The first Israeli-Palestinian boyband was ready to take on the world – then came 7 October

Published

12 months ago

December 7, 2024

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It should have been a feel-good story: six young men, plucked from obscurity to become music stars. That’s how Neta Rozenblat, a member of boyband as1one, puts it.

Pop hopefuls do not usually find themselves having to navigate fear, grief and complex political issues before the world even knows their names – but theirs is not a typical story.

As1one are billed as the first-ever Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Arab boyband, put together following a two-year search by US hitmakers behind acts such as Maroon 5 and Kings Of Leon.

While the band has found considerable support, including from big names – they recorded their first single with Nile Rodgers at London’s Abbey Road – as Israel’s military campaign in Gaza continues, they have also faced criticism and some outrage. “Wrong Direction”, reads one headline, while other critics say the concept is in poor taste.

The six members, four Israelis and two Palestinians, are early 20-somethings Nadav Philips, Niv Lin, Aseel Farah, Ohad Attia and Sadik Abu Dogosh, alongside Rozenblat.

They are hoping to become the Middle Eastern version of BTS. They say all they ever wanted to do was sing – now, they also want to spread a message of unity.

After auditions and the selection process, the young men were flown out to LA to start work on 6 October 2023. “On to the next adventure,” they posted on Instagram ahead of the flight, not knowing what was to come.

The following day, they woke up to the news of the militant group Hamas’s attack on Israel; some 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. Since Israel’s retaliation, at least 44,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Israel claims it has killed more than 17,000 militants.

“We were just having fun, fulfilling our dreams,” says singer and pianist Lin, 23, who grew up in the southern Israeli town of Sapir, near the site of the Supernova music festival, at which more than 360 people were killed. During his early days in LA, he learned a friend had died. “Suddenly the war has begun. We really didn’t know what to do.”

They contemplated returning home, he says. “Then we realised we have a big opportunity. We can show the world it’s possible to be Israeli and Palestinian together… it doesn’t matter who you are.”

‘We are just six musicians, at the end of the day’

Speaking on Zoom from LA, the band members are sitting in a tight formation, camera ready, and take turns to answer questions, with 22-year-old Rozenblat, who plays piano, guitar and violin, taking the lead. They are all boyband gloss, smiles and enthusiasm, but respond readily to questions about their critics.

Rozenblat, who served as a medic in the Israeli army, points out the band was formed before the current war broke out and was “never intended to be a political statement”. But it’s hard not to be when their marketing highlights their “Israeli-Palestinian boyband” uniqueness.

“We all give our opinions, we all take each and every one of our opinions and our emotions very seriously,” says 22-year-old Palestinian Farah, the group’s rapper and dancer, addressing the imbalance of having four Israeli and two Palestinian members, and not an equal split.

“Me and Sadik have Palestinian identity, the other four have Israeli identity… in the end, we are here for our music.”

“This combination just made more sense,” Philips interjects. They were the six who worked best together.

“In the new context that we find ourselves in [following the outbreak of the war], it’s easier to look into it and to really try to find some sort of hidden meaning,” says Rozenblat. “People will see us as four Israelis and two Palestinians, but we’re just six musicians, at the end of the day.”

In a world divided, as1one are united through friendship, brotherhood and music. Our hearts break for all the lives lost, the injured, and the grieving. We are singers and musicians. We are Israelis and Palestinians. We come from the same place. Each of us is very different – yet we are all one. This idea guides our band and we hope and pray, one day, this idea will guide the world.

as1one, October 2023

The search for ‘diverse’ talent

The music executives behind as1one, Ken Levitan and James Diener, say the aim was to create a “global, state-of-the-art pop group from the Middle East region” and showcase the “incredible and undeniable talent from this area of the world on a global stage”.

They focused on Israel and its mix of cultures and heritages, says Diener over email, following the interview with the group. “Then, we set out to find a diverse group of singers, rappers, instrumentalists and dancers throughout the country.”

Farah is from a Palestinian neighbourhood in the city of Haifa. Abu Dogosh is from Rahat, an Arab Bedouin city in Israel’s Southern District.

Auditions for as1one were not held in the West Bank or Gaza due to restrictions limiting movement and travel, which were “widely known… even before the current conflict”, says Levitan.

Ultimately, there were no “workable scenarios” to scout talent in those areas, he says. “But our goal was to find as diverse a line-up as possible, and musicians who were part of the roughly two million Palestinian Arabs living in the state of Israel were included in our search.”

He says they sought advice from local experts, including Palestinian Arab musical experts, and ensured their efforts were “as respectful and inclusive as possible”, with the support of the families of those auditioning.

Can as1one be truly representative? And how do Palestinians in those occupied territories feel about a shiny, happy boyband spreading a message of unity, when the obstacles to peace are more complex?

‘We’re not politicians – we don’t have the solution’

In the interview, Rozenblat responds, saying they all only ever wanted to sing. Both Farah and Abu Dogosh have family and friends in the West Bank, they tell me.

“We’re not politicians,” says Rozenblat. “We don’t know what the solution is for the conflict. We are here to make music.” However, he acknowledges why their background has led to questions.

“We are Israelis and we are Palestinians. We experienced this firsthand… a lot of the time, people will talk about the conflict as two sides and forget there’s people [involved]. These are our families, these are our people, they are our friends. People that we personally know, they’re involved in this conflict, and we want to just remind people that we’re all human.”

They are all supported by their friends and family, says Attia, 22, a singer who plays guitar, bass and drums. “When we got here we all had thoughts to come back. We were so worried about our families and wanted to be with them because this is the hardest time of ours and their lives. But they told us they want us to stay here.”

A new four-part documentary follows the band’s creation and the work put in before their launch. More than 1,000 young men auditioned across Israel before the final 20 were whittled down in 2022, during a boot camp in Neve Shalom, a unique village in Israel where Jewish and Arab citizens live together peacefully.

After the six were picked, the cameras followed their journey to LA. Having been “raised so differently”, the six young men were all “trying to convince each other what’s right and what’s wrong” after the Hamas attacks, says Philips. “The right thing to do is to listen.”

“You have to die a little to learn,” adds Farah. “We have different backgrounds, different opinions… in the end, we all want peace. We all want a way to move forward.”

It has been a change of lifestyle, for some more than others. “It’s very different than home,” says Abu Dogosh, the group’s quietest member, who is shown in the documentary talking of his “simple” upbringing. “We are trying to make this our new home.”

‘If it has a good heart, then it can be good’

They want to be the world’s next biggest boyband, says Philips. They have just released their second single, Stranger, ahead of their self-titled debut album, following the first single, All Eyes On Us, the song recorded with Rodgers.

Farah says he has been inspired by the cultural change brought by BTS, who “broke out K-pop into the entire world”.

Together, as1one hope to make cultural changes, too, he says. “We want the people who make groups to feel courageous to do something a little bit controversial, a little bit risky – because if it has a good heart, then it can be good.”

Following the interview, Levitan reiterates Rozenblat’s words, saying “the world is a different place” now compared with when they started their search. “We are all looking at things through a different lens”.

But music is the soundtrack to people’s lives, he adds, and people will always find connection through it.

“All of that is what’s motivating us in the as1one journey – to create the best music, unite people and offer positivity. We are proud of as1one and their music.”

As1One: The Israeli-Palestinian Pop Music Journey is out on Paramount+ from 3 December

Entertainment

The Stone Roses bassist Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield dies aged 63

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2 days ago

November 20, 2025

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The Stone Roses bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield dies aged 63

The Stone Roses bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield has died at the age of 63, his family has said.

Mani’s brother, Greg, said in a post on Facebook: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to announce the sad passing of my brother.”

“RIP RKID,” he added.

Formed in 1983, The Stone Roses were a mainstay of the “Madchester” scene.

Mani joined the band in 1987 and formed part of its classic line-up alongside singer Ian Brown, guitarist John Squire and drummer Alan ‘Reni’ Wren. He remained with the group until their split in 1996.

Mani’s death comes two years after that of his wife, Imelda Mounfield, who was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in November 2020. The couple welcomed twin boys in 2012.

The Stone Roses frontman Brown shared a tribute online, writing: “REST IN PEACE MANi X.”

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher said he was “in total shock and absolutely devastated”, describing the bassist as “my hero”.

“RIP Mani – my heartfelt condolences to his twin boys and all of his family,” wrote the Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder, whose bandmate Rowetta added: “Back with your Imelda, Mani. Going to miss you so much. All my love to the boys, the family & all those who knew & loved him.”

The Charlatans frontman, Tim Burgess, shared a photo of himself with Mani, writing alongside it: “I shared this photo a week or so ago on Mani’s birthday.

“It never failed to bring a smile to my face – and that was exactly the same for the man himself.

“One of the absolute best in every way – such a beautiful friend.”

Echo & the Bunnymen vocalist Ian McCulloch said Mani was someone “who I have always loved and always will love, deeply and forever. Like a brother”.

He continued: “I am in shock to be honest. Please tell me I’m just having a bad, bad dream. My thoughts and feelings and Mani. Love to all of his family from me”.

The “Madchester” bands were known for blending indie with acid house, psychedelia, and pop.

The Stone Roses’ eponymous debut album of 1989 was a huge success, and was named the second greatest album of all time in a “Music of the Millennium” poll conducted by HMV, Channel 4, The Guardian, and Classic FM.

Entertainment

Half of novelists fear AI will replace them entirely, survey finds

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2 days ago

November 20, 2025

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Half of novelists fear AI will replace them entirely, survey finds

The novel has survived the industrial revolution, radio, television, and the internet. Now it’s facing artificial intelligence – and novelists are worried.

Half (51%) fear that they will be replaced by AI entirely, according to a new survey, even though for the most part they don’t use the technology themselves.

More immediately, 85% say they think their future income will be negatively impacted by AI, and 39% claim their finances have already taken a hit.

Tracy Chevalier, the bestselling author of Girl With A Pearl Earring and The Glassmaker, shares that concern.

“I worry that a book industry driven mainly by profit will be tempted to use AI more and more to generate books,” she said in response to the survey.

“If it is cheaper to produce novels using AI (no advance or royalties to pay to authors, quicker production, retainment of copyright), publishers will almost inevitably choose to publish them.

“And if they are priced cheaper than ‘human made’ books, readers are likely to buy them, the way we buy machine-made jumpers rather than the more expensive hand-knitted ones.”

Why authors are so worried

The University of Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy asked 258 published novelists and 74 industry insiders how AI is viewed and used in the world of British fiction.

Alongside existential fears about the wholesale replacement of the novel, many authors reported a loss of income from AI, which they attributed to “competition from AI-generated books and the loss of jobs which provide supplementary streams of income, such as copywriting”.

Some respondents reported finding “rip-off AI-generated imitations” of their own books, as well books “written under their name which they haven’t produced”.

Last year, the Authors Guild warned that “the growing access to AI is driving a new surge of low-quality sham ‘books’ on Amazon”, which has limited the number of publications per day on its Kindle self-publishing platform to combat the influx of AI-generated books.

The median income for a novelist is currently £7,000 and many make ends meet by doing related work, such as audiobook narration, copywriting or ghost-writing.

These tasks, authors feared, were already being supplanted by AI, although little evidence was provided for this claim, which was not possible to verify independently.

Copyright was also a big concern, with 59% of novelists reporting that they knew their work had been used to train AI models.

Of these, 99% said they did not give permission and 100% said they were not remunerated for this use.

Earlier this year, AI firm Anthropic agreed to pay authors $1.5bn (£1.2bn) to settle a lawsuit which claimed the company stole their work.

The judge in the US court case ruled that Anthropic had downloaded more than seven million digital copies of books it “knew had been pirated” and ordered the firm to pay authors compensation.

However, the judge sided with Anthropic over the question of copyright, saying that the AI model was doing something akin to when a human reads a book to inspire new work, rather than simply copying.

Most novelists – 67% – never used it for creative work, although a few said they found it very useful for speeding up drafting or editing.

One case study featured in the report is Lizbeth Crawford, a novelist in multiple genres, including fantasy and romance. She describes working with AI as a writing partner, using it to spot plot holes and trim adjectives.

“Lizbeth used to write about one novel per year, but now she can do three per year, and her target is five,” notes the author of the report, Dr Clementine Collett.

Is there a role for government?

Despite this, the report’s foreword urges the government to slow down the spread of AI by strengthening copyright law to protect authors and other creatives.

The government has proposed making an exception to UK copyright law for “text and data mining”, which might make authors and other copyright holders opt out to stop their work being used to train AI models.

“That approach prioritises access to data for the world’s technology companies at the cost to the UK’s own creative industries,” writes Professor Gina Neff, executive director of the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy.

“It is both bad economics and a betrayal of the very cultural assets of British soft power.”

A government spokesperson said: “Throughout this process we have, and always will, put the interests of the UK’s citizens and businesses first.

“We’ve always been clear on the need to work with both the creative industries and AI sector to drive AI innovation and ensure robust protections for creators.

“We are bringing together both British and global companies, alongside voices beyond the AI and creative sectors, to ensure we can capture the broadest possible range of expert views as we consider next steps.”

Entertainment

Princess of Wales says her children were ‘very sad’ to miss Paddington at Royal Variety Performance

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2025

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Princess of Wales says her children were 'very sad' to miss Paddington at Royal Variety Performance

The Princess of Wales has admitted her children were “very sad” to miss the Royal Variety Performance in London, which she and the Prince of Wales attended.

Prince William and Kate made their first appearance at the event since her recovery from cancer.

Wednesday’s red carpet show at the Royal Albert Hall was headlined by the cast of Paddington The Musical.

After arriving and being presented with posies by nine-year-old twins Emelia and Olivia Edwards, the family of staff at a care home for entertainment industry workers, Kate asked if they were fans of Paddington Bear.

The princess, wearing a green velvet gown, then told the girls that her children were “very sad” not to attend the show and added she had to tell them children were not allowed to go.

“My kiddies were very sad, we’re going to have to keep it a big secret that I saw you guys,” she said.

“They were very sad not to be joining us.”

It is the sixth time William and Kate have attended the annual charity event.

When Olivia told the prince, wearing a tuxedo, her favourite singer was Billie Eilish, he replied she had good taste.

He said: “It’s very nice to see you both. You’re very smiley, you two.”

The royals were also greeted on the red carpet by ITV board members and representatives from the Royal Variety Charity, of which the King is the royal patron.

The Paddington cast were set to take to the stage on Wednesday evening, while pop star Jessie J and Grammy award-winning singer Laufey were also expected to perform.

Held annually, the Royal Variety Performance was first staged in 1912 for King George V and Queen Mary in support of the charity, which helps those working in the entertainment industry.

Ahead of the show, its executive producer Giles Cooper said the charity was “thrilled” the prince and princess would “once again attend the Royal Variety Performance”.

Mr Cooper, also chairman of the charity, added: “This annual great British institution, viewed by a worldwide TV audience of over 150 million, continues to be a crucial fundraising event supporting people in all areas of performance, either on or off stage.

“In this pressurised world of working in the entertainment industry, our mental health initiative, started in 2024, has been a lifeline for many who are experiencing issues such as anxiety, depression or addiction.”

On Tuesday, the princess called on businesses to value “time and tenderness just as much as productivity and success” in her first speech since she was diagnosed with cancer at the start of 2024.

Speaking at the Future Workforce Summit, Kate told 80 business leaders: “Every one of you interacts with your own environment; a home, a family, a business, a workforce, a community.

“These are the ecosystems that you yourselves help to weave. Imagine a world where each of these environments were built on valuing time and tenderness just as much as productivity and success.

“As business leaders, you will face the daily challenge of finding the balance between profitability and having a positive impact. But the two are not, and should not be incompatible.”