Tally Koren is a UK-based Israeli pop singer who won Best Singer-Songwriter at the Fringe Awards in 2011, took part in The Graham Norton Show, sang at The Royal Albert Hall and The House of Lords and launched The National Schools Poetry Competition.
She is in for an interview about her EP Magical Powers, released in 2020, and inspired by a poem written by a then-13-year-old girl named Kezia Blain.
Tally Koren by Rupert Truman ©
Tally, what is the story behind Magical Powers?
Magical Powers was born when the father of a teenager came to talk to me after one of my performances at an event and asked if I was planning any songs around the theme of peace. He then emailed me a poem written by his 13-year-old daughter, Kezia, and I just couldn’t believe that a 13-year-old would write this. Magical Powers moved me to tears, and – as soon as I read it – I went straight to the piano and composed the first verses based on the lyrics. This song means the world to me. It made me truly understand the treasure that our children keep inside them. I recently had a lovely chat with Kezia who has since become a London-based virtual artist. She said she loved what I created with her words and the work I do to inspire children and adults to express their inner feelings and be creative. Magical Powers is the reason I later created the National Schools Poetry Competition. When I read the poem and understood the potential children have, I immediately bought the domain name to create a platform for a poetry competition for children. My late husband was having chemotherapy treatments at the hospital at the time, and I had a lot of free time. What actually made the real difference was getting support from Lord Robin Eames OM who arranged for the winners to be awarded at The House of Lords. The platform and competition are very appealing to children, especially as they know that the winner’s poem will be turned into a song.
What achievements are you most proud of?
I am proud of having been on the BBC Radio 2 playlists with my song Beauty Of The Duty. This is a huge achievement for someone like me who moved to London with just a suitcase and a lot of big dreams. I am also proud of having been given the opportunity to sing for the late Israeli president Shimon Peres in 2014 – his work for peace has always inspired me so much. Performing on the stage of The Royal Albert Hall is also something I will never forget.
Which one of your songs are you most attached to?
Free Will. It’s because of the message it conveys of being able to choose what’s good for us in every single moment of our lives and translate this into our actions in the world. I’m also attached to My River, a song reminding me that I can always silently go find my river, including in dark times. I also like the song The Gift, which gave the name to my 2021 album.
What do you think of today’s music?
There are many new, amazingly talented singer-songwriters out there.
What music genre do you feel most represented by?
Electro-acoustic pop.
What kind of music do you listen to?
Over the last few months, I often listened to Children by Robert Miles. I need infectious melodies when I’m home, getting wild dancing and exercising!
Are there any artists you would like to collaborate with?
Coldplay and U2.
What do you think of The X Factor?
It’s a great platform to help people achieve their dreams.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
My main influences in music are Beethoven, Coldplay and Karen Carpenter. William Blake as a poet. Late psychologist Dr Wayne Walter Dyer and meditation writer Michael Alan Singer are also life inspirations for me, together with the late Israeli president Shimon Peres.
What was your dream job as a child? Did you have a plan B?
I gave up singing at the age of 8 when I didn’t make it to a local singing competition, then I worked as a model until I was 25, so I actually lived most of my life in plan B. When I eventually became a singer-songwriter, my love for music increasingly grew, and I was fulfilled by doing what I love. I won’t think about any plan B any more, and I love inspiring others to do so, so people can be happier and create a better world. I have also written poems in my native language – which is Hebrew – since I was a child. Although I now write most of my lyrics by myself, I don’t have the same writing skills in English that I have in Hebrew, so I team up with poets, both children and adults, to enrich and improve my work. What I realised is that I love to play with words and create song hooks. I have loved singing since I was 3, so combining singing and writing in a singer-songwriter career was the ultimate outcome for me.
How do you feel about the armed conflict in your country and do you think musicians have a responsibility as peacemakers?
My 2019 UK tour message actually was “We all speak the same language through music”; I spend a lot of time focusing on thinking about how to build bridges for peace, and the situation in my own country makes me very sad. But we must not lose hope even in the darkest times.
Tally Koren – © to the owners
Unless stated otherwise, pictures were provided from Tally Koren’s private collection © belongs to their respective owners