By Hadassah Jacobs

I still remember the first time Stephen Berry sent me one of his AI-generated songs. The track was called “Living in Jerusalem, Ain’t Going Back.”  I happened to be in Chicago visiting family — and when I played it for them, we were blown away. The lyrics captured your heart and imagination and music, classic Country and Western.

Coming from someone living in Jerusalem, the whole thing felt so unexpectedly perfect. We laughed, we replayed it, and honestly, I couldn’t stop smiling — because Steven had managed to combine my love for C&W with that unmistakable Jerusalem feel.

That’s Steven in a nutshell: blending worlds in ways you never saw coming.

I’ve known Stephen Berry for nearly 15 years, and I can tell you this: he is a true musician’s musician. His gift for songwriting, his ear for nuance, and his deep commitment to creating meaningful music have been evident since the day we met. But what makes Stephen’s story so compelling isn’t just his talent — it’s the way he’s embraced change, technology, and identity in pursuit of creative truth.

Stephen’s journey began as a Christian and evolved into a life rooted in Orthodox Judaism and a home in Jerusalem. That spiritual shift didn’t just influence his personal life — it became a wellspring for his creativity.

Today, Stephen uses artificial intelligence to bring that talent to life — not just in one genre, but across the spectrum. From jazz-country fusion to full-on big band swing, his YouTube channel, Café Jerusalem, has become a global library of musical invention.

🎙️ Writing Songs with AI — and Soul

Stephen has written over 60 original songs officially registered with BMI and published through Songtrust. A lifelong music educator and theory instructor, he brings a depth of knowledge to songwriting that’s rare in the world of digital content.

What sets him apart in the AI music space is that he doesn’t just let the tools do the work. He starts with personal inspiration — a lyric, a story, a feeling — and then uses AI as a collaborative partner. Rather than relying on built-in lyric generators (which he says often feel flat and soulless), he drafts lyrics himself, sometimes refining them with tools like ChatGPT, always rooted in authenticity and meaning.

🎼 Style, Strategy, and the Human Touch

For Stephen, great music starts with a great idea. And when that idea is aligned with the right sound, style, and structure, the results are extraordinary — even when built with AI.

He knows that every genre has its own emotional architecture — its rhythm, tone, and texture. Whether it’s gospel, jazz, funk, blues, or folk, he’s able to direct AI tools with precision, giving clear instructions for mood, tempo, instrumentation, and style. That attention to detail results in songs that feel cohesive and real, not artificial.

But don’t let the word “AI” fool you. This isn’t some push-button magic. Steven has been known to generate 40–60 iterations of a song before finding the one that feels right. It takes intuition, patience, and a trained ear to guide the tech in service of the art.

🎶 A Style All His Own — or Rather, Many Styles

What makes Stephen stand out isn’t just his voice or writing — it’s his ability to blend genres effortlessly.

If you love jazz but struggle with country, you might find yourself unexpectedly tapping your foot to one of his jazz-country hybrids. If you’re a country fan and think jazz is a little “out there,” his fusion tracks might win you over. That cross-pollination is rare — and incredibly engaging.

He also creates long-form playlists that serve as the perfect soundtrack for your day: jazz-café background music, Michael Bublé-style ballads, swing dance revivals, and upbeat mood-boosters that feel like a sunny drive with the windows down.

🌍 Café Jerusalem: Building Global Reach from a Jerusalem Apartment

In late 2024, Stephen launched a YouTube channel — Café Jerusalem — as a personal creative outlet. He never expected what would happen next. Over 150 music videos later, the channel has crossed 1,000 subscribers and continues to grow. Some of his songs have reached tens of thousands of listeners around the world.

His music is now featured not only on YouTube, but also on Spotify, Apple Music, and other platforms — building a vibrant global presence from the heart of Jerusalem.

🧠  Steven Berry was “Born to Build” 

Stephen Berry is a reminder that creativity doesn’t expire, and artistry doesn’t have to fade with age or change. Instead of resisting new technology, he’s embraced it — not as a shortcut, but as a tool to extend his voice and vision.

In a world where algorithms often feel cold and soulless, Steven proves that AI can still carry emotion when paired with a human story, a poetic lyric, and a mind that knows exactly what it wants to say.

He’s not just writing songs. He’s building something much bigger: a bridge between past and future, heart and machine, spirit and sound.