Yael Naim
Her breathy, piano-driven 'New Soul' became the sound of a tech revolution after Apple chose it to launch the MacBook Air.
Born 1978 (age 48)·Israeli singer·Birthday: February 6·Generation X
Biography
Yael Naim's musical journey is a map of diasporic identity. Born in Paris to Tunisian-Israeli parents, she moved to Israel as a child, absorbing a tapestry of French chanson, Middle Eastern melodies, and American folk and jazz. Her early career in Israel as a singer and actress was steady, but the global explosion came unexpectedly. In 2008, Apple selected her self-penned song 'New Soul' for the launch campaign of the ultrathin MacBook Air. The track, with its intimate vocals and quirky charm, shot to the top of charts worldwide, making her an overnight name far from her roots. Rather than chase pop stardom, Naim retreated, continuing to craft albums in Hebrew, French, and English that are deeply personal and stylistically eclectic. France recognized her artistic contribution by awarding her the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a nod to the cultural fusion that defines her work. She remains an artist who found a massive audience by accident, yet has always written music for herself.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Yael was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Yael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Yael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her single 'New Soul' reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2008 following its feature in an Apple MacBook Air ad.
- Was knighted as a Chevalier of France's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2013 for contributions to culture.
- Her self-titled album, featuring 'New Soul,' achieved international platinum status in several countries.
Did You Know?
She is a trained classical pianist, having begun lessons at a very young age.
She served in the Israeli Army's entertainment troupe as part of her national service.
Her album 'Yael Naim' was recorded in a makeshift studio in her Paris apartment.
“"I don't want to be a star. I just want my music to be heard."”
