“Born in France, raised outside Tel Aviv, Israel, she’s already logged time in the Israeli Defense Forces, done a turn as Moses’ sister in a musical version of ‘The Ten Commandments’ and had one nightmarish run with a major label. And now she’s somehow wound up as the voice of Apple’s new MacBook Air, thanks to a near-ubiquitous commercial featuring her song ‘New Soul.’ So, really, please pardon her if she’s still a little dumbfounded by the sudden attention she’s receiving,” Montgomery reports.
“‘It’s all kind of a mystery, honestly’ she laughs. ‘We don’t understand how something we made in my apartment could end up in Apple’s ear,'” Montgomery reports.
“Yet, somehow, ‘New Soul’ did just that, and now Naim appears to be next in line for the same shot of fame that came to Leslie Feist, the Canadian chanteuse whose song ‘1234’” was featured in advertisements for Apple’s iPod Nano. Pre-Pod, she was a critically adored, commercially ignored singer/songwriter. After? Well, she’s sold more than 500,000 copies of her album The Reminder and scored four Grammy nominations. So is Naim expecting to get much of the same? ‘Soul’ is already one of the most-downloaded songs on the iTunes Music Store … but, aside from that, she’s not really sure what will happen,” Montgomery reports.
“‘This whole thing is very special, because of the way we made the song, and so we didn’t have any dreams about big commercial success. So we are happy and surprised and amazed by how it grow and grows,’ she said,” Montgomery reports.
Full article here.
Get the song via iTunes Store: Yael Naïm – New Soul
Apple’s 30-second MacBook Air commercial featuring “New Soul”by Yael Naïm:
Direct link via YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLb7EVF6-Jc
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Ampar” for the heads up.]
not really my style, but good for her.
yes that was my comment, just hadn’t logged in.
The music fits… and it’s what apple does. It gets good music and uses it correctly.
But I have to hand it over to the leopard introduction as the best music. All the animation fitted in really well, and it was drastically different to the Tiger’s introduction which got really annoying especially after an erase and install.
thanks for clearing that up joe. I was worried for a moment.
The Power of Apple.
Whew! At first, I thought that was Wondering Joe, the evil twin pretending to be the Wanderer. But it’s o.k. Remain calm!
P.S. Kudos to Yael Naim. Tov ma’od!
Thanks to Apple, I got into Jet too.
She really didn’t think to ask them how they had heard about her song when they were handing her a million dollar check? Or did they just use it without her permission? This article makes it sound like she just turned on the TV one day and saw it there.
Wandering joe, what is your style? I’m an REO Speedwagon/Styx/Journey fan. Microsoft wouldn’t think twice about using their music in a commercial. That stuff is timeless. Can you imagine a Vista commmercial with REO’s ‘Ridin’ the Storm Out’? Awesome.
Smart money says Wandering joe is a Stones/Who/Zeppelin man.
Your potential. Our passion.™
” . . . a Vista commmercial with REO’s ‘Ridin’ the Storm Out’?”
Last song, people.
I’ve gotta say that I really hate that song. Every time the commercial comes on I can’t even stand to watch it because of that crap.
Everytime i see the video play at the Apple Store without the song, i feel empty inside.
msr,
You need to tell Steve these things.
He values your opinion. Just as much as we do.
I can only listen to the song if its in the ad. When I tried it on its own, it wasnt so good.
The girl is cute, though.
Did she get a free Air?
Z.T.,
“REO Speedwagon/Styx/Journey/Stones/Who/Zeppelin”
These actually are groups I like.
Hey, are you bein’ a wise guy, or what?
I think I could edit together a lovely commercial for Vista using The End by the Doors. Steve Ballmer as Oedipus.
Here’s her website:
http://www.yaelweb.com/
And more, if you understand French:
http://www.totoutard.com/artistes/artistes.php?idartiste=90
@ LorD1776
REO Speedwagon? I Can’t Fight This Feeling has actually played in the background in some of my more disturbing spicy-food-induced nightmares.
As for Journey, just take a walk down memory lane with a little air-keyboard!.
It makes a great ringtone.
She’s a Mac user, too.
http://www.yaelweb.com/photos.php
girls pass wind…uhuhuhuh
“girls pass wind…uhuhuhuh”
There’s scientific proof:
Here’s a clip of Apple’s second choice for the Air commercial.
It’s very similar. Cute girl. Inspiring lyrics.
Downloading my iTunes purchase of her album right now.
@ Ampar
That’s an amazing coincidence, because I was just f**king Sarah Silverman.