Singer-songwriter Ari Rabin — stage name Alnev — finds inspiration from musicians Frank Sinatra, Lorde and Panic! At The Disco. But growing up in an ultra-orthodox Hasidic community in Coral Springs meant that those artists were off-limits.
“My upbringing was very closed off. We didn’t have any secular movies or music,” says Rabin, 24, who just released his sophomore album, “And everything you left was blue,” on Nov. 13, his 24th birthday.
It wasn’t until age 11, when his sister allowed him to sneakily listen to Taylor Swift through an earphone in the backseat of a car that Rabin realized there was more out there than religious music.
“I was blown away,” he says.
Rabin’s first EP, “Vincent,” came out in 2024 and, today, he creates music full of catchy melodies, pop themes and deep lyrics.
Though his songs don’t discuss religion, he says Judaism is a strong influence behind all of his work.
“My goal is to create music that resonates with as many people as possible,” he said. “But on a micro scale, I definitely have a soft spot towards my community and Jews in general.”
In South Florida, Rabin attended Lubavitch Hebrew Academy in Margate. But at 15 years old, he moved away to attend a Jewish boarding school in Pennsylvania. There, he realized Judaism was more than what he had learned as a child, and he was encouraged to find his passion.
“It was the first time I’d ever heard about a relationship with God,” said Rabin. “It really reframed the way that I see religion.”
Instead of 13 hours a day doing Judaic studies, Rabin was given time to explore his own interests. He began writing songs and teaching himself to play piano.
Rabin’s upbringing put a strain on him and his family. He says his parents do not talk about his music. But his Jewish pride never faltered.
Now living in New York City, he still considers himself Chabad. Whether he is performing on stage — Rabin has played at the Gramercy Theatre in New York and the Music Hall of Williamsburg, and has toured in Australia — or creating music videos, you will never see him without his kippah.
“I’m showing up as a proud Jew. I think that being able to do that will empower other Jewish people to express what they’ve been through,” he says.
Rabin sings and produces all his music on his own, with the help of friends and former classmates from boarding school. His latest album was mastered by Grammy-winning Joe LePorta, who worked on Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.” But even with the star factor, Rabin still does it all from his bedroom.
“We don’t have access to expensive equipment, we literally have our bedrooms,” he said. “We do our best with what we have and I’m really proud of what we do with it.”
His bedroom is also where he writes most of his lyrics, which read like a diary — each song is a different entry about what he has gone through, whether trauma from growing up or a relationship gone wrong. (In his most-streamed song, “Van Gogh,” Rabin writes: “If dying was an art form, could I be your van Gogh? Pretty please.”)
His new album does have some joy. “It used to be that my songs had no light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. “If it was dark, it was dark all the way through. And now when I’m writing, I’ve noticed that there is a tendency to have a little more light at the end.”
No matter what he writes, though, Rabin’s focus is to be open and honest. He hopes that sharing his story will help others feel less alone with whatever they are going through.
Rabin credits his Judaism for his strong desire to help others through his music. “Growing up Chabad gives you this framework that’s really focused on outreach and helping others,” he says.
And while he doesn’t see himself returning to the strict Hasidic views of his childhood, he still feels very Jewish, saying he plans to keep a religious home and wants to have a family that follows the Torah.
“I want to have kids who believe in God and the Torah,” he says. “But I’m just trying to figure out exactly what makes sense for me.”
What he does know is that one day, he hopes that his music — and his kippah — will make it to a larger stage.
“I think it would be amazing for Jewish kids to look up at someone wearing a kippah on a red carpet,” he says. “I want to be a symbol for a Jewish artist that expresses themselves proudly — and there’s no Grammy-winning, kippah-wearing artist.” Yet.
To listen to the new album, go to link.alnevmusic.com/aeylwb.
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