At the heart of ‘Hawk in The Nest’ lies a raw and unflinching belief in love, the kind that bruises, rebuilds, and lives in the silence after the door closes. This is the full-band debut of award-winning singer-songwriter Avi Jacob, whose new self-titled album offers lived experience, laid bare in eight soul-stained chapters.
Produced with Wolfgang Zimmerman and Joel Hamilton, the record is cinematic in scope, yet heartbreakingly intimate. Think the emotional clarity of Leonard Cohen, the warmth of Otis Redding, and the folk-rock soul of Paul Simon, all channelled into an indie-pop Americana soundscape threaded with horn sections and hushed revelations.
We sat down with Avi Jacob to talk about the new record, rebuilding after loss, and why live music is the one place where it all makes sense.
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Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in music?
I did not grow up in a musical environment, in fact I grew up in a very tense environment and music was my escape. I felt an emotional pull to music from my earliest memories, it’s just magical.
Who are your biggest musical influences and how have they shaped your sound?
My first love was the Four Tops , but my first real obsession was Michael Jackson . I wanted to sing and dance like him, he just had such charisma. Then it was Boys II Men, the Beatles Radiohead, Rage against the machine , Leonard Cohen , Modest Mouse, Hank Williams ,Townes Van Zandt, & D’Angelo . Now I spend almost all my time in my own world musically and don’t listen to much anymore.
Was there a specific moment or experience that made you decide to pursue music seriously?
Yes I was an organic vegetable farmer for 5 years and one day I had a show where I made two weeks farming wages in one night . Then I felt confident I could do it full time .
Can you walk us through your typical songwriting process?
It’s pretty simple , I have a strong emotion and I start playing chords until a message comes through in words and melody and I keep playing until it feels done.
How do you find inspiration for your music and lyrics?
By being aware of the suffering of the world around me , and by falling in love and getting my heart broken.
What themes or messages do you hope listeners take away from your music?
I hope they feel comforted. Unless they are MAGA, in which case I hope they know I fucking hate their dumb racist asses.
What challenges have you faced as an emerging artist in the music industry?
Well I’m not that good at social media and I’m not that attractive , so I’d say the music industry has been pretty much all challenges.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of your musical journey so far?
I love thrilling a crowd , every time it happens .
How do you stay true to yourself and your artistry in a constantly evolving industry?
My artistry is rooted not only in the soul of the music that has shaped me but in the values I learned from my father. The values I pass into my son . That as a society you are nothing if you don’t fight for the marginalized against the dominant white supremacist, woman-hating , anti-trans, anti-working class people that run this country (MAGA Nazis, and to a lesser extent , corporate Democrats ) So next to that there’s nothing that can touch me.
What can fans expect from you in the near future? Any upcoming projects or tours?
Release shows 1/2 and 1/9 in Boston and Providence . I’m making a new album that will be out in the spring that is an acoustic Americana version of this album .
Where do you see yourself and your music career in the next five years?
Performing at the inauguration of a less fascist and less senile president of the United States. And hopefully touring all the time if people like my music and performances enough . Oh also Fuck AI and anyone that uses it.
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Listen to Hawk in the Nest’s self-titled debut album below.
