Asaf Avidan

Influences

• Janis Joplin — Critics have compared Avidan to Joplin since his debut, a comparison he embraced by covering 'Move Over' live during his early tours. You hear this influence in his uninhibited vocal delivery, particularly the way he pushes his falsetto into a gravelly, throat-shredding scream. He mimics her raw, unpolished passion rather than traditional blues vocal control.
• Bob Dylan — Avidan has repeatedly cited Dylan's mid-sixties output as his songwriting blueprint, specifically pointing to the lyrical density of 'Subterranean Homesick Blues.' You hear this influence in the wordy, stream-of-consciousness narratives on his debut EP, Now That You're Leaving. He adopts Dylan's nasal phrasing and use of the harmonica as an emotional punctuation mark.
• Leonard Cohen — Avidan often notes Cohen's ability to blend religious imagery with secular heartbreak, a technique he heavily borrowed for his solo albums. This influence is most obvious on Gold Shadow, where the sparse arrangements and dark, poetic lyricism directly mirror Cohen's late-career minimalism. He uses Cohen's quiet, methodical pacing to balance his own chaotic vocal style.
• Billie Holiday — Avidan has explicitly credited Holiday with teaching him how to use vocal phrasing to convey pain without relying on volume. You hear this on the quieter ballads of Different Pulses, where he drags his vocals slightly behind the beat to create a sense of exhaustion and longing. He mimics her ability to turn a simple vowel stretch into a dramatic event.
• Led Zeppelin — During his years fronting the Mojos, Avidan frequently covered 'Babe I'm Gonna Leave You' in concert, showcasing his ability to match Robert Plant's dynamic range. You hear this influence in the heavy, acoustic-driven blues riffs that anchor his early albums like The Poor Boy & The Grave Digger. He took Plant's approach of treating the rock vocal as a lead instrument capable of cutting through loud guitar tracks.