DJ Ron Slomowicz: You were born in Israel, correct?
Calanit: That's right.
RS: How did you discover your love of music?
Calanit: Always it was in me, it wasn't matter of a specific time, music was in me my whole life.
RS: When did you know you wanted to be a singer?
Calanit: Always, since the day I was born.
RS: Did you perform as a child?
Calanit: Always. Everywhere, in kindergarten, in high school. I was always winning competitions and at the age of seventeen I decided that Israel is too small for me and I have lots of energy for the world.
RS: And so that's what made you decide to come to the US?
Calanit: Yes, I was seventeen years old and I was singing with my mum. There was a huge singer from Israel called Ofra Haza, which I don't think a lot of people know about. She died unfortunately three or four years ago, and she was my inspiration. It said in a magazine, Ofra Haza - Los Angeles, so I said to my mum, 'mummy, do you want to see Calanit in Los Angeles?' She was like, 'really?' I'm like, 'I promise you.' I have been there since the day I moved here in the music industry.
RS: Ofra Haza, she's sang Im Nin Alu correct?
Calanit: Im Nin Alu, yes.
RS: That was a very powerful song. So you came to the US, did you already know people here or were you starting from scratch?
Calanit: I didn't know people here. When I was seventeen I had no money, no English at all, besides the words 'I love you,' 'I need you'. I didn't know anybody, I just came here with a little suitcase and my belief in my goal, and I was totally homeless the first year. I was going through a rough time. I was working in construction, building some buildings, cleaning airplanes in the rain, selling sandwiches and flowers, everything I could to survive, in a good way of course.
RS: How did you hook up with the music industry out there? Were you just singing everywhere you could?
Calanit: Everywhere I could, I did my homework actually. I went out, I met people, I got involved and introduced myself. First of all I had to develop my English and it was part of my success and part of my goal, because if you're in Rome you've got to act like the Romans do. So I tried to get myself involved with the American mentality and to learn how to love that and I did. I've learned a lot, how I can move on and who can I talk to. I built up connections and I never, ever stopped. I was pushing and calling, nonstop. I went to every record company, knocked on their doors, and never stopped calling, always with a beautiful attitude and a good vibe and a very, very innocent vibe. I'm going to make it and never let anybody use me for something else. I was trying to be sharp and knowing that a lot of wolves are out there and that I had to be strong. I had to be strong even though it was very, very, very tough. That's what I did through the years and I never stopped calling and I did my homework and I promoted myself. Through the years I got to meet this legend, Benjamin Groff at EMI, and I have written with him for six years, he is my partner. I kept knocking on doors and never stopped and, you know, and that's how I ended up where I am here right now.
RS: So, with him you won a big John Lennon songwriting contest?
Calanit: Correct, and we won the Winter songwriting contest of 2000.
RS: What song was that for?
Calanit: "Music In My Heart" and "Special." "Music In My Heart" is being recorded right now by the girl that won Star Search. Sony finally decided they want to record Music In My Heart, which is a good thing, so we'll see how it goes.
