Israeli singer Tally Koren talks to Nick Elvin about the launch of her new album

Tally Koren has carried out national service in the Israeli army, enjoyed a career as a model, and even reached the final of her native country’s search for a Eurovision entry.

Hers is an interesting and varied life that the singer-songwriter says has helped make her the musician she is today, and her new album, 72 Names blends the many sounds and cultures that have influenced her life. There are percussive beats, reflecting her Middle Eastern roots, fused with Western electronic influences; there is a track sung in Hebrew; while the first single on the album, Beauty of the Duty, is a radio-friendly tune with a hint of Sharleen Spiteri and Texas.

Is there a thread that holds all of the tracks together?

“The central theme is my vocal – the way I sing the songs,“ says Tally. “It doesn’t matter if it’s my song or the Beatles, I will make it my own in my distinctive style. It’s also the theme of the lyrics, which are all about my optimistic way of seeing life and making the best of it.“

Born in Israel, Tally had spells living in the USA and Mexico before moving to the UK in the late 1990s. Over the past decade she has been a regular performer at many London venues, including Pizza on the Park, Lauderdale House and the Soho Revue Bar.

“Living in different places and doing different things helped me to understand people and life better,“ says Tally, who has also worked as a journalist and voice-over artist. “Also it made me more mature and love different cultures. Love and passion for life is my biggest inspiration.“

The southwest London resident recently picked up the London Fringe Best Singer Songwriter Award 2011, and she has also been enjoying national radio airplay, with Beauty of the Duty championed by Chris Evans and Graham Norton on BBC Radio 2. She even presented Shimon Peres with a copy of 72 Names, and received positive feedback from the Israeli president, who told her she “sang beautifully“, while she has been compared by some to the likes of Dido, Marianne Faithfull and Alison Goldfrapp. Tally feels she has made an important breakthrough this year.

“2011, so far, has been the best year of my life,“ she says. “It’s a great sensation to get recognition, especially since it’s not my native country. To have Graham Norton playing my single in his first show after a song by Robbie Williams felt like a big achievement, especially because I’ve done it all by myself. But it’s only the beginning, as I have much more exciting plans for my near and far future.“

Tally will be launching her album with a performance at the London Jewish Cultural Centre (LJCC) in Golders Green next week. It is a venue she has played at before.

She says: “The LJCC is a wonderful cultural Jewish charity centre. Haggit Inbar, who is responsible for the Hebrew studies and the scouts, is a big fan of my music and I already had a lovely gig there last year. This time it’s going to be a much bigger event for the launch of the album and I am very much looking forward to it.“

Tally Koren will be at the London Jewish Cultural Centre, Ivy House, North End Road, Golders Green, on Sunday, March 27, 7.30pm. Details: 020 8457 5000. To find out more about 72 Names visit: www.tallykoren.com