Hele is an ambient classical artist who creates very unique sounding music, as I found out when listening to her new release, Air Between Us. If you missed the track you can find it at the end of this interview!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a single titled Air Between Us. What can you tell us about the song?
It’s a simple, contemplative piece, gentle in its progression and thoughtful in its construction. Piano and strings are the centerpiece, with ambient elements woven throughout, flanked by subtle beats that build. My producer, Andy Dollerson, is a layering master and absolutely killed it.
Where can Air Between Us be purchased and how has the reception been so far?
You can stream it on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, pretty much all the places. My sync licensing is handled by Music Vine, so it can be purchased for use there, as well.
Do you plan to release any more singles anytime soon?
I released my second single, Jhoha last month. It’s available on Spotify and all the same places I mentioned. My third single, Volador, releases soon – on September 2nd. Two more from the same EP project will release after that, over the following months.
Has the pandemic hindered your work much?
Not at all. In fact, it accelerated everything as I throttled down my day job and flew to Ireland to hunker down and write music with a producer friend for three months.
Do you have any plans to release an album or EP in the near future?
My producer and I are already at work on my second EP, and it should be out in 2023.
Why did you decide to release your music under the project title Hele, instead of under your name as a solo artist?
I didn’t think terribly hard about it. I’m a generalist and do a lot of things – art direction, production work, photography, design – so my name is associated with those endeavours. Using a moniker for my music felt like stepping into a separate space with a bit more freedom. Mentally, it gave me a sort of fresh creative lease as I pivoted into writing music more.
Where are you based? What is the local music scene like where you are?
I live part time in northern Michigan, on the shore of Lake Huron. I travel the other half of the year. Where I base in Michigan is really quiet, which is excellent for writing and recording, but there’s no overt scene. However, I’ve started meeting locals who play everything from classical to bluegrass, and I like that connection point a lot – really good musicians who just play for the pleasure of it.
Your music is very unique sounding, having an ambient quality to it. What / who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
I love so many different genres, my influences are too many to name. A lot of my staples are old school composers – Vivaldi, Bartok, Shostakovich, Chopin, Ravel, along with modern artists and composers like Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, Rutger Hoedemaekers, Jóhann Jóhannsson, Jung Jae-il and Daniel Hart. Lately, I’ve been really enjoying artists like Phoria, Efterklang, Felix Rosch, The Japanese House, Caroline Polachek, Kishi Bashi, Aukai, Hior Chronik, and Poppy Ackyroyd. The list is long, as you can tell. As for other inspiration – travel, exploration, and being exposed to different people, places and cultures influences my work a lot.
Do you have any plans to tour in the UK?
No plans as of yet. I spend a fair bit of time over there collaborating, writing and visiting friends, so maybe someday I’ll pull something together.
Any last words for the fans?
Thanks very much for listening! You make the process complete. It’s a privilege to make music and it’s hugely fortifying to know that ears are out there enjoying it.