The Voice – Sharane Calister

By starrymag | May 3, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about what you have planned next, where do you think your career will head and whether you think you’ll release some new music?

 

Sharane Calister:   Well, I definitely know for sure that my music career is not going to stop; this is only the beginning for me.  I definitely want to focus on me and my album.  I definitely want to create an album and possibly a tour.  And I’m actually going to be the Keynote speaker for an upcoming conference for the Purple Project, where I’ll be speaking to and working with foster kids. So that’s pretty cool.  And I plan on reaching out and working with other organizations related to adoption and foster care.  So I’ll be doing that and working on my music.

 

Q) And can you say a little bit about what you have planned in terms of an album, what type of style?

 

Sharane Calister:   Yes.  I think I want to go towards more R&B and pop because that’s what I did in the show, you know, I did R&B first, then I threw in a little pop with Shawn Mendes, and America seemed to like it.  So I’m going to mix those two in there and make an album that way.

 

Q)  So there was a glitch last night preventing home viewers from being able to see the graphic on the screen that shows percentages of votes for Christiana and yourself as they pour in.  Did you ever find out what percentage of votes you received and how close the vote really was?

 

Sharane Calister:   I actually didn’t, but everybody did tell me that it was pretty neck and neck.  So I believe Christiana only beat me by like a few percentage points.  So, you know, I’m pretty upset about that.  I didn’t even know you weren’t able to see it on the screen/  Somebody told me that we were neck and neck.

 

Q)  I was just curious when Adam was talking to you when you were waiting to hear the results and he mentioned that you hadn’t had your breakout moment yet.  I was curious, what did you think about that comment and did you agree with that?

 

Sharane Calister:   I was a little surprised after he said that comment but then I thought about it.  He’s right, you know, I definitely haven’t had that just one wow moment in the show yet, and it could have happened next but it didn’t, but it will happen eventually. But I’m glad he did that because, you know, it opened up my eyes and realized, I can do better and it only gets better from now on.  I can’t get worse, you know, I can only just work on my craft to get better and better.  So I’m glad he did say that to me.

 

 

Q) That said, you did have several very well-received performances.  Which was your favorite performance on the show of yours and why?

 

Sharane Calister:   I would have to say my favorite performance would have to be when I sang “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman.  First of all, that’s one of my favorite songs ever and it just has so much meaning to it.  And that was the one performance where I actually really felt everything, like the boom bit, the staging, the lights, like everything just fit perfectly into the moment. You know, that was my one moment that I had on the show and everything just fell in there perfectly and it was just a beautiful moment.  And America saved me.  So that was the best moment ever.

 

 

Q)  Were you surprised to land in the bottom two to begin with, given the coaches agreed you crushed that difficult song “Hero,” and then what was going through your mind after singing “If I Were A Boy” for survival, what did you anticipate was going to happen?

 

Sharane Calister:   Well, you know what?  Actually, I didn’t think I’d be in the bottom two, you know, it was a surprise to me. Same with Christiana too, she’s an amazing artist.  So it’s just a shock to see us both but we both know that somebody has to be in the bottom two. So it was just mind-blowing and a little crazy and then I had to sing If I Were A Boy.  It’s hard to even go up on stage and sing because you have to hold back your tears because you’re already emotional and you know you might have to go home. It’s just an emotional rollercoaster at that time and everything’s happening at a fast pace. So I just had to calm myself and go up on stage and try to sing my heart out.  I sang one of my favorite artists’ song which is Beyoncé, so I already felt honored to be able to do that on The Voice stage.  And I just went out there and did the best I could, and I still appreciate America for always giving me their support.

 

 

Q) Can you talk a little bit about what you think you’ve gained from The Voice experience and how you think it will affect your music moving forward?

 

Sharane Calister:   Yes.  Oh man, I’ve gained so much.  Just like personality wise, like I’m definitely a shy person.  So when I’m on stage, I definitely blossom into this other person, you know, and being on The Voice helped me find my artistry in myself. And working with two amazing coaches is an accomplishment right there because not everybody gets to say they get to work with two coaches.  So it helped me, and Adam and Alicia both said some very, very kind words and shared wisdom with me to help me with my craft so that’s definitely going to help me in the future. Adam really helped me step out of my genre. I’ve always thought I would just do R&B but, he pushed me to do it a little bit outside of my box, you know, the one thing he said, be different, you know, don’t be like everybody else.  So that’s definitely going to help me in my music career now.  You should be like Sharane, do what Sharane wants to do because that’s why America got me to where I am now in the Top 11.  So yes, everything I’ve learned from The Voice is going to help me in the near future as I continue to develop my artistry.

 

Q)  For as long as I’ve been watching reality singing shows, contestants are often told to avoid the Whitney Houston and the Mariah Carey songs, just because they’re such big undertakings.  So Sharane, do you have any insight into why maybe you didn’t rack in the votes this week?  Do you think it was partly because “Hero” was such a big song to live up to?  I know it was the fans’ choice but…

 

Sharane Calister:   You know what?  And that’s just a hard question to answer because like I have no idea fans picked the song for me.  And I feel honored too, you know, to this day that they picked that song for me because they thought I could do it.  And I’ve had some bad comments and a lot of positive comments as well with the song. So I’m going to take it all and run with it and I still appreciate my fans for, like I said, picking such an iconic song for me.  But it was a big song and I’m just glad I was able to go up there and tackle it the way I did.

 

Q)  Before the show, you were involved with a band.  I think you even created and called The Feel Right.  Will you be going back to that group and performing with them again?  And also was it the Purple Project that you were talking about and could you tell us a little bit more about that?

 

Sharane Calister:   Yes.  So yes, when I get back into Iowa I definitely plan to reunite with my band.  I already have some gigs lined up, you know, that’s I put on hold.  So I’m definitely going to get with my band and work on some new music and get out there and book gigs, possibly gigs out of the state, you know, because we’ve only been working in Iowa. So hopefully this will get us to branch out and go into different states. And then with The Purple Project.  The Purple Project is an organization for foster youth.  They want me to be their keynote speaker at their 2018 Foster Care Youth Conference and just basically be there to represent all these kids and tell my story and then let them know to be strong, you know, and if they ever need somebody that I’m here for them. It’s a great opportunity to speak to kids who went through the exact same thing that I went through.  And the fact that I get to actually go up there and talk to them and let them know, you’re not alone, is really amazing. So it’s a great, great, great organization.  It’s called The Purple Project.

 

Q) And is that something that came up since The Voice or was that something you were involved in before?

 

Sharane Calister:   It was something that came up since I’ve been on The Voice when they heard my story.

 

Q) I was curious because you have been coached by two different coaches on The Voice can you tell us what the differences or the similarities between the two and the advantages or disadvantages?

 

Sharane Calister:   Well, I’d say they’re both similar because they’re just so honest, you know, and they’re both so caring.  I really wouldn’t say that one is better than the other because they both have their own special ways of teaching.  Like, I had my special moment with Alicia, and she’s also one of my favorite artists.  So it was amazing working with her and she’s got this sweet personality like when she walks in the room it’s like she would just melt your heart and warm your heart.  And she gives the best advice, and one of the best things that she told me was, “Be Sharane, don’t be scared, don’t be pretty, you know, don’t worry about the cameras. You go up there and you do you.”  And then with Adam.  Oh man, Adam was just so relaxing and calm, like, the first time I met him he was in sweatpants.  So that’s probably the thing I’d say the only difference is that Alicia comes in with like a whole thing, an outfit on and Adam will just come in with sweatpants and just be chill and calm. And he’s like a big brother.  He treats you like he’s an equal to you, you know, and it’s just awesome working with both of them. I appreciate every moment that I got to spend with them.

 

Q) Sharane, sometimes I wonder how often the contestants practice their Instant Save songs, you know, whether the contestants who feel really confident rehearse less?  I mean how prepared did you feel to sing “If I Were a Boy?”  And had you rehearsed it beforehand as if you were definitely going to land in the bottom or?

 

Sharane Calister:   Well, I definitely practiced my song but I wasn’t practicing it as much as I thought I was going to be in the bottom two because my mindset wasn’t there.  You know, like I always speak things to existence and I honestly did not think that I was going to be in the bottom two. But I was still prepared I still practiced my song and that’s actually one of my favorite songs by Beyoncé.  So I knew it like the back of my hand.  So, I’m glad I was able to sing that song on the show.

 

 

Q) I was wondering on how you felt during the playoffs when you were the first one to be voted through?

 

Sharane Calister:   Oh my God, that was like the best feeling ever because I couldn’t believe it like I couldn’t register it in my mind that America saved me first.  You know, it was just, a dream come true. I literally put my sweat, tears, heart and soul into everything that led to that moment to be on that stage. So the fact that America could see it and believe in me and actually vote me through to the next round.  It was the most amazing feeling in the world and I honestly wouldn’t trade it or regret it for anything in the world.

 

 

*CONFERENCE CALL*