French/Israeli pop-folk singer/songwriter Yael Naim is getting ready to release her third album, She Was A Boy on TÔT OU TARD May 10th. She Was A Boy is the follow up to Naim’s eponymous 2007 sophomore album, featuring the top ten hit “New Soul” which debuted at #9 before moving up to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, thanks mostly to it’s feature in a MacBook Air commercial. In turn, Naim became the first Israeli solo artist to have a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Her album managed to peak at #50 on the Billboard 200.
Collaborating on the new album with percussionist David Donatien, the two recorded the album at a relaxed and leisurely pace in a Parisian flat-turned-studio. Featuring additional collaborations with French jazz trumpeters Lionel and Stephane Belmondo, cellist Yoed Nir (Interpol, Regina Spektor, Rufus Wainwright), classical musician Thomas Bloch (Radiohead, John Cage, Damon Albarn/Gorillaz) and French artist Tété. The first single taken from She’s A Boy was “Go To The River,” the music video for which was released onto YouTube in November of last year. Follow up single, “Come Home” premiered on YouTube at the end of March. Both songs follow “New Soul” in terms of style and sound, showcasing Naim’s breathy, folk-pop voice. While a singer like Naim is pleasant enough to listen to, there’s only so much she can do vocally with her limited range. She makes up for that with her songwriting and sing-song vocal delivery. I would love the opportunity to see her live. I imagine that Naim’s performance would be very engaging when set in a more intimate venue. Speaking of live gigs, Naim will be supporting the release of her new album with two performances, one on May 9th at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City, followed by a show at The Hotel Café in Los Angeles on May 16th. Download “Coming Home” on iTunes HERE and watch the video below. She Was A Boy is out May 10th.