The eccentric pop sensation, actor, and comedian, Meital Dohan, has carved out a place for herself in music and film
The eccentric, Israeli born, pop sensation, actor, and comedian, Meital Dohan, has carved out a place for herself in music and film over the last few years. She has toured the world and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music and reached the Billboard Top 10 charts with her single "Give Us Back Love."
She is also know for her roles in Showtime's "Weeds" (Creator Jenji Kohan) and "Cabaret Maxime" (Writer/director Bruno de Almeida)
Meital is also the author of the book, "Love and Other Bad habits," described as "This visually and poetically stimulating new book exhibits a rare tapestry of feminine identity."
"I feel things intensely so usually my best music comes out of an intense state of feeling."
Tell us about your music. You are a popular pop singer from Israel?
"Growing up in Israel, I performed as an actor, mainly in theatre, TV and films. I did do some singing, but it was a more cabaret style with Israeli singer Ivri Lider. The singing came later, but performing is always a blast."
How has your music translated over to American audiences?
"I'm so thankful for the love I have received from the American and European markets. I couldn't be more excited about having my third song ever, charting like crazy and played all over the place."
What has been your favorite performance so far?
"It's hard to pick, but I had a real ball performing at the White Party twice. I love Yummy Boys."
Can you tell us about your latest album?
"My first album is in the works after putting out only three songs. "I'm In Hate With Love" is all about the self and ego. We've moved away from being intimate with others and have become self-obsessed. It's a cultural affliction, and I'm working it out through my music.
How would you describe your genre?
"Different genres of electric pop."
When you write your music, what ignites your ideas?
"It can be anything from a smell to inspire a person, to really any feeling that consumes me. I feel things intensely so usually my best music comes out of an intense state of feeling."
Of all your music, do you have a favorite line or a piece of music? What makes it stand out to you?
Seconds go slow, decades go fast – this is what life is all about isn't it?"
We understand you have done quite a few stage productions and received a Tony award for some of your work. Can you tell us about performing onstage?
"Correct, it has been a great honor. I received the equivalent of the American Tony award in my own country Israel. It was my first role in theatre, an original play and it was a lot of fun."
With so much success in Israel. Why did you choose to come to the U.S.?
"I like to spend time simultaneously between Israel and the US. I'm a citizen of the world, I think it's not fair to keep all these tasty and yummy secrets only to myself. That's why I like to share them with my pet tiger Charlie. By the way he sends his grrrrrrl"
Did your family come along as well? How did they react to the big move?
"I never made a conscious decision to move to the US. If I happen to spend more time here, it's just what my life requires right now so God bless my family they live everywhere."
What do you miss the most about home, other than family?
"I miss everything about Israel… I love the terrain of Israel. The weather and the land are really magnificent. I really love to be by water and in nature, so I love that about Israel."
"I think if you can make people laugh, you can really reach them and if you can really reach them you can make an impact."
How is Israel different than the U.S.?
"Israel's the size of New Jersey. Everyone knows your business and you know everyone else's business. Israel is magical and you feel the magic in the air. The US is much bigger, although size doesn't always matter."
Tell us about your acting role in "Cabaret Maxime."
"I had the pleasure of playing a character that I haven't played yet, which is myself."
What did you love about the script?
"It's a whole lot of a fun and all the characters are very eccentric people that I'd like to be friends with in real life. That's how you know you like a movie."
After this film, do you plan to do more acting?
"Of course. I have a few projects in film and TV that I'm working on."
Do you have any interesting or fun stories from the set?
"If you consider kissing a tiger as an interesting story…"
You also wrote a book called "Love & Other Bad Habits."
"This is a book of poems I wrote as a collaboration with my friend Karen Gillerman who photographed the photos in the book. It's about the moments which are unspoken in an intimate relationship."
What inspired you to write it?
"It came out of an emotional time and also Karen and I wanted to work together and collaborate as artists. It ended up being a lot of fun. We also had exhibitions all over Israel."
Can you quote a favorite part of the book?
"Just one favorite part?"
What was the most difficult part of writing your own book?
"None of it was difficult. It was fun. Otherwise, I wouldn't be writing it."
Is it true you are also a comedian? Maybe we should ask what you don't do?
"I tend to have a comedic lens on life and a lot of times I think comedy and satire are the best ways to really speak about important issues."
What do you love about comedy?
"I think if you can make people laugh, you can really reach them and if you can really reach them you can make an impact."
What is next for you?
"I am shooting a project right now in LA and then I'll be traveling soon. Definitely will be recording more music soon, too, but first I should give some attention and catch up with my pet tiger Charlie because he's overwhelmed with jealousy as I spent quite a bit of time in the presence of another tiger. So let me dive in to that. Ciao!"
Full article here.
Interview: Meital Dohan makes leap from acting to larger than life pop artist
After finding success as an actress in Israel, Meital Dohan is out to conquer the American dance music market. AXS conducted an e-mail interview with Meital to talk about how she's making the transition from award-winning performer to hopefully smash hit pop artist, after her spiritual guide told her that she was destined to become a singer.
"The most ridiculous thing about my short singing career was I only did three songs, but they charted all over the world and now the expectations are so much higher," she told us, referring to existing singles "Yummy," "On Ya" featuring Sean Kingston, and "Give Us Back Love" featuring Problem. The latter reached number seven on Billboard's Dance Singles Chart, and was a number-one hit on the iTunes Dance Singles Chart in Italy.
With that bar having been set, Meital told us that there will be no compromises with her forthcoming debut album, which she has titled I'm in Hate with Love. She wants it to be exactly the music that she wants to hear and her reaction to the state of love in the modern world. She said that she thinks we’re living in a time of the self, a very narcissistic time in the world where love is always taking a backseat.
That sentence gives you a good impression of what audiences can expect from her as a pop artist. While she's capable of being self-effacing, she also has something more to say and she's not going to release songs just for the sake of putting them out. She's taking her new career seriously and she's not afraid to mix it up either.
"Because I'm coming from acting and theatre I treat my music projects as a music-visual fusion," Meital explained. She also fuses together fun and seriousness, adding, "I always want people to feel joy and want to dance when they play my record, but I do think everything I write has a deeper meaning."
Whenever I'm in Hate with Love arrives (the release date has yet to be announced), she's hoping that people will listen to the record and watch the accompanying videos and that the content will resonate with them. She hopes that they will think about the ways we’re living and how our priorities have really shifted. Maybe they’ll think about the human connections in their life, and want to pay a little more attention to them. Maybe they’ll ask some questions to themselves
Or maybe they'll just have a laugh about how ridiculous life is and all and the roles we have to play, which is a topic that she turned her sense of humor on in the music video for "Yummy." Meital wants to matter but that doesn't mean she can't also enjoy the ride.
Full article here. 
MEITAL DOHAN: SHE'S A GAME CHANGER
March 23, 2016 By amfmstudios
Meital has been called "a Renaissance woman of the type rarely seen these days" by Interview Magazine and has been featured on MTV, EXTRA, FOX, TMZ, USA Today and VIBE. She has toured the world and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including Sean Kingston, Reflex (Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna), R3hab (Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Calvin Harris) and Che Pope (Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem) and her 3 music videos have clocked in over 12 million YouTube views. After taking Israel by storm with two Israeli Oscar nominations and an Israeli Tony award, Meital quickly gained fame in America with her breakout recurring role in Showtime's "Weeds." She has reached the Billboard Top 10 charts with her previous single "Give Us Back Love," entering #1 on iTunes Dance Chart in Italy, #4 on UK's Commercial Pop Club Chart and #7 in the US Billboard Club Chart. We had the good fortune to be able to have a refreshing conversation with Meital Dohan, and we covered the gamut from feminism in the arts, to body image, to what she's really trying to say. We look forward to more from this talented young woman. 
Read the full interview here.
Meital Dohan Leashes Role In Indie Drama 'Cabaret Maxime'
March 17, 2016
Israeli singer-actress Meital Dohan has joined the cast on Cabaret Maxime, an indie drama starring Michael Imperil from director Bruno de Almeida. Imperioli plays Bennie, the owner of Cabaret Maxime, a hotspot that features the world's greatest specialty acts including music, burlesque, strippers and more. Dohan will star has herself, the cabaret's beautiful and mesmerizing featured act with a tiger. (Fun fact: Dohan owns a pet tiger in real life.) Rounding out the cast are Imperioli's fellow The Sopranos alums John Ventimiglia and David Proval along with Orange is the New Black's Nick Sandow. Filming is set to begin next month in Portugal. Dohan's credits include recurring on Showtime's Weeds.
Actress / Singer Meital As Seen Through the Eyes of Famed Photographer Henry Diltz
02/05/2016 01:11 pm ET
Ilana Rapp 
Meital had her breakout role in Showtime's Weeds. She's currently on the pop music charts.
What I have here is a combination of talent.
Meital is an actress and singer who took Israel by storm. She has toured the world and collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including Sean Kingston, Reflex (Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna), R3hab (Lady Gaga, LMFAO, Calvin Harris) and Che Pope (Kanye West, Jay-Z, Eminem) and her three music videos have clocked in over 12 million YouTube views.
Henry Diltz is the man who photographed Meital. And Joni Mitchell. And Michael Jackson. And the Rolling Stones. And... let's just say, if you can name them, Henry has shot them.
MEITAL
At what age did you decide you wanted to be in the entertainment business?
Being an entertainer is like being a politician / athlete. It's one of these peculiar professions when you constantly ask yourself do I really want to be doing this? Then we enter into a bigger conversation about life and destiny and this bigger force than us called god and what is our purpose in this universe. This all comes to my mind when people ask me when did I choose to be in the entertainment industry because in my mind I haven't decided yet.
When did you move to America and why?
I moved to America a little bit before I got cast and shot for Weeds. At that time I already received two Israeli Oscar nominations, Israeli Tony Award and worked in theatre films and television. I was cast in an off off Broadway show and I couldn't resist the play as it was Blood Wedding by Federico García Lorca and the text was pure poetry. I was cast in the lead role as the bride and I thought to myself I'm just going to go to New York for two months to get some fresh air and return to my home country. However New York took me by storm; I fell in love with the city and soon one thing led to another and I found myself on Showtime's Weeds wielding a huge black dildo trying to f... Justin Kirk.
Tell us about your family and your name.
The name Meital means water dew. I'm from a very tight knit and loving family in Israel, and I was raised in a small village. I have two brothers that I'm very close to and growing up we were all given a lot of support and encouragement and still are. Growing up in Israel is very different from growing up in America. Everyone knows each other and life moves a little bit slower. I think also growing up in Israel gave me a deeper connection to nature and the natural world, which is something that I still seek out very often here.
What's the most important part of your day?
Morning is really important to me because I practice transcendental meditation, and it's the first time I meditate in my day. It's a chance for me to reflect and visualize what I want to give and take from the world that day - and allows me to come into my day with a sharper focus and purpose.
Do you sing in the shower?
I tried to sing in the shower a few times but it was hard as my mouth was filled with water. Therefore I transitioned to hot bath tubs. Soaking in hot bath tubs became just another recharging place, so instead of singing I usually spend my time in the bath thinking about the challenges and hardships of the world and how I can humbly try and fix them. Usually by the time I finish purifying myself I realize that there is so much to do in the world and that's what motivates me to get out of the bath and rush to work.
Tell us about an important relationship from your teenage years.
My grandma and I were very close when I was a teenager and she taught me about generosity, spirituality and the meaning of authenticity. She was a very real person and taught me what it means to always be honest with yourself, to not care what other people thought of me. When I was a teenager I was shy and self-conscious so she helped me to come out of my shell and really embrace the girl I was. She has since passed, but she's definitely one of the most important relationships of my formative years.
Do you have any regrets?
Nothing that keeps me up at night but I've definitely regretted moments in my life. I think moving through life it's inevitable and inhuman not to feel regret as life goes by so fast and you encounter so many people and have to make constant decisions. Obviously nature is not perfect and neither are we so as much as I'd to think of myself as a super human inspired by David Bowie I recall that I am human when I sit on the toilet seat or when my stomach rumbles out of hunger. So yes regrets are part of life, I wish they weren't but they are.
Where were you the first time you found out you made the music charts and who was the first person you told?
Luc Vergier, who is one of my team members, has been believing in me and was working with me in Europe, phoned to tell me my second song ever, On Ya featuring Sean Kingston was number five in the UK pop club chart.
Needless to say for someone who'd just released their second song ever I was so enthused and happy and I immediately called Elliot Mintz whose been working with me and nurturing my career and told him the good news. I would have jumped up and down but I was sitting in my car and didn't want to hit my head. I also called Cuda Love who was responsible for the introduction and collaboration with Sean Kingston.
You've been photographed a countless number of times in your career, most recently by Henry Diltz. What are the differences and similarities of the way a photographer shoots you that you've noticed over the years?
That's a great question. I think a lot of photographers have shot me in a very sexy way and have captured the kind of flirty, provocative nature I possess. The differences between photographers is developing some kind of emotional intimacy with them before so that they can see you - really see you - beyond just being the subject of their photograph. I think the photographers that understand my mind and where I'm coming from as an artist, can make better art out of me. Henry Diltz is a legendary photographer and it's my absolute pleasure and honor to be photographed by him alongside all those 20th century icons. Working with Henry was definitely inspiring and gave me that feeling once again that I miss the era I should of been part of - which was the 60s and 70s when people were more free minded, free spirited and chose to connect with one another rather than connect with their cell phones.
Anything else you'd like to say?
If you're interested in interviewing my pet tiger Charlie he's now taking select interviews with the press.
More seriously I've been working with Bob Roth and the David Lynch Foundation for Meditation for a few years trying to set a program introducing Israeli veterans who served in the IDF to receive complimentary Transcendental Meditation education. Recently we've made some progress and I will be very delighted to hopefully soon announce the launch of the program.
HENRY DILTZ
From stunning stage shots of Chuck Berry, Crosby, Stills and Nash and the Rolling Stones, to warm, candid images of Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Michael Jackson and Joni Mitchell, Diltz is a legend and has captured some of music's most familiar faces in some extraordinarily intimate moments.
How were you chosen to photograph Meital?
I met Meital at a photography opening at The Morrison Hotel Gallery in LA. We had a chat and she mentioned that she needed some new photos and wondered if I would take them. It sounded like a great idea to me.
Tell us about the shoot.
We did all the photos at her house in Laurel Canyon at the top of a hill with great light coming in many big windows. It was the perfect location to do candid photos in my fly on the wall style. Nothing went wrong, everything went right! When you have a beautiful lady in your viewfinder, it's hard for anything to go wrong.
You're known for photography legend, having shot some of music's most iconic and familiar faces of all time. What's the difference between photographing stage appearances vs. magazine / album cover photos?
My style of photography is a simple documenting in natural / existing light of whatever I see. In the case of live stage appearances, the lighting already exists and so that's a done deal. Otherwise, I like to shoot in the daytime with God's own light and it's as simple as that. What I see is what I capture. In either case, I am looking for the moments that look natural and joyful to me and hope that it will be the case for others who later view the pictures.
