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Dilana
 There
is something special about a performer who will take time to
talk to their fans. Dilana is one of them. She has been known to
pop into a chat room or leave comments on their MySpace. That is
something extraordinary and down-to-earth, like the performer
herself.
Dilana just missed the opportunity to front the supergroup,
Supernova, with Gilby Clarke, of Guns N Roses, Tommy Lee of
Motely Crue and Jason Newsted of Metallica. But something tells
me that this almost 5’2” powerhouse of a singer will not be left
behind.
The feisty, tattooed, pierced and multi-colored haired Dilana
came from a very poor and tumultuous background. She was born
Dilana Jansen Van Vuren on August 10, 1972 in Johannesburg,
South Africa. Her name changed to Dilana Smith when her
stepfather adopted her at around the age of two. She never knew
her real father. She has three siblings, an older half-sister,
and younger half- brother and sister. With problems at home,
Dilana used to take the younger siblings for walks and sing them
hymns.
Dilana’s first performance was at age 7; she remembers it as if
it was yesterday. Her mother encouraged Dilana to sing and
perform, enrolling her in a school of arts when she was in high
school. There she sang in the choir and found that music filled
a void. But life was not easy in the Smith household and Dilana
moved out at 15, and later dropped out of high school, to
perform with a duo around South Africa. The fighter in her was
there, since the beginning.
Dilana soon left the duo and bounced from band to band doing
everything from weddings to radio and TV commercials. Soon she
became the lead singer for Wozani (Zulu word for “come and
join”). She stayed with the trio for 2 years.
Wozani recorded a demo, but could never get a record deal. In
August of 1995 the band went to Holland for a month and gigged
in the local pubs. One night a Dutch recording company
representative saw them perform and the following week they
signed a deal with the company and recorded their first single
under the name of Caz; a nickname, and later a stage name, she
had since she was a teenager.
The record company convinced Caz to change their style from
African rock to African dance. Dilana didn’t want to compromise
her talent, but was told that the next album they could call the
shots. It never happened.
When the record, Dance with the Snake, didn’t succeed she
returned to South Africa. With problems in the band, violence
and crime high in the news, and one of her best friends, who was
pregnant, being murdered, Dilana knew it was time to leave her
homeland. She wrote the lyrics to The Great Escape to mark her
departure.
She returned to Holland, where she began a band called Cazmelion
(a combination of Caz and chameleon, because she changed her
voice with each song.). The band split after one and a half
years.
 Later, she met an American who soon moved to Scotland. Shortly
she followed. Back in Holland she gained a record deal with The
Netherlands label Red Bullet. Diving head first into the
recording studio her record Wonderfool was released under the
name Dilana Smith, in 2000. Her musical soul mate, Jeff Zwart
was part of that production. From that album Dilana produced
four music videos and five singles, including Breakfast in
Central Park, Do You Know, The Great Escape, and
To All Planets.
She performed alongside greats such as Joe Cocker, K’s Choice
and even opened for the band Golden Earring. She played many
festivals in Europe. She also worked on the soundtracks to the
movies, Lek and Soul Assassin. In 2000 she performed at the
Sydney, Australia Olympics with several Dutch bands.
On September 19, 1999 Dilana married her lover in a chapel in
Vegas, the song Elvis Motor Inn was written as a marriage
proposal. Her name then became Dilana Robichaux.
The couple soon moved to Houston Texas. Divorcing a few years
later Dilana remained in Houston where she showcased her magical
mix of Janis Joplin and Tina Turner chops, singing covers and
originals several nights a week in various venues around
Houston. Other bands, such as the Velcro Pygmies and Electric
Gypsies, often asked her to perform with them on stage. She also
continued to perform in Holland and recorded music with friends
Margaretha Kleine and Jeff Zwart in 2006.
After watching the season of Rock Star: INXS, and falling in
love with the House Band, Dilana decided to audition for the
second season. She sent in her material and was invited to
audition. After several months, while recording a CD with
friends in Holland, she became one of the 15 contestants to
qualify for Rock Star: Supernova.
Now she was known simply as Dilana. Her rendition of Nirvana’s
Lithium captured the attention of viewers. She had her fans from
the first performance. Each of us anxiously awaited performance
night to see what she would do next. We loved her chameleon
approach toward changing things up with each performance.
The Dilana fan train bumped along the rocky road of unreality
television on Rock Star: Supernova. While the fan boards flamed
after the media clinic fiasco let loose her fans stood by her
side. Dilana would like her fans to know that she is human, was
living in a tough situation and gave the cameras something
interesting to show the audience. She has learned to think
before she speaks, while maintaining the honesty she always
cherished. At one taping I was at, the guys in Supernova said
that they just want to move on. And the audience agreed.
 Dilana enjoys doing anything outdoors such as hiking, skydiving,
working out, and playing golf. She is an avid motorcyclist and
counts her Harley (aka DEEmon), lowered 5 inches for her tiny
frame, as one of the three things she would not be without. The
other two would be her clothes and her Blackberry. She would
love to do an album of Janis Joplin covers one day. Her first
piercing was her navel. First tattoo her lower back, a celtic
design she drew herself.
When asked what her favorite Rock Star: Supernova performances
were she replied, Nirvana’s Lithium, since this is the song that
introduced her to her fans; the “screw you” mentality of Mother,
Mother, which came during some of Dilana’s hardest moments at
the mansion; and Supersoul, a song from her heart which carries
with it personal experience and leaves her with a wonderful
feeling.
When asked what she would like to say to her fans she expressed
her thanks from the bottom of her heart. She thanks her fans for
their support and love and for sticking by her and believing in
her as an artist. She wants her fans to know that she is working
hard to finish a “stunning” CD and tour.
For now Dilana is living in Los Angeles. She has played several
concerts with fellow contestant, Magni, in both Iceland and
Canada. She recently released her newest versions of Supersoul
and Roxanne. She is currently recording new material, including
her next single, Holiday.
From African dance to full out rocker, this chick knows how to
perform. Bringing different pieces of her personality to the
stage each week had viewers waiting to see what she would do
next. I am convinced that there is nothing that is going to get
in the way of her reaching the stars with her success.
As Dilana would say:
"Elbows Up
Pinkies Out
Lil Eyes Blinking
Drinking"-- Bio by
metaphysics5 for
ROCKBANDLOUNGE.COM
Dilana Forum
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