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Yael Naim

 
Artist: Yael Naïm
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Similar Artists:

Sara Bareilles, Michelle Branch, April March, Regina Spektor, Brandi Carlile, Rachael Sage, Fiona Apple

Influenced By:

Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Françoise Hardy, Fiona Apple, Björk, Aretha Franklin, Suzanne Vega, The Beatles, Tori Amos

Formal Connection With:

David Donatien
See Yael Naïm Lyrics
  • Born: 1978, Paris, France
  • Active: 2000s
  • Genres: Rock
  • Instrument: Piano
  • Representative Albums: "Yael Naim & David Donatien
  • Representative Songs: "New Soul

Biography

A singer/songwriter born to Jewish and Tunisian parents, Yael Naïm first hit the pop-music scene in 2001, but her debut was not what she had hoped for, and it wasn't until 2007 that her follow-up appeared.

Born in Paris in 1978, Naim first got a taste for pop music when she discovered the Beatles. Adding Aretha Franklin and Joni Mitchell to her list of influences, Naïm soon found herself playing shows with Winton Marsalis' backing musicians in Tel Aviv (where she had moved at the age of four). During her obligatory military service for Israel, Naïm started her first band, the Anti-Collision, and her appearance at a charity concert in 2000 scored her a record deal with EMI. After an appearance as Miriam in a French production of The Ten Commandments, she recorded her debut album on both coasts of the United States. The album, In a Man's Womb, was a sobering affair for Yael, who considered the album a personal failure. She kept on singing to make a living, but it wasn't until she met up with David Donatien, a West Indian percussionist, in 2004 that she regained her desire to write and perform. Working as a group, Donatien and Naim came together to record Naim's second album, Yael Naïm. Released in October of 2007, the album contained songs in French, English, and Hebrew, and included a surprising cover in Britney Spears' "Toxic." Critical acclaim and chart success followed -- the album hit number 11 in France and broke the top forty in Switzerland -- and in 2008, Naim's song "New Soul" was used in a commercial for Apple's new MacBook Air computer. ~ Chris True, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Yael Naim
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Yael Naïm

Background information
Birth name Yael Naïm
Born February 6, 1978 (1978-02-06) (age 31) Paris, France
Origin Paris, France
Genres Pop, new wave, indie rock
Occupations Singer, songwriter
Instruments Piano, Guitar, Ukulele
Website www.yaelweb.com

Yael Naïm (Hebrew: יעל נעים‎), is an Israeli singer-songwriter of French-Tunisian parents. She rose to fame in 2008 in the US after her hit single "New Soul" was used by Apple in an advertising campaign for its MacBook Air. The success of this song made her the first Israeli solo artist to have a top ten hit in the United States. The song peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Contents

Biography

Yael Naïm was born in Paris on 6 February 1978 to French and Tunisian Sephardi-Jewish parents. At the age of four, she moved with her family to Ramat HaSharon, Israel, where she spent the rest of her childhood. She served in the Israel Defense Force as a soloist in the Israel Air Force Orchestra.[1] She began her singing career with a part in the musical Les Dix Commandements[2][3] and her first solo album, In a Man's Womb (recorded in Los Angeles with Kamil Rustam), was released in 2001. She also sang the song "You Disappear" by Bruno Coulais for the film Harrison's Flowers. In her early work she was credited simply as Yaël. She also performed a duet with Din Din Aviv titled "Mashmauyot".[4]

Naïm joined with percussionist David Donatien, and over a period of two years they arranged and recorded thirteen of Naïm's songs in a studio in Naïm's apartment in Paris,[5] and these were released as her second album, Yael Naïm, on 22 October 2007, on the Tôt ou tard label. The songs are in French, English, and Hebrew and received critical acclaim,[2] and the album entered the French album chart at #11 the week after its release. Her style has been described as having a touch of folk and a touch of jazz, with mysterious and evocative words sung with a delicate and intentionally husky voice [6]

In January 2008, Apple featured her song "New Soul" in its debut commercial for the MacBook Air laptop. Steve Jobs himself picked the song "New Soul" for the launch of the MacBook Air.[7][8] Owing to high U.S. digital sales, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 for the chart week of February 16, 2008, at #9, becoming Naïm's first U.S. top ten single, and making her the first Israeli solo artist to ever have a top ten hit in the United States. "New Soul" moved up to #7 the following week. The song was also featured on the soundtrack of the movie The House Bunny.

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

  • 2001 - "You Disappear"
  • 2001 - "Do I Do"
  • 2001 - "Avril"
  • 2007 - "Toxic"
  • 2008 - "New Soul"
  • 2008 - "Too Long"
  • 2009 - "Far Far"

Awards and Nominations

Year Award Category Result
2008 Victoires de la Musique Album of the Year (World Music Category) Won
NRJ Music Awards Francophone Revelation of the Year Nominated
Prix Constantin Album of the Year Nominated
2009 Victoires de la Musique Best Female Singer of the Year Nominated

References

  1. ^ Shechnik, Raz (2008-07-29). "Yael Naim makes the cut". Ynetnews. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3574064,00.html. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
  2. ^ a b Yael Naïm – News http://artists.letssingit.com/yael-naim-jv79n/news/
  3. ^ See also French Wikipedia site at http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Dix_Commandements_(com%C3%A9die_musicale)
  4. ^ YouTube - Din Din Aviv and Yael Naim - Mashmauyot
  5. ^ YAEL NAIM & David Donatien http://www.myspace.com/yaelnaim
  6. ^ Yael Naïm — Chanson http://www.telerama.fr/musique/20994-yael_naim.php
  7. ^ Mac Ad Raises Yael Naim's Profile : NPR Music
  8. ^ Hey, Let's Write a Song Called "Steve Jobs Is Dreamy" 100 And Single, Idolator. Accessed 12 February 2008

External links

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Preceded by
Canta
by Agnès Jaoui
2007		 Victoires de la Musique
World music album of the year
Yael Naïm
by Yael Naïm
2008		 Succeeded by
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