Meet Neta Harari

We were lucky to catch up with Neta Harari recently and have shared our conversation below.

Neta, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Or did I? Purpose is a tricky thing – always shifting, never sending a heads-up. The only way to uncover it is through trial and error, which means mistakes aren’t just inevitable, they’re essential.
Over time, my curiosity pulled me toward both the analytical and artistic worlds. I immersed myself in lectures, devoured every piece of information I could find, attended classes and events, and created opportunities to collaborate. No matter how impossible my schedule seemed, I insisted on balancing it all, feeling truly whole only when every part of me had a place. Yet, in a society that pushes us to specialize and build a career with a single focus, this approach wasn’t always easy. I was drawn to the fusion of disciplines, but the real question remained: what combination, and in what proportions?
In 2021, I took a leap of faith and flew to New York for an intensive dance program. One show, Beyond Babel by Keone and Mari Madrid, changed everything. It took place in a small theater near Washington Square, and over the course of an hour and a half, I experienced an entire lifetime’s worth of emotions. The most incredible part? I wasn’t alone. Despite our different backgrounds, every audience member in that room felt it too. I had always been on stage, but for the first time, as a member of the audience, I truly grasped the power of storytelling – the way it transcends borders, languages, and personal histories to create a shared experience.
Only after returning home did I realize something had shifted. That night, that city, and the people I met along the way had connected the dots for me. I met multidisciplinary artists who lived and breathed their craft every single day, and for the first time, It started to make sense.
Back home, I took a job as a tech analyst to save money so I could create art without limitations. But I quickly noticed a pattern: my days felt empty. Not because my workplace was bad, but because I spent every moment waiting for the clock to hit 6 PM so I could rush to the studio, take dance and vocal lessons, and write music late into the night. Being accepted into the Musical Theatre program at NYU Tisch School Of The Arts was the green light that pushed me to quit my job and fully commit to my passion. In a world that grows more complex by the day, there is something profoundly simple and magical about sharing a space with people from all walks of life and connecting through storytelling, and no matter how my purpose evolves or takes on new forms, at its core, it always leads me back to this.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My story doesn’t have a single starting point; it was never about just one thing but about putting different mediums in conversation.

Growing up in my mother’s studio, I spent hours exploring various art forms, including drawing, painting, crafting, and sculpting, experimenting with different techniques and materials. As a child, I also immersed myself in every dance style I could, from tap to ballet, jazz to hip-hop. Street style, in particular, resonated with me because, alongside the “rules” of its technique, it also leaves room for individuality and character, naturally leading me to acting. It was the fusion of imagery and color with movement and rhythm that eventually evolved into writing. What started as journaling became stories, poems, and, finally, songs.

I was always the singer. Growing up, I would sing with my two brothers, who played guitar at family gatherings around the dinner table. Later, I took every opportunity to perform, whether it was at municipal ceremonies, local music events, or with my band. One time, after a performance, I walked down the school hallways and heard kids calling me “the singer.” They didn’t know my name, but that didn’t matter. I had just come off the stage, neon orange shoes flashing, a matching pleated band shirt worn defiantly against the “cool” dress code. They didn’t call me that to tease me. I knew they called me that because the performance meant something to them. That was the moment I realized the stage was more than a place to stand – it was a platform to say something. And ever since, I’ve refused to stay quiet.

My passion for connection extended beyond the arts as I led volunteer initiatives, built communities, and organized large-scale social events that brought thousands of people together. Raised by my father, an engineer and entrepreneur with Moroccan roots, and my mother, an artist whose family came from Poland, diversity is deeply woven into my identity. I grew up with the values that no one, regardless of background or origin, should be left behind. Being involved in all of this showed me the power I had to provide people with equal opportunities, make them feel seen, and know they belong.

Entrepreneurship is a powerful tool, but I was searching for what I truly wanted to fill it with. I’ve worked as a self-employed artist, creating murals, serving as an art director on TV sets, and designing costumes, but it wasn’t enough. My artistic expression expanded into video creation, starting with dance choreography and evolving into conceptual pieces that incorporate storytelling, props, and costume design. That felt better, but I was still doing all of that to someone else’s words. It’s when words, movement, and visuals come together – that’s when I feel my true self.

So, I began spending endless hours in the studio, on the hunt for every phrase and melody that would soon form my debut album. The album incorporates a variety of musical influences, including R&B, jazz, pop, and musical theater – my major at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. In my songs, I enjoy blending live instrumentation with contemporary electronic textures, paired with lyrics that explore themes like identity, self-discovery, and raising questions about the society we live in.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. The key to everything is consistency and hard work. As cheesy as it may sound, we all have to start somewhere, and the best place to start is right at the beginning. Nothing can be built thoroughly in an instant; it demands dedication and repetition. “Every talent begins with struggle and persistence,” and even if the progress seems slow, it is happening.

2. Whatever you do, do it thoroughly. An integral part of the creative process is delving into its depths. Get passionate about whatever it is you do – read, learn, and live it. Soak up every bit of information, and don’t be afraid to be taken away by the journey rather than trying to lead it. You’ll be surprised where gravity might take you.

3. Entrepreneurship: The ability to create something new and build a community around shared values has always been an inseparable part of my craft. The beauty is that I didn’t discover this through art entrepreneurship, but through activism. This shows that what we do outside of our artistry as artists eventually connects to our art. We are the sum of our parts, and as such, everything we do contributes to our work, helping shape our voice in an innovative and fresh way.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

I believe that, as artists, we are often our own biggest obstacle. We don’t need external critics to tell us our work is bad for us to decide to drop the pencil; we’re usually pretty good at that ourselves. The bigger issue is that we’re also the only ones who can stop it. For me, this manifests when I judge my ideas before I even have the chance to develop them on paper. As a result, the paper remains blank, and my thoughts begin to escalate until I quit and run away from it. A big part of this is because I’m a perfectionist with high expectations. While these expectations have driven me to achieve where I am, they can also paralyze me. I always remind myself: “The magic you are looking for is behind the work you’re avoiding.” (Steven Pressfield, The War of Art).

Currently, I’ve started writing a musical and collaborating with amazing musicians and friends. Whenever the paper stays empty for too long, I try to fill it with something – anything to make it feel less terrifying. I’ve learned to release the pressure whenever I notice resistance and to take organized breaks, giving myself the necessary space to rest—but just enough to get back to work.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/netaismyname/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/netaismyname/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@netaismyname
• Other: https://linktr.ee/itsneta
  

Image Credits

1. Amit Naim
2. Yair Hachmon
3. Brenda Lopez
4. Brenda Lopez
5. Amit Moser
6. Amit Moser