Born in Israel, in a small town called Cesaree, in 1974, Keren Ann Zeidel grew up steeped in a rich mix of cultures. Her Israeli father is descended from a family of Russian Jews and her mother is the daughter of a Javanese woman and a Dutch officer.

Keren Ann and her brother and sister enjoyed a well-traveled youth, spending their childhood in the Netherlands. Then, when Keren Ann turned 11, the Zeidel family moved to Paris.

 

Surrounded by a fascinating mix of musical cultures from an early age, Keren Ann grew up listening to everything from French 'variété' and American folk to traditional Yiddish music.

 

The budding young songwriter began writing her own material while still in her early teens but devoted herself to her education after passing her 'baccalauréat', going on to study computer science, philosophy and psychology. As a student, Keren Ann also went out to California to take a course in oceanography in San Diego.

 

 

Keren Ann appears to have emerged at the forefront of the French music scene almost overnight. But the young singer's impressive vocal talent and her finely-crafted songwriting make her rapid rise to fame well-deserved.