Finding her own genre: Nicole Raviv blends Hebrew, Arabic, and pop into a new Israeli sound

International music artist Nicole Raviv is forging a unique sound by blending Hebrew, Arabic, and pop music, culminating in her new single "Hayati" and an anticipated album by the end of 2026. The song, which means "my life" in Arabic, is described as a flirtatious, sun-soaked pop anthem that fuses modern production with Middle Eastern influences.

The music video for "Hayati" captures the essence of Jaffa's colorful streets, featuring scenes with traditional props like a Moroccan tea set belonging to her grandmother and sunflower seeds, Israel's national snack. Raviv, embodying a pop-star persona, interacts with the camera amidst stylish extras, creating a visually rich narrative that is both unmistakably Israeli and deeply personal.

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Hayati is Arabic for “my life.” It’s equally as popular in the Arab world as its Hebrew equivalent - “haim sheli” used as a term of endearment by Israelis everywhere.

Raviv identifies as a "third culture kid," a term for individuals raised between cultures. Her upbringing in suburban Montreal involved navigating Romanian phone calls from her mother and responding to her parents in Hebrew, alongside French schooling. Her parents, though raised in Israel, had diverse backgrounds: her mother was born in Romania, and her father in Morocco. Their marriage itself was a challenge, bridging cultural divides between Ashkenazi and Mizrahi Jews.

"I've had a really long artistic journey to get to this point," Raviv told the Magazine. "I needed to try different styles before I understood what was actually true to me." This journey involved translating not just languages but also identities, leading her to create music that reflects her multifaceted heritage and experiences.

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I’ve had a really long artistic journey to get to this point. I needed to try different styles before I understood what was actually true to me.