Alex Clare is really just a nice Jewish boy. Sure, his hit “Too Close” is currently the seventh most popular song in the United States and his music video has garnered more than 18 million hits on YouTube. But at the end of the day, he likes to get his dose of inspiration from studying the Tanya.
British Pop Artist Balances Stardom and Faith
Alex Clare is really just a nice Jewish boy. Sure, his hit “Too Close” is currently the seventh most popular song in the United States and his music video has garnered more than 18 million hits on YouTube. But at the end of the day, he likes to get his dose of inspiration from studying the Tanya.
“I have to say, it’s pretty easy being in this business and keeping the basics of Jewish law,” Clare told JTA in a phone interview before a gig in Manchester, England, last week. “I travel with a full set of milk and meat pots and dishes, in addition to having a full suitcase of tins and dry kosher goods. And Shabbos and holidays aren’t an issue because I almost always go back to London or Israel or find a Chabad house to stay at.”
Clare’s career got a huge boost this past summer when Microsoft chose “Too Close” for the commercial for the latest version of Internet Explorer. The 27-year-old resident of the heavily Jewish London neighborhood of Golders Green had been dropped from his record label five months before the software company reached out to him. His 2011 album “The Lateness of the Hour,” on which “Too Close” first appeared, was considered a flop.
But Clare is embracing the commercial’s success and riding the publicity to fuel a European tour. He will be performing in the United States in late November.
“It was definitely a good feeling to get that call that they wanted my music,” Clare said. “It’s tough not to want to give up.”
Clare began his career performing at bars and clubs in London. For a time he dated Amy Winehouse, the troubled pop star and fellow British Jew who died of alcohol poisoning last year.
Asked about the subject matter of his songs, he replied that they are about “deep” themes and that he’s currently working on balancing a life of stardom and religious identity.
Watching Clare’s videos and hearing his raspy voice, one wouldn’t immediately assume he is a devoted member of the tribe, but he has been an Orthodox Jew for about five years. Raised in a secular home, Clare hooked up with Chabad after studying in Jerusalem.
While on tour, Clare relies on daily spiritual guidance to help maintain his religious practice in a music world that provides no end of temptation. He studies the Tanya, a work of Chasidic philosophy by the founder of the Chabad movement, and the Talmud tractate Brachot. He also finds time to work on a new album, expected next year, which he says will incorporate subtle spiritual messages.
“One new song I’m writing is sort of based off of Shir HaShirim [Song of Songs], but you would never have known unless I told you,” he said. “But my goal isn’t to have an agenda through my music. Just to be living the way I am is a message in itself.”
Clare is part of a growing corps of Jewish artists whose religious commitments preclude performing on Friday nights, including the Moshav Band, Peter Himmelman and Dov Rosenblatt of The Wellspring. But a more apt comparison may be Matisyahu, the reggae star and onetime Chabad adherent who achieved global success singing about spiritual themes while clad in the black and white garb of a Chasid.
Clare acknowledges that many compare him to Matisyahu but insists that his mission is different, adding he doesn’t come with the same “shtick.”
“I’m not trying to be a religious symbol for anyone,” he said.
Clare said his team helps him keep certain religious laws: For example, his bodyguards help ward off the mobs of screaming teenage girls — and there are many — so that nobody touches him, since he adheres to religious laws of modesty that forbid touching women.
“I know clubs and concert halls are not the best place for a nice Jewish boy, but everyone has their life choices and this is mine,“ he said. ”It’d definitely be different if I was a Satmar Chasid. They’d probably disown me.”
Clare says that he did lose a record deal opportunity because he refused to play on Sukkot and tour over the holidays. But he says these are small prices to pay, and even with sacrifices made, a little faith can go a long way.
Got to be true to myself ...
Unreal! Absolutely Amazing! Hashem is proud!
chassidish confused
Vat means ‘dated Amy Winehouse’? How do you date in a winehouse? Do you mean grapes maybe? Any Wine house or Amy Winehouse? Ich poshut farshtei nisht!
Izzy
What a beautiful face!
I would love to hear him sing a niggun!
delusions of grandeur
Despite what he says, I hope he really isn’t a Matisyahu. He looks much more clean-cut & healthy and….well, normal. Why can’t these nice Jewish kids get normal jobs like car salesmen or exterminators?
BTW, why does he need bodyguards? He’s so famous & successful?
A regular jew
to #2: u live in a hole, stop being immature with your rhetorical and snide remarks.
to #2
i think he means grapes.
wow
more than 32 million in youtube for “too close” plus more millions for the same song in different videos
not impressed
Ye wasnt he shopping a book around about his relationship with amy w?
look i wish him lots of luck and what not but after matisyahu id rather not promote him in one way or the other… “I’m not trying to be a religious symbol for anyone,”… good lets keep it that way
As an aside i would advise him to tear a page out of steve hills book (or lehavdil cat stevens) and stay away from the goyishe entertainment scene and the broader culture for a couple of decades at least.
yossi
His music is not for yidden. Full stop.
He is a good Jew and a chossid.
Aliza
I love his music!! I didn’t even know he is Jewish!!
Leave him alone
He doesn’t make his music for yidden! It’s his parnassah and we should leave him alone. He’s a sweet guy and isn’t running after attention.
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comment 4 “Why can’t these nice Jewish kids get normal jobs like car salesmen or exterminators?” What a silly thing to say, he obviously has a talent and a passion for singing and thank G-d he is following it. So your basically saying that everyone in the world should be the same few things, like car salesman or exterminators. The world will be missing a lot:( wake up and stop being stupid.
ruvi shni
#2 I love you!!!!!!!!
bli ain harah
to # 4
he is making millions of dollars, bli Ain Harah
Esther
The songs he writes have no Jewish meaning. His clips have even less to so with Yiddishkeit. He might be frum but to listen to this kind of music? What for? And that is before we start discussing whether anyone really likes his voice.
Dave
His music is not for a Jewish audience, and he doesn’t even want anyone of you people to be listening to it… It’s funny how people can’t believe that one can be successful and religious at the same time…
.....
15 he has an amazing voiceee i love ittt!!!
to #15 wrote
No one cares what you think Millions Like him, and his Music is not for you, so go and listen to your self sing.
to #15
and try and get 1 person to listen to you… never mind 50 million… and about hims voice there are millions who would disagree so i think you should stick yo your day job and stop writing rubbish about something you know nothing about
#8
You’re a closed minded fool. You think you’re so righteous making a bold statement like that. Its funny because he doesn’t want you to promote him regardless if you think he’s religiously stable enough for you. There’s a reason why he doesn’t want the publicity in religious communities, and that reason is because of people like you. So before you make you’re next great declaration, remember that no one really cares about it.
Drelich Rifka
To those holier then thou
1. Do u call yourself a Lubavitcher,what is the utmost premise of our shita?
2. Since when were you elected Av Beis Din?
No one said you have to love what he does but whio are you to shun him
me
#2 chassidish confused ,
Amy Winehouse Was A JEWISH GIRL that lost her way and who died of alcohol poisoning.
Something to think about before your next simchas torah drink binge