Omer Netzer will release “Don’t Ask Me” on June 12th following his 2026 CMA Fest performance on the Wrangler Remix Stage, marking a key release moment within his 2026 rollout strategy. The Nashville-based international singer-songwriter continues building steady momentum following the success of his breakout single “Midnight Blue” and the release of his self-titled Nashville debut EP in October 2025. Originally from Nahariya, Israel, and now based in Nashville, Netzer has established a growing presence within the country and Americana space through emotionally direct songwriting, consistent live performance visibility, and an evolving catalog that bridges international roots with Nashville storytelling. His trajectory continues to focus on authentic performance-driven growth and long-term artist development within the U.S. market.
“Don’t Ask Me” is a deeply personal country ballad centered on heartbreak, emotional betrayal, and the aftermath of a marriage that ends without resolution or choice. The song reflects the experience of living with unanswered questions, carrying emotional weight after loss, and confronting the silence that follows when a relationship abruptly ends. The lyric focuses on honesty over interpretation, allowing the emotional tone to remain direct and unfiltered. The single also serves as an early building block in a structured multi-release strategy that includes his first EP of 2026, followed by a second EP, and a full-length album scheduled for early 2027. Check out the exclusive Interview below:
1. Your roots can often shape your journey. Can you share a story or moment from your early life that had a significant impact on your path into music?
OMER NETZER: One of the greatest gifts of my childhood was growing up in my father’s record store in Israel. Every day, I watched people from completely different backgrounds walk through the same door. Teenagers, soldiers, businesspeople, grandparents. They all came looking for the same thing: a song that could make them feel something.
What fascinated me wasn’t just the music itself, it was what it did to people. I saw music bring joy, comfort, and connection. I saw people going through difficult seasons find hope in a song. I even saw people facing the end of their lives find peace through music in their final moments. As a kid, that left a huge impression on me.
It taught me that music is much more than entertainment. It’s one of the most powerful things human beings have ever created. It can heal, unite, inspire, and say things that words alone never could.
Growing up around that every day shaped the person and artist I became. That’s when I realized music wasn’t just something I loved, it was something I wanted to dedicate my life to. Because if a song can give someone comfort, strength, or hope, even for a few minutes, then it has the power to change lives. That’s the kind of music I’ve always wanted to make.
2. Did your musical journey begin with formal training, or was it more of a personal exploration? How has that shaped your unique approach to your craft?
OMER NETZER: I never had any formal musical training, and I never had a guitar teacher. Everything started with curiosity. I would sit for hours listening to records, watching musicians, and trying to figure out how they created the sounds I loved. Then I’d pick up a guitar and try to recreate it myself.
I learned by listening, by making mistakes, and by playing over and over again until something clicked. Music became my language long before I understood the technical side of it. I didn’t just play guitar, I felt it. Sometimes I would even move and dance with the guitar as I played because I was so connected to the emotion of the music.
Looking back, I think that shaped my approach as an artist. Since I wasn’t taught a set of rules, I learned to trust my ears, my instincts, and my heart. Even today, I care more about whether a song makes people feel something than whether it’s technically perfect. For me, music has always been about connection, emotion, and telling the truth. That’s how I learned it, and that’s still how I create it today.
3. Who were some of the most influential figures in your early musical life, and how did they inspire your sound? Also, what’s the story behind choosing the name ‘OMER NETZER’?
OMER NETZER: Some of my biggest influences were B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and the spirit of artists from the Woodstock era. What inspired me wasn’t just their music, it was their freedom.
They played with honesty, soul, and no fear of being themselves.
B.B. King taught me that one note can tell a whole story. Clapton showed me how emotion can live inside a guitar. And Woodstock reminded me that music has the power to unite people and create something bigger than ourselves.
As for the name Omer Netzer, it’s simply my real name. I’ve always been proud of where I come from, and I wanted my music to carry that story with it.
4. What do you believe sets your music apart? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time, and what emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners?
OMER NETZER: What sets my music apart is my perspective. I’m an Israeli kid who grew up by the Mediterranean Sea, fell in love with American roots music, and eventually moved to
Nashville to chase a dream.
I would describe my sound as a blend of country, Americana, folk, and blues, driven by storytelling and emotion. More than anything, I want my music to feel real.
Whether someone is celebrating, heartbroken, hopeful, or searching for direction, I want them to find a piece of themselves in my songs. If a listener feels understood, inspired, or simply less alone after hearing my music, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.
5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as Country Rock/Americana?
OMER NETZER: What sets my music apart is my perspective. I’m an Israeli kid who grew up by the Mediterranean Sea, fell in love with American roots music, and eventually moved to
Nashville to chase a dream.
I would describe my sound as a blend of country, Americana, folk, and blues, driven by storytelling and emotion. More than anything, I want my music to feel real.
Whether someone is celebrating, heartbroken, hopeful, or searching for direction, I want them to find a piece of themselves in my songs. If a listener feels understood, inspired, or simply less alone after hearing my music, then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.
6. Music often transcends entertainment. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
OMER NETZER: Since the beginning of human history, people have gathered around stories, rhythms, and songs. Long before there were borders, politics, or even written language, there was music.
That’s why I believe music is far more than entertainment. It preserves memories, carries traditions, heals wounds, and reminds us of our shared humanity.
The songs that have lasted for generations aren’t remembered because they were perfect. They’re remembered because they told the truth about what it means to be human.
That’s what inspires me as a songwriter. I’m not interested in telling people what to think. I’m interested in creating songs that make people feel something real. If a song can offer hope, bring people together, or stay with someone long after the music stops, then it has fulfilled its purpose.
7. Do you feel the rewards of your musical career match the energy and passion you invest in it, or are there different kinds of fulfillment you’re still seeking?
OMER NETZER: The rewards of a musical career rarely arrive in the way you imagine. Success isn’t a destination you reach one day, it’s a road you choose to keep walking.
Of course, there are moments that every artist dreams about: hearing people sing your songs, stepping onto bigger stages, knowing your music has traveled further than you ever could. But the greatest reward has always been the journey itself.
I’m still chasing growth. I’m still chasing songs that outlive me. At the end of the day, success isn’t measured by numbers, it’s measured by impact. If a song I write today is still helping someone ten years from now, that’s the kind of fulfillment I’m looking for.
8. Can you walk us through your creative process? From the first spark of an idea to the finished track, what’s the most essential part of your process, and how do collaboration or external influences shape your work?
OMER NETZER: Most of the time, an idea arrives as a single line, a melody, or even a feeling I can’t quite explain. My job is simply to follow it and listen carefully enough to understand where it’s trying to go.
The most important part of my creative process is honesty. A song can survive imperfect words, imperfect notes, and imperfect recordings, but it can’t survive dishonesty.
Collaboration is important because every songwriter carries a different piece of the puzzle.
Sometimes another writer helps you see a truth that was standing right in front of you the whole time.
But whether I’m writing alone or with others, I’m always chasing the same thing: a song that feels timeless. The kind of song that could have been played fifty years ago and still mean something fifty years from now.
9. What’s been the most challenging hurdle in either your personal life or music career, and how has it shaped you as an artist?
OMER NETZER: The greatest challenge of my life was leaving everything behind to follow music.
I left my family, my friends, my home, and everything that was familiar to chase a dream on the other side of the world, with no guarantees of success.
That journey taught me that dreams always demand sacrifice. It taught me resilience, faith, and the courage to keep moving forward when the outcome is uncertain.
As an artist, it reminded me that the best stories aren’t written in comfort. They’re written by the people willing to risk everything for what they believe in.
10. On the flip side, what moment or achievement in your career so far has made you feel the proudest, and why? And let’s talk about your latest release and future plans.
OMER NETZER: One of the moments I’m most proud of was recently performing during CMA Fest in Nashville. Not because of the stage itself, but because it reminded me how far the journey has come.
What made that moment special was looking around and realizing I wasn’t standing there alone. I was surrounded by an incredible team of people who believed in the vision, worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and helped turn a dream into reality. No artist gets anywhere alone, and I’m deeply grateful for the people who walk this road with me.
I’m also proud of the relationships this journey has given me. Music has introduced me to remarkable people from all walks of life, people I never would have met otherwise. Some have become collaborators, some mentors, and some lifelong friends.
As for my latest release, “Don’t Ask Me,” it’s one of the most honest songs I’ve released. Looking ahead, my goal remains simple: keep creating meaningful music, keep growing, and keep building connections through songs and stories. I truly believe the best is yet to come.
11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
OMER NETZER: I’ve learned that if you put your work out into the world, some people will love it and some people will dislike it. That’s simply part of being an artist.
In my case, there are even people who may form an opinion before hearing a single song, simply because of where I come from. And that’s okay.
I’ve never believed that music should build walls. I believe it should build bridges. My job isn’t to convince everyone to agree with me. My job is to tell honest stories, create meaningful music, and treat people with respect.
At the end of the day, hate is loud, but love lasts longer. If my music can help people see each other a little differently, connect a little deeper, or find some common ground, then that’s where I choose to keep my focus. That’s a much better use of energy than arguing with critics.
12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?
OMER NETZER: As much as I love the creative process in the studio, nothing compares to a live audience.
A song doesn’t truly belong to the artist until it’s shared with people. The studio is where songs are born, but the stage is where they come alive. There’s something magical about seeing a lyric connect with someone in real time or hearing a crowd sing the words back to you.
13. Do you think it is important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
OMER NETZER: think every song begins with a specific story, feeling, or moment from the writer’s life. But once it’s released into the world, it belongs to the listener as much as it belongs to the artist.
Of course, I love sharing the inspiration behind a song, but I never want to tell people what they’re supposed to feel. Some of my favorite songs mean something completely different to me than what the writer originally intended, and that’s the beauty of music.
If someone finds their own story, memory, or meaning inside one of my songs, then the song has done its job. Music is at its best when it creates personal connection, not when it gives all the answers.
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