As1one: Music Amidst Conflict
Introduction
On Oct. 6, 2023, the six members of the newly formed first ever Israeli-Palestinian boy band As1one (stylized as as1one) arrived in Los Angeles as so many groups had done before: wide-eyed, eager, and committed to launching a career in music.
Challenging Realities
Within hours of landing, reality set in — their homeland had been invaded.
The morning of Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists penetrated the southern border between Israel and Gaza and launched a surprise attack on nearby villages and attendees of the Nova Music Festival, resulting in the death of 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals, and the kidnapping of 251 people. An immediate declaration of war led to an escalation by Israel’s military and a counterattack. There remains no resolution to the conflict today, and there are still nearly 100 hostages.
Music as Healing
Barely settling into their Hollywood Hills rental, and about to hit the studio to work on material with the likes of hit songwriters Justin Tranter, Stephen Kirk, and Jenna Andrews, the guys were flooded with calls and text messages from back home.
“How is it possible for us to be able to create music with all that noise? There’s so much turmoil, so much inner conflict,” says Neta Rozenblat. “We landed with stars in our eyes, thinking how this is the most important thing that has happened to us. And then the next day October 7 happens. We’re losing friends, we’re seeing what’s going on in Gaza and Israel and it’s breaking our hearts.”
Rozenblat, like nearly every Israeli, knows someone who knows someone who was directly impacted by the attack. “When we were recording our song, “Stop the World,” I’m scrolling through my [phone] and I see that one of my friends was killed at the Nova festival. And then I have to go in and record a take. So, you transfer that emotion directly into the song. That’s our outlet and that’s what it’s supposed to be, to express yourself.”
“Neta and I lost very close friends two days after we moved here, everything was so overwhelming,” adds Niv Lin. “The music is what healed us, singing and being together.”
Hope Through Music
Offers Sadik Dogosh: “If we lose our hope and our faith, what else do we have? This is the only thing we have to live for. Even during the hardest time, we have to continue living, there’s no other way. And music is something we can give other people, even if they don’t fully understand what we’re trying to do with our music. They’re going to feel the lyrics, the melody, the different tones and cultures. And that’s what can change people’s minds for the better. This is our hope.”
The Journey of As1one
As1one is the culmination of a two-year search for Israeli and Palestinian young male talent, spearheaded by veteran music executives James Diener and Ken Levitan, who developed Maroon 5 and Kings Of Leon, respectively, with a vision of defying politics with music in the form of a united crossover pop group.
The ambitious project was filmed as the four-part docuseries As1one: The Israeli-Palestinian Pop Music Journey, released today on Paramount+. The first episode follows the audition process and the bootcamp that took place in cooperate bi-national village Neve Shalom (Oasis of Peace, in Hebrew), located in central Israel.
Embracing Diversity
“What’s special about us is that you’ll hear six completely different answers to that question, and that makes our music unique, everyone has a different color and tone,” said Ohad Attia. “People think Israelis living with Palestinians is impossible. But we’re here together and we are not different. We have different opinions which we talk about. But it’s fine as long as you accept and listen. We don’t think it will solve the wars around the world, but we just hope that this will change even a few people’s minds.”
The Dream
“The dream is to be the biggest pop group in the world,” proclaims Rozenblat. “Of course, we are Israelis and Palestinians who represent something that is bigger than just us as individuals, and our altruistic wish is for that to somehow represent the future within reach. It’s important for us to bring humanity back.”
FAQs
Q: What influences do the band members cite in their music?
A: The band members cite diverse influences, including R&B, folk-pop, reggae, and Bedouin Sheilat music.
Q: How do the band members navigate online backlash?
A: The band members rely on themselves and the feedback received to communicate their message effectively, aiming to represent who they are and their music in the best way possible.
Credit: www.hollywoodreporter.com
