Ariel Lavi hosts the actress, dancer, and singer, Mika Veltman for an interview about the career .
Hello Mika ! How are you?
” I am ok as much as one can be ok in the current times. Hoping for better and more peaceful days for everyone”
What exactly do you do today ?
“I am a singer, actress, and dancer. To date, I have released three singles and participated in the 4th season of the successful youth series “Milano Circuit.” I performed on Israel’s Independence Day ceremonies and in various other events across the country. Additionally, I write scripts as a hobby”
You started out as an Olympic athlete and moved on to acting, dancing and singing. How did it happen ?
“I was a rhythmic gymnast in the Israeli National Team, training 11 hours a day, 7 times a week, and not attending school for about 3 years. I competed extensively, earning around numerous medals from various competitions in Israel and in International tournaments. My dream was to reach the Paris 2024 Olympics, and I worked hard to climb as high as possible and achieve every goal I set for myself. However, in late 2019, just before the pandemic, I broke my leg during training. I had to reduce training to 5 hours per day instead of 11. This allowed me to go back to school after a long absence, with a bit more time than usual. At that point in time, Netflix was launched locally, and the first series I watched was “Stranger Things.” The moment I saw this series, I felt a fantastic connection to the world of acting. I observed the actors and felt that I belonged to that place – the world of TV and cinema. Within two months, I healed and resumed training as usual. After a month at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which we had to stay at home for about 3 months, I trained for about 11 hours at home, promising myself that I would make a comeback. Even better than I was, I continued to explore the world of acting and couldn’t stop. After three months, we could return to training in the hall, but I got injured again, and the doctors finally said I couldn’t continue gymnastics. It was a shock, it was painful, and I had to start my life anew, which scared me. However, I knew exactly where I was heading. I started reinforcing my dancing skills and joined Roberto Ben Shushan’s Talent Agency. In the first year, things took time due to the pandemic, which prevented and canceled many projects, so there weren’t many opportunities. But in the second year, Roberto saw a dance clip of mine from an end-of-year performance where I danced, invited me and my Mother for a conversation, and asked if I wanted to be a singer. I confidently replied yes, even though I hadn’t sung before. Roberto suggested I release a song and start investing in a singing career. I began developing my voice and gradually fell in love with singing. Within two months, I released my first single, “Lo Me’anyenti.” After this song, I released two more songs, got accepted into a TV series, all in the past year.
I continue working every day and preparing for upcoming projects.”
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
“The motivating part in this profession is that I actualize myself, do what I love the most—passion for the profession, the ability to emotionally connect with people through my music, the self-satisfaction, and the way it teaches me new things daily”
Can you tell us what you did so far in the Music and Film industry?
“I released three singles this year, with two of them accumulating over 550k views. The 3rd song was released during the challenging times we are facing, in collaboration with the “Hotir Aharav Havera ” association. This organization supports women who lost their boyfriends during the “7th of October” war, and the song is dedicated to commemorating their loved ones. I performed, participated in the successful youth series “Makif Milano,” I had an impactful interview on Channel 12 TV News, the largest news channel in Israel and since then I continue working every day, preparing for what comes next”
What is your greatest success so far?
“My greatest success so far is the journey I’m on. I started this path about a year ago and have achieved many dreams. I can’t wait for even bigger and more meaningful successes”
What do you want your audience to know?
“I would like my audience to know that I am very sensitive. I will do everything so that people always feel included, comfortable. I will work hard to make every song and performance of mine as perfect as possible, always aiming to bring joy to them”
Where did you grow up?
“Until the age of 3, I lived in Be’er Sheva. After my parents divorced, I moved with my Mother to Kfar Saba until I was 7 years old, and then we settled in Ramat Hasharon, where I live to this day”
Where are you from?
“I am from Israel”
What are some of the challenges you faced along the way?
“The challenges I face along the way include disappointment, failure, and the frustration of wanting something to achieve that doesn’t always happen. It can be very discouraging because my dreams are significant, and my expectations of myself are extremely high. I never give-up on myself, making it difficult to be disappointed or not succeed. My perfectionism drives me to give my 100%, and until I feel it’s the best I can do, I’ll keep doing it over and over. I occasionally deal with cynical comments on social media where some people try to bring me down. While I am sensitive, I never let it stop me
In the end, I know that these experiences will shape me, and every challenge will both humble and strengthen me”
What does it take to be a successful actress, dancer, and singer ?
“To be a successful singer, actor, and dancer, you need to be mentally strong first and foremost. It’s a challenging field, and you must know exactly where you’re heading. You need thick skin, self-discipline, not to succumb to opinions, hard work, and not to give-up even when it gets tough. It’s a journey, and not an easy one. Full of ups-&-downs. You need to know exactly what you want, don’t let people distract you. Know your worth, remember where you want to go, don’t let any disruptions stop you along the way, and always know how to listen, both to yourself and to professionals who want what’s best for you”
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
“In five years, I see myself on a successful path, filled with achievements and self-fulfillment, standing on the highest peaks, performing on the grandest stages. I want to fill arenas, hear people singing along to my songs, be an inspiration, act in successful TV series and movies on the Big-Screen, have a packed schedule with projects related to this field, and, of course, continue to be the happiest, most grateful version of myself for everything I’ve accomplished.”
What advice would you give to a young actress, dancer or singer?
“The advice I would give to an aspiring singer, actress, or dancer is that everything has its own pace. You need to make a significant effort to know not to give up, not to be discouraged when something doesn’t work out. Seek help from people, professionals, family; be surrounded by support and love. Work every day, develop your voice, sing, create, write, attend acting classes, dance, participate in workshops, be creative, invest in social networks, and most importantly, believe in yourself and aim to soar as high as possible”
Who is your biggest inspiration?
“My inspiration is Beyoncé. I believe she is the biggest star in the world, like no other. She works hard, does incredible things, and her performances are unparalleled. She is an amazing performer, and I learn a lot from her”
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Anything else your audience should know?
“I would like my audience to know that I highly appreciate everyone who applauds and supports. It’s not taken for granted. I will always be as genuine as possible with them and value everyone who joins”