Just as Purim costumes are coming out of storage and someone is arguing about whether it is pronounced Haman or Ha-man, Six13 has released its annual holiday parody.

The Jewish a cappella group’s newest video, “Who Is This Haman?,” is a Purim-flavored spin on RAYE’s viral hit “Where Is My Husband?” I’ll save you the Google; RAYE, is a critically acclaimed British singer-songwriter and producer whose genre-bending mix of R&B, pop and jazz has made her a very big deal.

A St. Louis creative at the center

At the center of the project is St. Louis native Lior Melnick, who wrote all the lyrics for the new parody and designed the cover art. Melnick, an alum of Solomon Schechter Day School (now the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School) and member of Traditional Congregation, has long been one of the group’s key creative forces. With this release, he leans fully into the theatrical chaos that makes Purim what it is.

“I’m especially proud of fitting in the whole condensed Purim story into approximately 10 seconds during the mouthful of a bridge section,” Melnick told the Jewish Light, referring to a rapid-fire lyrical stretch built around the line, “I would like a ring.” It is a blink-and-you-miss-it recap of royal feasts, hidden identities, gallows and reversals of fortune.

Classic Six13 formula

That layering is classic Six13. They’ve basically perfected the recipe by now: grab whatever song is currently dominating TikTok, rebuild it from scratch with airtight harmonies and glossy production, then lace it with enough deep-cut Jewish references to make anyone who grew up shaking a grogger feel personally seen.

Purim is loud, absurd and unapologetically dramatic. “Who Is This Haman?” follows suit.

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