homes and everything we left behind.
How has the reception of your group been since you’ve started to now?
“We’ve been giving it our all, and we will continue to do that. “
Aseel: Since we started our journey, the reception of the band has been really great. We’ve had the
chance to work with Nile Rodgers, as well as other amazing producers and songwriters. We’ve been
giving it our all, and we will continue to do that. Of course, our message itself is very sensitive with
the war right now, but we have seen that as soon as people hear our story, get to know who as1one
is and what these six guys want to do in life, we feel like people take a breath and listen. We hope it
continues to be this way, and we would love everyone around the world, no matter where you are
from or what your point of view may be, to listen to the music we make – listen to our story and feel
inspired to go out and overcome the differences with others.
Has your group’s approach to music changed in any way since you started?
Niv: I think our music has changed in a positive way. We all come from different backgrounds, which
makes it very special. When we go into the studio, each of us brings our own unique color and life
experiences to create a new song. It turns out beautifully because there is so much diversity in our
group. At the end of the day, we’re making pop music Sadik calls “Spicy Pop.”
What do you hope the new docuseries tells your fans?
“…all people can get along and create beautiful
things no matter what their opinions are.“
Nadav: We hope that it’ll give everyone who’s watching it, especially the people our age and the
younger generation, an example of patience, and that all people can get along and create beautiful
things no matter what their opinions are. Sometimes you’ll think differently or you’ll have different
beliefs, but it doesn’t mean you can’t love each other or get along and respect other people’s
opinions. We truly believe as a band that music connects everyone, and for us, personally, music
brought us together. For others, it can also be music or anything else that you have in common with
someone. For us it was the music, though, because we’re musicians, and it will always be one
language that everyone speaks. We also hope that people that watch our Paramount+ docuseries
will get to know us a little better and where we’re coming from, as well as how we started this
amazing journey as a band.
What is one thing a fan has said about your music that has stuck with you?
Sadik: There’s someone who once said “this song is what the world misses right now” and that hits
me different. That made me realize how simple it is, when two different people love something in
common, they are not different anymore. I’m really glad that our music can be something in common
for people with different points of view.
How do you hope to influence people in the future with your music?
Neta: We hope our music will influence how people look at Israelis and Palestinians in Israel, Gaza,
and abroad. We’re all about humanizing ourselves, telling our story, sharing our experiences, and
making some damn good music while we’re at it!