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Caitlin Kalafus
First published on Lauperland.com
March 29th 2019
By Curtis Newart
Photo credit: Lloyd Bishop
Originally from Milford, CT, Caitlin Kalafus currently lives in Philadelphia, PA, with her girlfriend Kayla, and her two cats, Edith and Remo.
Home schooled, she got her first drum kit at age eight. Influenced by Rush and Led Zeppelin, she was playing weekend gigs in bars by age 12.
At age 13, playing the drums
At age 14, she became the youngest-ever winner of the World’s Fastest Female Drummer contest in Anaheim, CA.
Years later, she opted for a full-time career with her band Kicking Daisies over high school, with her sister Carly on bass. In 2010, Kicking Daisies won Disney’s Next Big Thing contest and appeared on Disney’s hit program So Random as musical guests.
Kicking Daisies played gigs country-wide, appeared on TV, released an EP, and charted at #16 on Billboard Heatseekers Chart with a song Caitlin wrote called "Breathing".
She went on to study graphic design in college while continuing to play in several bands including CK3, and a Led Zeppelin tribute band called Jen Zeppelin. She also toured Vans Warped Tour 2016 with the Brooklyn-based band Mother Feather before graduating the following semester.
After a friend told her that Cyndi Lauper was looking for a tour drummer, Caitlin sent in some YouTube videos, landing her an audition in New York City for the position.
Unfortunately, she had injured her right foot (her drumming foot) in a car accident several weeks prior, but amazingly, learned how to drum with her left foot in time for the meeting.
Upon meeting Cyndi and her management at the audition, she assured them she was in good enough shape to do the job, despite being on crutches.
After the audition, as she was making her way down the street, she got a call asking her to return to the studio.
Cyndi met her outside the building and exclaimed: “You got the gig!”
She hit the road with Cyndi and her bandmates in June, 2018, for a tour across Canada and the US with Rod Stewart and his band.
“Touring with Cyndi is a blast. It’s so fun to get to play so many of her classic songs with her. My favorite Cyndi song to play is "Change of Heart" because we never play it the same way twice. It’s always a jam!”
Since ending the tour, Caitlin has done a week-long stint as guest drummer on Late Night with Seth Meyers, and is back on the road with Dein Perry’s TAP DOGS, a stage show featuring live music and tap dance.
“My future plans are to keep playing and enjoying each experience as it comes! Whether it is on a future Cyndi tour, or a new kind of experience like Tap Dogs, I’m up for the next journey!”
For more on Caitlin, visit www.caitlinkalafus.com or follow her on social media!
IN THE HOT SEAT WITH CAITLIN
The only rule we ask our participants to follow is to name the first answer that pops into their head for the following 12 questions.
And, go!
Breakfast cereal: Frosted Mini Wheats
Next Halloween costume: I’ll have to think about it but last year I was Daphne and Kayla was Velma. That’s because I had purple hair and she had red
Birthday wish present: Tattoo money
Fave cartoon: I used to love Rocket Power
Fave movie: Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Fave song: Reality (by Grimes)
Celebrity run-in: Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton
Celebrity crush: Jeff Goldblum lol
Fragrance: Bvlgari Coral
What do you drive: Honda CR-V
Pet peeve: rude people
Room service food: chicken soup
Kayla and Caitlin
Caitlin's cats Edith and Remo
Kicking Daisies
Cyndi and Caitlin
Cyndi and Caitlin at the PNE Amphitheater in Vancouver, BC, Canada
Caitlin and Cyndi at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO (Photo credit: Ruth Hannuschka)
Cyndi and Caitlin at Harris Park in London, ON, Canada (Photo credit: Tourism London)
Cyndi and Caitlin at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY (Photo credit: Louisville Courier Journal)
Cyndi, Bill Clinton & Caitlin Kalafus at the Rainbow Room in New York City, NY (Photo credit: Matt Katz-Bohen)
Elaine Caswell, Caitlin Kalafus, William Wittman, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Alex Nolan at the Rainbow Room in New York City, NY. (Photo credit: Matt Katz-Bohen)
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