Who sings the song from the MacBook Air ad?

You know the song from the MacBook Air ad, right? The one about being a "new soul" in a "very strange world", sung in a charmingly naive, not entirely English accent, featuring the best "la la la" hook since 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head'? That's 'New Soul', the debut single from emerging folkie Yael Naim. Knowing close to nothing about her, we called her up to find out more.

Who is Yael Naim?
Yael, 31, is a French-Israeli singer-songwriter who's been obsessed with music since her schooldays. "I started with classical music when I was ten, but very soon I began to compose little melodies", she recalls. "Then I found my voice - I began to write songs and play them. It's a great feeling. I hope I can do it forever."

Did she really serve in the Israeli army?
Well, sort of. Like all Israeli youngsters, Yael was required to do three years' national service when she turned 18. Rather cunningly, she elected to spend her term in the Israel Air Force Orchestra. "I felt lucky to be able to sing during those years," she admits. "Getting to spend three years with all those excellent musicians was a privilege. It was the army, but it didn't feel like the army, except for the uniform!"

So, what's 'New Soul' about then?
As ever, Miss Naim has all the answers: "I was looking back at all the mistakes I've made in my short life, and I felt like a new completely new soul. I felt that I was new and I had everything to learn – that's what the song's about." Phew, good to have cleared that up, eh?

Was Yael wary about licensing her song for a laptop ad?
Just a little! Her initial response was a resounding "no, no, no!", mainly because she didn't know what the MacBook Air was. However, after discussing the proposal with David Donatien, her confidant and musical collaborator, she changed her mind. The result was a career boost on a worldwide scale, with 'New Soul' becoming a hit in France, Germany, Canada and even the US, a country that Naim has yet to visit. "It's all very strange," she says of her new-found success. Absolutely, Yael - but that's the power of telly.

Yael Naim releases 'New Soul' on March 24.