Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Avital Under Fire

NARRATION: IN 1997, AVITAL SCHUTZ SURVIVED A TERROR ATTACK STAGED BY THREE SUICIDE BOMBERS.

ACTUALITY: "The things saw. It was horrible, just horrible."

NARRATION: FROM THAT EXPERIENCE, SHE WAS FORCED TO GROW UP AND MAKE CHOICES ABOUT HER FUTURE.

ACTUALITY: "It was kind of a spiritual experience as well ... it was like a wakeup call for me, because I was just doing nothing in Jerusalem. I was just looking for myself."

NARRATION: SHE LOOKED TO THE ONE THING HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAD ALWAYS ENCOURAGED HER TO DO? SING.

ACTUALITY: ACOUSTIC SINGING OF SONG IN HEBREW

NARRATION: POLITICS PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN HER FIRST GIG AS A PROFESSIONAL SINGER.

SHE SANG BACKUP IN A REGGAE BAND, WHERE SOCIAL INJUSTICE WAS A COMMON THEME IN THEIR SONGS.

ACTUALITY: CONTINUED REGGAE NATS, THEN SOT: "Usually when people, you know, get into a terror attack they become, you know, very against the Arabs and against what's going on in Israel and I'm the opposite."

NARRATION: THE LYRICS IN THE SONG YOU JUST HEARD TELL THE STORY OF THE GROUP'S GUITARIST, WHO SAYS HE WAS HELD AS A WAR CRIMINAL BY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT FOR REFUSING TO USE ARMS AGAINST ARAB WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

POLITICS WOULD FIGURE INTO SCHUTZ'S NEXT ROLE AS LEAD SINGER AND SONGWRITER FOR A NEW BAND WITH A DIFFERENT BEAT THAT FORMED WHILE SHE WAS IN MUSIC SCHOOL.

THE TRIP-HOP GROUP SENT OUT A DEMO AND GOT A BITE.

ACTUALITY: "A company in Israel got interest[ed], but then the economy in Israel got bad."

THAT WAS IN 2000, WHEN WAR BROKE OUT IN THE REGION. AGAIN, POLITICS AND TERRORISM SHAPED SCHUTZ'S FUTURE.

BY THEN, SHE WAS 26 AND DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO TRY TO MAKE A NEW LIFE, IN A NEW LAND.

ACTUALITY: "If I'm coming here I thought why shouldn't I try it here."
Nats of new song under for the last part of bite, then song sound full for several seconds

NARRATION: THAT?S ONE OF AVITAL'S NEW, ORIGINAL TUNES.

WHILE IT'S HARD PLACE TO MAKE CONTACTS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY, SHE'S WRITING SONGS THAT ARE CATCHING THE EAR OF PEOPLE IN HIGH PLACES.

HERE FOR LESS THAN SIX MONTHS, SHE'S PREPARING FOR HER FIRST JOB, SINGING BACKUP VOCALS FOR A 16-YEAR-OLD THAT SONY MUSIC HOPES WILL BE THE NEXT BRITNEY SPEARS.

ACTUALITY: "I left Israel ... now I'm trying to make it here (laughs)."

NARRATION: JENNIFER NEELEY, COLUMBIA RADIO NEWS.