Israeli musicians and singers are not really household names outside of Israel, but Ninet Tayeb may be the first to change this. Known as one of the most influential Israeli musicians of all time, her music has now started to be noticed in the USA where she now resides.
Her latest single ‘Self Destructive Mind’ came out at the end of September and is already her most listened to track on Spotify. Her indie-pop style mixed with her middle-eastern tones are so original. Ninet says her influences include the likes of Nirvana, Joy Division and Jeff Buckley and you can see this throughout ‘Self Destructive Mind’. Her voice has a slightly raspy tone when she sings the verses. However, as the song builds, and the intensity increases, so does the power and volume of her vocals, and the slightly raspy tone is nowhere to be seen.
Ninet says of her release, “When I relocated to LA from Israel two years ago, I spent a lot of nights sitting on my balcony, staring at the moon, thinking. One of those late nights I was battling some negative thoughts, wondering about my decision to leave home. That moment inspired me, so I walked inside and wrote this song. Self Destructive Mind is a taste, a glimpse into my world where time can make you feel so isolated and alone.”
Last year’s album ‘Paper Parachute’ (Ninet’s second English-speaking record) is available now as the singer continues to work on her upcoming 6th album.
Ninet’s overall sound reminds me slightly of Lana Del Rey with the emotion that can be felt through their rough vocals but also their ability to lose the raspy sound and project their voice with such power.