From Obedient Hasidic Girl to Global Pop Star Icon – The Rise of Riki Rose

In the age of fast-moving trends and algorithm-driven fame, few artists have managed to carve a path as unique and deeply rooted as Riki Rose. At 32, the Brooklyn-born singer is leading an unexpected cultural revival—bringing Yiddish, the historical language of Ashkenazi Jews, back to life through social media and song.

“My music is in Yiddish, the language Jews used to communicate across the world for centuries,” Rose explains. “It’s the language that kept us connected, and I try to keep it alive.”

Rose’s journey began in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where she was born into the Satmar community—one of the most conservative Hasidic sects. Founded in 1905 by Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum and named after the Romanian town of Satu Mare, the Satmar movement was devastated during the Holocaust but reestablished in the U.S. following World War II. Today, Satmar Jews remain devoted to preserving the customs, language, and religious practices of pre-war Eastern European Jewry.

Within this tightly knit and highly insular world, Rose discovered her voice early. “I started singing before I could even speak,” she recalls. “It’s always been part of who I am. But making my dream come true required stepping outside of the community. A lot of the pain I carry comes from the lack of support I experienced when I chose this path.”

Her decision to leave the Satmar community was not taken lightly, but it was essential to her growth as an artist. Through her vibrant presence on social media, Rose began producing comedic and musical content that resonated widely—particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her playful sketches, often portraying the archetypal Chassidish mameh, featured cooking scenes, makeup tutorials, and bursts of melodic Yiddish, all wrapped in warmth and humor.

The viral success of these videos opened new doors. In 2021, Rose collaborated with a group of religious women on the song “Still Your Friend” and shortly after released her first solo single, “Shluf,” complete with a self-produced video. Her nostalgic melodies and soulful delivery quickly established her as a cultural bridge between old-world tradition and modern expression.

Her lyrical themes have since grown more personal and more powerful. “Recently I wrote a song about how women are constantly told they can’t do things just because they’re women,” she says. “I received so many messages from women around the world that I realized—I need to write many more about this.”

Through it all, Rose remains grounded in Jewish values, even as she navigates a very different world from the one she was raised in. She draws inspiration from Pirkei Avot, a compilation of ethical teachings from Jewish sages. “One of my favorite teachings is that being rich means being happy with what you have,” she says. “And that a wise person is someone who learns from everyone—because you can learn something from everything.”

Citing Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” as a personal anthem, Rose adds her own spin: “If you want to make the world better, you have to start with yourself. I’m the woman in the mirror.”

That sense of purpose is evident in her performances, which attract audiences from across the Jewish spectrum—religious and secular, Hasidic and non-observant. “You see everyone together at my shows. People who would never normally be in the same room, enjoying the moment side by side,” she says.

Through her voice and vision, Riki Rose is not only revitalizing a language nearly lost to history, but also reshaping how Jewish identity, womanhood, and creativity can coexist. As she puts it: “There’s a lot of darkness in the world—but I choose to focus on the good. Because what you feed is what will grow.”

Riki Rose's next performance, "Riki Rose Revolution Concert", will be on August 24, at the Triad Theater, New York City Upper West Side, at 7pm. CLICK HERE for tickets