Keren Ann

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Keren Ann

Keren Ann performing at "La fête de l'Huma" in France in September 2005.
Background information
Born March 10, 1974 (1974-03-10) (age 35) Caesarea, Israel
Instruments Guitar, piano, clarinet
Associated acts Benjamin Biolay, Barði Jóhannson, Lady and Bird

Keren Ann Zeidel (Hebrew: קרן אן זיידל‎ born March 10, 1974) is a singer-songwriter based largely in Paris, New York City and Israel. She plays guitar, piano and clarinet, engineers and writes choir and musical arrangements. She is descended from Russian Jews on her father's side and is Indo (Javanese and Dutch) on her mother's. She lived in Israel and in the Netherlands until the age of 11, when her family moved to France. She retains her Dutch and Israeli citizenship.

Contents

[edit] Biography

In 2000 she began her solo career with La Biographie de Luka Philipsen—produced by Lionel Gaillardin and Benjamin Biolay, who also co-produced its follow-up, La Disparition (in return, she helped write his debut album, Rose Kennedy). The pair also wrote several songs for Henri Salvador's best-selling, prize-winning 2000 comeback album, Chambre avec Vue, including the hit "Jardin d'Hiver".

Her third album Not Going Anywhere was released worldwide in 2003, but her American breakthrough came with its follow-up, Nolita (2004). Recorded in Paris and New York—it is named for Nolita, her neighborhood in lower Manhattan—it is sung half in French and half in English.

During the war in Israel and Lebanon in 2006, she travelled Northern Israel, performing for the people who stayed in shelters because of the missile attacks on the North. Lady & Bird is a collaboration with Barði Jóhannson, of the Icelandic group Bang Gang.

The Isis Project is a concept album that she wrote with Guy Chambers and was sung by Sophie Hunter.

Keren Ann's eponymous fifth solo album was released in 2007. In the same year she also did a Take-Away Show acoustic video session shot by Vincent Moon.

[edit] Contemporaries

The musical style of Keren Ann is sometimes referred to by the recently coined buzzword Nouvelle Chanson, suggesting a musical inheritance from the poetically intense forefathers of French Chanson such as Jacques Brel, Charles Aznavour and Barbara. [1]. Keren Ann's musical contemporaries - also hailing from France - include artists such as Benjamin Biolay - with whom she has collaborated, Coralie Clement, Olivia Ruiz, Francoiz Breut, and Carla Bruni.

Well-known contemporary English speaking artists who might also be termed 'New Chanson', in that their musical style is clearly traceable from this same Chanson lineage can be seen in artists such as New York based Martha Wainwright (who recently reprised Barbara's song 'Dis, Quand Reviendra Tu?' - [2], Regina Spektor (showing French influence in songs such as 'Apres Moi' and 'Ne Me Quitte Pas'), CocoRosie (originally Canadian, now Paris based) and London-based singer-songwriter Ana Silvera [3].

[edit] Trivia

 Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (March 2008)
  • Her song "L'Onde Amère" was featured on a 1st season episode of the HBO series Big Love
  • Her song "Jardin d'Hiver" was featured on a 5th season episode of the television series Six Feet Under
  • Her song "Not Going Anywhere" was featured on a second season episode of Grey's Anatomy.
  • Her song "Right now and right here" was featured in a Korean ad of the Daewoo Group's architectural division, Daewoo Motor Sales's Iaan.

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ ("Interview with Benjamin Biolay". http://www.signandsight.com/features/1557.html. Retrieved 2008-11-25. )
  2. ^ "Martha Wainwright Discography". http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/mwa/disc.asp. Retrieved 2008-11-25. )
  3. ^ ("Time Out London Review". http://www.timeout.com/london/music/event/119294/Ana-Silvera.html. Retrieved 2008-11-25. )

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keren_Ann"