New Soul

"New Soul" is a song by the French-Israeli R&B/soul singer Yael Naïm, from her self-titled second album. The song gained popularity in the United States following its use by Apple in an advertisement for their MacBook Air laptop. In the song Naïm sings of being a new soul who has come into the world to learn "a bit 'bout how to give and take." However, she finds that things are harder than they seem. The song, also featured in the films The House Bunny and Wild Target, features a prominent "la la la la" section as its hook. It remains Naïm's biggest hit single in the U.S. to date, and her only one to reach the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.

For the genre, see Neo soul.
"New Soul"
Single by Yael Naïm
from the album Yael Naim
ReleasedFebruary 15, 2008 (Europe)
February 18, 2008 (UK)
March 4, 2008 (U.S.)
Recorded2007
GenreIndie folk
Length3:34 (Album Version)
3:44 (Single Version)
LabelTôt ou tard[1]
Songwriter(s)Yael Naïm
Producer(s)Yael Naïm, David Donatien
Yael Naïm singles chronology
"Toxic"
(2007)		 "New Soul"
(2008)		 "Too Long"
(2008)

"New Soul" was mixed and mastered by S. Husky Höskulds at Groundlift Studios, Reykjavik and Los Angeles.

Music video

The video shows Naïm moving into an empty apartment. She covers the walls in wallpaper depicting a lake surrounded by forest. She then begins unpacking several other things, including furniture, a piano, a goldfish in a bowl and a number of photographs of people, which she hangs on the wall. As she hangs the photographs, the people in the pictures are shown in real life, in the setting depicted in the pictures. Naïm then begins painting on the photographs, and whatever she paints appears with the people in real life. She removes one of the pictures to discover a hole in the wall, revealing the actual forest setting shown in the wallpaper. She pushes on the wall, and it falls away into the lake. The remaining walls fall onto the water leaving the floor of the apartment like a raft floating on the lake, together with her furniture. The people from her pictures reach her by boat. They climb onto the makeshift raft with her, as they all celebrate, dancing and playing instruments, whilst she empties the goldfish bowl into the lake.

In 2008, the video received strong airplay on MTV.

Chart performance

In the issue dated February 16, 2008, "New Soul" debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at number 9, giving Naïm her first single ever to enter any U.S. chart. It reached number 7 on the Hot 100 before falling to number 42 the following week. It later rebounded due to being featured on the Apple MacBook Air commercials, but nonetheless the song spent a total of 19 weeks on the chart. It debuted at number 44 on the Canadian Hot 100, and jumped to number 7 on the chart the following week. In her birth country of France, the single hit number 1 on the French Singles Chart. In February 2008, it debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 42 and reached a peak of number 30 one month later.

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[25] Gold 15,000*
Italy (FIMI)[26] Platinum 20,000*
United States (RIAA)[27] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

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See also

Personnel

Artist credits:[28]

Yael Naim - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Composition, Lyrics

Laurent David - Bass, Guitar

David Donatien - Drums

Sebastien Llado - Trombone

References
  1. "Yael Naim - Keep listening". Archived from the original on 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
  2. "Australian-charts.com – Yael Naim – New Soul". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  3. "Austriancharts.at – Yael Naim – New Soul" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  4. "Ultratop.be – Yael Naim – New Soul" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  5. "Ultratop.be – Yael Naim – New Soul" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  6. "Yael Naim – Chart Search" Billboard European Hot 100 Singles for Yael Naim. Retrieved April 2, 2008. (subscription required)
  7. "Yael Naim Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  8. "Lescharts.com – Yael Naim – New Soul" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  9. "Italiancharts.com – Yael Naim – New Soul". Top Digital Download. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  10. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 - Charts - Billboard JAPAN". billboard-japan.com. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Yael Naim – New Soul" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  12. "Charts.nz – Yael Naim – New Soul". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  13. "Swisscharts.com – Yael Naim – New Soul". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  14. "Yael Naim: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  15. "Yael Naim Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  16. "Yael Naim Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  17. "Yael Naim Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  18. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2008". austriancharts.at. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  19. "Jaaroverzichten 2008". Ultratop. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  20. "Rapports Annuels 2008". Ultratop. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  21. "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2008". Billboard. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  22. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  23. "Japan Hot 100 – Year-End 2008" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  24. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2008". hitparade.ch. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  25. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2008". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
  26. "FIMI Annual Digital Sales Report – 2008" (PDF). fimi.it. 2009-02-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-01-25. Retrieved 2013-06-22.
  27. "American single certifications – Yael Naim – New Soul". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
  28. "Yael Naim - New Soul". Discogs (in French). Retrieved 2019-08-26.
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