Meet a new James Bond girl... although you will hear her rather than see her in the new film Quantum of Solace.
Tally Koren, an Israeli singer-songwriter, is the voice of an Israeli agent in the Daniel Craig film, which has its world premiere next Wednesday.
She tells People: "I was a bit worried, as they asked me if I could talk as if I had an Israeli accent. The director said I sounded German, so I tried to make myself sound sexier."
Later this month - October 29 - Ms Koren, who is in her late 30s, launches her debut album in the UK, Timeless Melodies. It is based on the music of Mozart, Chopin, Satie and Beethoven, among others. Tracks from the album have featured on Classic FM and the album is available at HMV, Virgin, Amazon and iTunes. Born in Israel, Ms Koren moved to London in the late 1990s, where she began to perform and record. One of her songs, Shiru Ladonai - based on Psalm 96 - is being included in the Reform movement's new music book to accompany its new siddur, Seder Hatefillah, published this summer.
"In a way, this is a bigger achievement than being in James Bond, even though James Bond makes more news," she says.
She adds: "As a child I always sang, but I did a Wizo singing competition and didn't get first place. I was so upset that I stopped singing."
She became a model instead. But 16 years ago, Ms Koren decided to take up singing again. She also has a degree in Jewish Studies from the Leo Baeck College. Home is in Barnes.
