Helena is steadily becoming one of Australia’s most prominent producer/DJs, dominating the world of electronica with her progressive electro/house beats. FRANCIS WITSENHUYSEN chats to the leading lady about her upcoming appearance at Future Music Festival on Sunday March 2 at Arena Joondalup.
Seducing dance floors globally with her club hit, Girl From Outta Space, the UK-born, Australian-bred Helena says she’s ready to live up to her reputation as the boss of electronica at next year’s Future Music Festival. “I’m so honoured to come back to my home ground. The lineup is pretty epic. I can’t wait to play my set and be able to deliver my sound, vibe and what I’m about there, and tour with everyone on the bill. I’m sure I will come offstage flying. When you’re learning, you look at these guys who are successful and that’s what you aspire to be doing, playing a festival like Future. To reach those levels, to kick those goals, you really are playing out your dream as an artist.”
Becoming the first female artist to be booked as the support DJ on the main stage for Miami’s Ultra Music Festival in March was an experience Helena will never forget. “It’s the highlight of my career so far. I got booked on the main stage alongside Swedish House Mafia, Disclosure and Major Lazer. I ended up doing 24 sets on the live stage, so I was playing in between all of the main acts. I was literally running backwards and forward all day playing sets every hour, on the hour. It was pretty intense; at the end of it I almost collapsed and died, but it was worth it.”
Helena says she’s proud to show other women that they too can dominate main festival stages. “It’s a huge honour, to be leading the way in that sense and opening up future opportunities for female artists. I get a lot of emails from girls who want advice on different things, like how to go about furthering their careers. It’s really cool to think I’ve been inspiring other female artists. To see girls up there kicking it as hard, when it’s been such a boys club for so long, is a really positive thing for the music industry.”
Helena’s recent decision to relocate to LA where the club scene is exploding was an easy one. “I’ve been touring the States since January and did quite a few shows backwards and forward… the shows I’ve been part of here and the clubs I’ve played, have been ridiculous. There’s been such a positive response everywhere I’ve played, and it’s really exciting that I’m building a strong fan base over here.”
Growing up surrounded by music and DJs, Helena says she didn’t have a choice with music, it chose her. “My love for music originated back in the UK; I was obsessed with music in general, it was my passion and love. My brother’s a DJ, a lot of my good friends are DJs and I was also involved in running nightclubs in the UK, so becoming a DJ was just a natural progression. I would steal my brother’s equipment and make quite a hobby out of mixing. I never set out to become a DJ; I just loved it, which makes me incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of a hobby.”
Helena plays Future Music Festival on Sunday March 2 at Arena Joondalup.
Get your tickets here.
