Helena Holleran is a Treat for Your Ears

Her unique sound and gorgeous musical style left us begging for more, so we asked Helena a few more questions: 

You said your father was a major musical influence in your life.  Was he your main teacher?

Yes actually, my mother too. My dad is a guitar player and my mom plays piano. I got more of 60’s & 70’s rock n roll/folk/latin influence from my father, and my soul/jazz/funk influence from my mothers musical palette. They both were very busy growing up so my main musical teacher became the internet, mainly youtube.

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How long have you been playing guitar and do you play any other instruments?

I have been playing guitar for almost 10 years now. I also enjoy playing a bit of piano.

How old were you when you wrote your first song?

I was around 12 years old when I wrote my first song. No recordings exist but I have the lyrics written and saved on paper. It’s interesting to me to read my 12 year old perspective on friendship & loss. The song is titled Mind Games.

What do you love about being a musician?

I love the freedom to express myself the most. Writing music, performing it, recording it, & releasing it, is the way I process my life experiences. It is extremely cathartic for me to set my music free. It’s most natural for me to sing what I feel rather than saying what I feel, and it is exceptionally beautiful when a listener can relate or draw their own personal interpretation from the music I have shared.

You have played in so many great venues including the House of Blues and the Lightning in a Bottle Music Festival.  What has been your favorite and why?

My favorite has to be Lightning in a Bottle Music Festival. I was performing at a small tent there called the Tea Tent where people sit on the floor and share cups of tea and conversations. I was performing with around 10 musicians & close friends of mine. The energy from them and the unexpectedly large crowd we drew is hard to put into words. It was a great example of how music can bring people together in the most positive way.

What is your dream gig?

My dream gig is opening for or sharing the stage with any one of my musical heroes who are still alive. To name a few: Lianne La Havas, Margaret Glaspy, Esperanza Spalding, Alice Phoebe Lou, Andy Shauf, The California Honeydrops, Paul Simon, & Joni Mitchell.

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