As1one

as1one is ready to use the power of music to unite people across cultures. In an intimate and lively conversation with tmrw, members of the Israeli-Palestinian band reflect on their journey—both personal and musical—as they prepare to release their debut EP. Follow their journey on Paramount+.

as1one is one of the most daring social and musical experiments in recent memory. Composed equally of both Israeli and Palestinian band members, the group’s existence is especially poignant given the current geopolitical climate.

What’s most fascinating is that the group’s existence is far from reactionary: the group was actually created years ago when auditions in Israel were held in 2021, leading to the formation of the six-member band. The group was formed by James Diener and Ken Levitan, known for signing Maroon 5 and Kings of Leon.

The group’s members are Nadav Philips, Niv Lin, Aseel Farah, Ohad Attia, Sadik Dogosh, and Neta Rozenblat, and they all come from diverse religious backgrounds, including Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths.

While some of the members had crossed paths before the band's formation, their most significant connections were solidified at a bootcamp, which brought them together for the first time as a unified force. "When it comes to friendships, all of those were cemented at the bootcamp,” Neta told tmrw.

as1one flew out to Los Angeles on October 6th, 2023 – just one day before the start of the current conflict between Israel and Hamas. Their current LA living situation is a testament to the group's unity. Despite the complexities of different backgrounds, the bandmates manage to create a harmonious living environment in Los Angeles. Sharing two apartments in the city, the band is divided into two teams: one apartment for band members Niv Lin, Neta Rozenblat, and Sadik Abu Dogosh, while the other houses Aseel Farah, Nadav Philips, and Ohad Attia.

The band works hard to ensure everyone’s faith and culture is respected, which sometimes creates interesting problems for non band-members. “Oh my God, people that have to cook for us? They have to bring halal, kosher and vegetarian,” Nadav joked while his bandmates laughed. “Good luck with that. Very hard.”

With the upcoming release of their EP in early 2025 and a major docuseries about their story, as1one is poised to make their mark on the global stage. The docuseries, now streaming on Paramount+, details their journey as a band. The weight of representing such a powerful narrative isn't lost on them.

“To remember what I've experienced and now to see it on a screen – it’s insane,” said Nadav. “I mean, we shared a beautiful story, so we're grateful to be part of this.”

“Music is the language of the universe,” said Aseel. “It's like a quasar that sucks in all of the gravitational forces and just brings a huge amount of light to the world. This is what brought us together as people who are different – very different in all kinds of places.”

“One of our hopes in this world is to make this cultural change in the way that the world will see music to be one of these few things that we have in common; but also inspire other things to come out and to be more strong, like science, like comedy, acting, all of these things. They are all things we have in common in every culture.”
- Aseel Farah

Outside of music, the members of as1one each pursue their own individual interests. Some enjoy playing video games and studying robotics, while others focus on fitness. The crew even boasts not one, but two former basketball players: Sadiq and Niv.

“I played basketball my entire life,” said Niv. “My dad is a basketball coach. I've learned about myself so much through it. How to be in a group, how to face challenges, and for me, the court taught me what it’s like to be on a stage. You know, the crowds are like audiences – they watch you playing. When I quit basketball, I missed that part the most. Being on stage.” When Niv’s mom suggested he become a performer, he quickly discovered the overlap between his two passions.

as1one’s upcoming EP promises to showcase the band's versatility, blending different genres and musical influences. Their first single, "All Eyes On Us," holds special significance, as it was recorded across three countries in the major cities of Tel Aviv, London, and Los Angeles—with the legendary Nile Rodgers contributing to its production.

as1one’s music represents a unique fusion of cultures, experiences, and faiths, their story is an inspiring reminder of the power of music to bridge divides and bring people together. When asked what “tomorrow” means to them, Aseel had this to say:

“It means infinite for me. The future is full of possibilities. We just hope that one day the world will be different. Of course, we don't have a solution to this conflict. So, we just hope that we can change some people's minds around the world that it's possible: Israelis and Palestinians can be together. Different people from every place can be together. We're all humans and we're all the same.”

With the release of their new docuseries and upcoming EP, the guys are ready to share their message of unity and respect with the world.