WZLY Interviews: Alnev on His New EP, Virality, and Building Community Through Music

Last week, WZLY DJ Marina Escandell-Tapias had the chance to chat with Alnev, a Brooklyn-based indie singer-songwriter, to discuss his sophomore EP, being an artist in the age of social media virality, his creative process, and building community through music. His EP, and everything you left was blue, is available for streaming now everywhere you listen!

Interview by Marina Escandell-Tapias ‘28

WZLY: Can you introduce yourself?

Alnev: I'm Alnev—Ari is my real name. I'm a singer-songwriter and musician based in New York City. I make alternative, singer-songwriter pop, and I’ve been doing it for about six or seven years.

WZLY: Can you tell us a little about your new album and the process behind creating it?

Alnev: This new EP is the work I’m proudest of. I listen to it now and think, how did I make this? I’m fully independent. I wrote all the songs myself and recorded them in my room or in my friends’ bedrooms. Everything I’ve ever released has been made that way—with whatever equipment we have and a lot of help from friends. Someone will come in to play bass, or help produce, or whatever we need. It’s a community effort.

“Everything I’ve ever released has been made that way—with whatever equipment we have and a lot of help from friends. Someone will come in to play bass, or help produce, or whatever we need. It’s a community effort.”

Photo Credits: Eli Jacobson

The process was faster than with my first EP, Vincent, which came out in June 2024. That project took from 2020 to 2024 to finish. For this EP, everything you left was blue, we started in 2023, so the timeline was basically cut in half. We’ve simply gotten better at producing. I’m really proud of it—and of my friends who worked on it. All the credits are basically just my friends.

WZLY: Can you talk a bit about your songwriting process, especially for this new album?

Alnev: Songwriting for me just happens. I don’t think I could teach it—it’s always been part of my life. If I experience something, I write about it, whether it becomes a poem or a song.

This project is a collection of songs I’ve written over the past couple of years that revolve around the same themes—heartbreak, loss, grief, the mix of grief and relief, and different representations of those emotions. It centers on a relationship—or multiple relationships—though listeners can interpret it how they want. For me, there was a specific muse: someone I thought was my soulmate, who turned out not to be. A lot of songs hint at that.

“This project is a collection of songs I’ve written over the past couple of years that revolve around the same themes—heartbreak, loss, grief, the mix of grief and relief, and different representations of those emotions.”

Alnev’s sophomore EP and everything you left was blue was released in November

My writing usually happens when I sit at a piano or guitar, play some chords, and something just comes out. Afterwards I think, what did I just make? Sometimes a melody comes to me in the shower or while brushing my teeth. It’s different every time. And sometimes I try to write and end up with something terrible.

Usually once a month, sometimes more, a song I really love comes out. Over seven years, I’ve probably written around 150 songs. Now I’m deciding which songs belong on which projects while still writing new ones.

WZLY: You’re like a machine—that’s crazy.

Alnev: I wish I could write every day. I probably could, but I don’t know if they’d all be good.

WZLY: Three good ones a month is a great turnout.

Alnev: Three is great, but uncommon. In October I wrote three, which doesn’t usually happen. Some months nothing comes out and I think, am I losing it? But usually I’m just busy. I can see my writing progress when I look back—different eras, different things I was processing. The music I’m releasing now is more reflective of the past. By the time songs come out, I’m no longer feeling exactly what I felt when I wrote them. That’s the case with this project. But I still love the songs. When I perform older music, it takes me back and lets me express those experiences. That’s the best part of being an artist—expressing what I’ve gone through and creating something others connect to. When someone says, “You’re saying what I’m feeling,” that’s the best feeling.

“That’s the best part of being an artist—expressing what I’ve gone through and creating something others connect to. When someone says, “You’re saying what I’m feeling,” that’s the best feeling.”

Photo Credit: Eli Jacobson

WZLY: In the months when nothing comes out and you feel stuck, how do you get through those slow periods?

Alnev: I definitely catastrophize and think, oh my god, am I ever going to write again? But there’s always work to do outside of writing new songs. I’m constantly working on older songs—promoting them, making content, producing. Even when I’m not writing, I stay busy.

I also take in new material. I listen to a lot of music and new albums, which fuels creativity. I watch movies, engage in culture, and that usually brings out more ideas. Sometimes I don’t even realize a whole month passed without writing until the end of it.

I also write poems, which come more easily because there’s no pressure—no rules. I probably have hundreds on my phone. They’re not part of my artist project, but I love them and sometimes share them with friends.

WZLY: Can you talk about your musical inspirations—both generally and for this project?

Alnev: My general top five inspirations are Panic! at the Disco, Frank Sinatra, Julia Michaels, Lauv, and Lorde. The order shifts, but Panic and Sinatra are definitely at the top.

I heard Melodrama when I was around 14 or 15, and it blew my mind. I thought, I want to make someone feel the way I feel listening to this. Panic! at the Disco was another huge discovery for me. I grew up ultra-Orthodox Jewish, so we didn’t have secular culture at home. I started secretly listening to pop music around age 11 or 12. Later, when I went to a school for kids who didn’t necessarily want to be rabbis, I finally had freedom to discover music and start writing. That’s when my artist journey really began.

“I grew up ultra-Orthodox Jewish, so we didn’t have secular culture at home. I started secretly listening to pop music around age 11 or 12. Later, when I went to a school for kids who didn’t necessarily want to be rabbis, I finally had freedom to discover music and start writing. That’s when my artist journey really began.”

Photo Credit: Eli Jacobson

I listened to all the Panic records then, and they’re still some of my favorite music. I know everything by heart—even the band history. Sinatra I discovered at 15 too, and I connected deeply with his voice. If I’m in a bad mood, putting on Sinatra instantly fixes it.

Lauv’s early project I Met You When I Was 18 was huge for me as a teenager—futuristic, clean production, great writing. Lauv and Lorde probably influenced this new project the most. You hear less of the Panic/Sinatra influence and more of the Lorde, Lauv, Lewis Capaldi, Billie Eilish, Conan Gray, etc.

I never set out to emulate anyone when writing or producing, but influences naturally come through. Some people say this project reminds them of Gracie Abrams, which I love—I’ve been a fan since 2019. But overall, I try to produce in a way that fits the song and fits my brain, not to copy other artists.

WZLY: Your single Van Gogh went viral and passed 600K streams. What has it been like being an artist in the age of social media, especially when it comes to chasing virality?

Alnev: I wrote that song in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns. Right after writing it, I knew it was one of the best things I’d ever made. I even posted on my story saying, “I just wrote the best song,” even though no one had heard it yet—I just knew.

During COVID, I was going live often because it helped me stay connected with fans, and people loved the song. It became this underground, unreleased track that everyone somehow knew. At shows, people would sing along even though it wasn’t out yet. It finally came out in 2022. It did well, but nothing crazy. I still believed in it, but I assumed that was the extent of its life. You really never know what a song will do once it’s released.

Over a year later, this creator named Prazul—great guy—posted a video featuring Van Gogh as part of a series about artists who make great music but don’t have strong marketing. His videos were doing well in general, but for some reason, the one with my song blew up. It got around 250,000 views, which brought a ton of new listeners my way. Then Spotify’s algorithm noticed the rising streams and started pushing it more, and that’s when it really took off.

I definitely credit Prazul and that video for a lot of the song’s success. I’ve always loved the song, but it’s interesting that it needed a viral moment for people to pay attention. It’s both exciting and scary. It makes you question whether every song needs a viral video to be seen, or whether you should just trust the music and keep going.

I used to think a lot about virality, but I don’t anymore. Chasing it is draining. When you expect a video to blow up and it doesn’t—which is most of the time—it’s demotivating. I’m not really a content-type person. I love making music and art, but video content isn’t something I’m passionate about. So when I put a lot of effort into a video and it doesn’t do well, it makes me wonder whether the stress was worth it.

“I used to think a lot about virality, but I don’t anymore. Chasing it is draining. When you expect a video to blow up and it doesn’t—which is most of the time—it’s demotivating.”

Released as a single in 2022, Alnev’s “Van Gogh” has gone on to surpass 600k streams.

Lately, I’ve taken a different approach. I noticed that the artists I know who are consistently growing post on TikTok every day. The content doesn’t have to be high-quality—just something slightly eye-catching. It sounds silly, but it works. There’s a slow, steady build. I’ve been posting every day for maybe four months, and every day I see a few new comments and my numbers slowly rise. Because the stakes feel low, it’s easier to stay consistent. If something doesn’t pop off, I don’t expect it to.

My relationship with content is always changing. I still need to figure out my Instagram. All my friends follow me there, and everyone always says, “Don’t post too much or you’ll annoy people.” But Instagram is basically my résumé—it’s what people see when they look me up. I want my feed to look good, so I get nervous about posting things that feel sloppy. But I know I need to find a better balance and post more.

Talk to me in a year and I might feel differently. It changes constantly.

I will say, even with all the frustrations about algorithms and oversaturation, I’m grateful to live in a time when artists who might never have been discovered can be seen. As much as I complain about TikTok, it’s amazing that a record label is less essential now. Artists have more power than ever to build an audience themselves and actually make a career through these platforms. So even though it’s difficult, I’m thankful for the opportunities it creates.

WZLY: Definitely. There are benefits and drawbacks, for sure. And it must be interesting trying to balance marketing yourself with spending time on the art.

Alnev: For sure.

WZLY: Can we talk a little bit about Brooklyn, or just New York as a whole, how that scene has affected your music, or even your perspective on the industry in general?

Alnev: Okay, so New York City, greatest city on Earth. I love it so much. I love that I live here. I think it's crazy. There's a gajillion people who would die to be here. Literally, I was driving — I don't have a car, I was borrowing my friend's car because I had rehearsals for a show. Long story, doesn't matter.

But anyway, I'm driving through the city, I'm driving back on the bridge between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and I just turned — don't do this while you're driving — but I turned and saw the city. And every time I see the city, and it was night, and it's the lights, I was like, oh my god, I can't believe I live here. It's crazy. I'm just so grateful to live here. So that's number one.

I would say in terms of artistry and myself as a creative: I'm an extrovert. I love people, I love meeting people, I love going around. I love the fact that the subway's always running. I love the constant movement. That's what makes life exciting to me — meeting people, having movement and interactions. I like to live. I don't really want to sit around necessarily and read books as much, although I will read books, like I'm trying to read more. But also I want to live. I want to go out. I want to meet people.

So I think as a creative it definitely… it's invigorating. It energizes me. There's something about this city; there are so many people, there's so much to do.

I think in that sense I have a lot of… I don't know if it's material necessarily, because I'm not generally writing about things that happen to me. But I think the more life you're living, and the more things there are happening, it builds up your creative experience. It's more — again, it's kind of like that fountain that I pull from. There's just so much. And if there's movement happening, if there's flow in my life, it will affect other areas of my life. So I'd say that's the biggest thing for me.

“But I think the more life you're living, and the more things there are happening, it builds up your creative experience….It's kind of like that fountain that I pull from.”

Photo Credit: Juda Katz

In terms of industry-wise, I'd say the industry is actually not as prevalent here in New York as it is in places like LA or Nashville. I go to LA every couple months and meet people. I've been to Nashville twice, I'm trying to go more, I love Nashville. And there it's very clear the creative music scene is popping. There's so much happening, and the industry is… you're standing door-to-door with the industry. Anytime I'm there, you always meet someone who's connected to the industry.

In New York, there are so many hustlers, but they're all different kinds of hustlers. So you're on a train — chances are you're not on a train with a bunch of music industry people. If you're in Nashville, if you walk into a room, you're definitely around someone who's either a songwriter or a musician. There's always something there. So I think in New York it's a little less… you're not really getting in touch as much with the industry. I wouldn't say I'm in industry buildings like you would be in LA or Nashville.

But there's still a lot here. There's still a lot of music. And I love going to concerts, so there's always a show in New York. It's nice to know I never have to worry about a tour not coming to me. I'm always getting to see a show.

WZLY: Shifting gears again, what are some non-musical influences that shape your creative process?

Alnev: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I would say I've gotten much more into the arts in general, as much as I can. I love artistic experiences, so, you know, seeing paintings. I used to not get it, and then I think it clicked one day, and I was like, whoa. Someone put a gajillion hours into this painting and made this. A human made it. And when you see that, it's like, damn.

I went to the Met, and I was blown away by the paintings. I was like, can I take these home? Art like that is just beautiful and inspiring. It shows the power of human art. It literally makes you feel things by looking at a painting. It's crazy.

Books as well, different books that I've read. I'm not sure exactly how it translates into my writing, but reading books in general adds more to the fountain, like I said. There's more to draw from as well.

Movies—just watching films, as I'd like to call them sometimes when I'm feeling fancy. Yeah, Letterboxd user here as well. I take my movie-watching seriously, and everything is rated. But yeah. I think engaging in the arts… Also cooking. I don't cook so much; I really want to get better at it, but I have friends who are amazing cooks. I don't know if it connects to my songwriting, but I'm sure they'd feel really good if I told them that, so maybe I'll just start telling them that. But friends being amazing cooks—that's another big thing. Eating good food.

I don't know—dancing. I love dancing, love going out. I don't drink alcohol, personally. I don't know, never—like, I just like being sober in general. I'm straight-edge, people say, but I don't know. I prefer to live life fully present in general.

So I love dancing, going out, meeting people, deep conversation. I'm kind of… I'm just a human. I don't know, I'm just a… I'm like a dude. I'm just a dude who likes living and also writes really sad songs. 

WZLY: That's awesome. And then, could you just talk about—maybe shifting back to music—what 3 artists do you think should get more attention? Like, give a shout-out?

Alnev: Okay, I'm gonna… I'm gonna… let me think this through, because I know there's so many. Okay, so one of my things, I'm like an A&R. Like, I'm not kidding. I find artists before they pop off, and I'm like, I know this dude's gonna pop off. I have my list of people. Whenever I meet industry people, I'm like, hey, I don't work for you, but here's who you should look at. And, like, I have a pretty good rate of knowing when people are gonna pop off. I'll probably talk about specific people who I either know personally. I'll start with people I know personally. There's this kid from Michigan named Intentions. He makes hyperpop… it's sort of like—it's basically hyperpop—but it's some of the best hyperpop I've ever heard in my life. It's unbelievable. He produces himself, he's extremely talented. He's still not huge. He's been popping off more in the last couple of months, but, like, found him I think a year ago or so? I don't know, somewhere around that time, and I was blown away by one of his songs. He's just so good. He's unbelievably talented. I think he has a great future ahead of him, and if he does—and not if, when he succeeds—you know that I just said that. So definitely look him up. Intentions. His Instagram is, like, IntentionsMichigan.

He's phenomenal, especially if you like hyperpop, if you like that kind of sound.

Other people that I really believe in… let me think. Okay, well, I mean, then there's people that are popping off that we know, I guess. I'm not sure if you know, but at least people who I think people know, because your TikTok feed is specific, so you think everyone has the same feed as you. Anyway.

So there's a couple of TikTok artists who I think are amazing, who deserve all the attention they're getting. There's Eli, if you've heard of Eli. She's amazing. Definitely look her up if you haven't. She just put out her album—I think it's called, like, Stage Girl, something like that? I don't know. It's phenomenal. Amazing music.

Annabelle Dinda, she's killing it on TikTok. She has that song The Hand. “Every time a guy writes a song…” She's an amazing writer. She's popping off.

I'm thinking, who else?

Oh, there's this dude… I'm telling you, I'm at the forefront of this. There's this kid named Doggone. Doggone, but one word. He's kind of in the Mk.Gee field. Some would even say he's a Mk.Gee clone, but he's good at it. Like, he's really good at it, and I think there's something to say for that. I would listen to his song “William,” definitely worth listening to. He's phenomenal. I think he's gonna do really well. I'm just watching his followers go up very little every day, and I know it's gonna go somewhere.

And then… who else? I mean, I have a friend in LA, Ary—A-R-Y. He's a great friend of mine. He's unbelievable. He's got the most amazing voice. He's got star power. He's literally like my Justin Bieber in my life. He's the best.

And he's a good friend, and I think he only has one song out. No, he has two songs out, but he's putting out more, and he's phenomenally talented. ARY. Definitely worth checking out as well.

And then I have other friends in my community, you know, like my friend Yosef David. He's unbelievable. We have a song out together. He's just so talented, and if you like any sort of folk, folk pop, he's really… he's just a beautiful person and an amazing writer and a beautiful vocalist. So I have a pretty wide community of the people in my life who I believe in, and I'm always trying to make connects between different people. I just… I don't know. I'm like an A&R. I should work for a label, honestly. I'm like, I know this person, and this person would make sense. Like, you be friends, and you be friends, you know?

But yeah, there's a lot more names, but I'll stop there, because I think I said a good amount.

WZLY: Yeah, you're, like, scouting.

Alnev: I'm a scout.

WZLY: That's awesome. Okay, we have one more question for you. What is one of your songs that your listeners should start with?

alnev: Okay. I would say if you love pop music — if you really love pop music, if you love some fun, if you want a good time — the Writer, for sure. I think even if you want to appreciate some good songwriting and great production, the Writer is definitely a great place to start. It's the first song on the EP, and it's exactly where it's supposed to be. It totally makes sense.

I would say if you're more an indie sad boy or a sad girl — do people say sad girl? I don't know — in that indie sphere, I would probably say at least we didn't try, another song on the record. That's just my favorite as of right now. It changes all the time, but I think that one is really tasteful. It's written really well. It's pretty sad, and there's something really special about that song to me.

I'd say if you want to hear an unbelievably written song — the production can always use work because it's an older song of mine — but Van Gogh, the one that's gone viral. I think there's something really special about it. As a piece of work, it's beautiful. To me it's like an art piece. It's like a painting, and I have the painting on my wall right there, the album art. That was made by a person. I have that — it's the actual album art.

But yeah, I would say those are the three depending on what you're leaning toward to start with.

But definitely, this new project — the entire thing is worth listening to. I think it's all amazing music. And when you realize it was done by an independent artist in a bedroom with his friends, and you listen to it thinking about that, it's like, oh, damn. There's something different about it, because it wasn't made in an insane studio. We literally made it with my equipment right here, literally.

WZLY: That's awesome. Thank you so much for making the time to answer these questions.

Alnev: Of course. First of all, they're great questions, and also, thanks for speaking with me. My mission and what I'm doing — I want to make as many people as possible feel less alone, feel more seen with what they're going through, and have something to connect to. So to me, any way to send that message out and get that to more people helps a lot.

By doing this, you're literally part of the process of getting a message out that will help more people and make people feel less alone and feel more seen. So I appreciate you very much for being a part of it. It's my honor to be able to speak about what I'm doing and have more people hear about it.