Ariel Rubin
Founder, Lead Singer of MINKA
“If you have a pulse, you'll love Minka. If you don't have a pulse, I'm really worried about you.”
Socrates, 399 B.C.
There is no ordinary way to introduce the personality we have our eyes on this week.
“As detailed in my memoirs, I spent several of my past lives devoted to music. In the 18th century, I played harpsichord in the imperial court of Vienna. More recently, I was a roadie for Metallica (Speed of Sound tour).”
Ariel Rubin joins us as founder and lead singer of funky, electronic, rock...dance..jazz..sexy..Japanese inspired…well, there's really no way to fully capture the experiences and sounds of Philly-born band, MINKA.
“If you have a pulse, you'll love MINKA. If you don't have a pulse, I'm really worried about you.”
Ari's background is as inimitable as the music he and MINKA produce. A classically-trained pianist and an ancient vocal coach in Kensington, Ari graduated from NYU business school and always believed he would be someone glamorous – "In this incarnation... an accountant, or perhaps a dentist. I'd say me pursuing the musician's life has been a real shock to everyone."
So, hold on, how did we get from NYU to touring the world in costumes (okay, there was one nude show) and performing with burlesque dancers?
"The story of MINKA begins, as so many of these tales do, with a bold idea. What if, by playing instruments and singing, we could get people to dance? Maybe even scream and shout?"
With influences from Marvin Gaye to Bowie, 2Pac to LCD Soundsystem, MINKA has the entrancing ability to lure listeners of all kinds, performing at Union Transfer, Ruba, and everywhere in between.
For someone who is so magical and innovative, we asked Ari where he finds inspiration for his music and unique style.
“Who's my inspiration, you ask? The thinkers…The doers. Marcus Aurelius, Madonna, Dennis Rodman.
As for my personal style, most of my clothes are from Old Navy. Great value."
MINKA is on a mission to “make you move” and, despite the pandemic, Ari intends to stop at nothing to achieve that – with drive-by shows, a new single out this month and enough new material to "blanket the entire state of Delaware," we can hardly keep up!
"Once this pandemic is over, I can't tell you how excited I am to present it to you, live and in living color.
HINT: I'm very excited."