Art loving and performing artist from Toronto, Helena Asfaw recently sat down with www.ethiofidel.com for an interview about her newly released album, “Tsetita” (Silence)
E. F: you are known to be a recording artist and an up and coming talent. How do you introduce yourself?
Helena Asfaw: First off, I would like to thank Yohannes Ayalew for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself publicly and also for creating a space where people of different backgrounds and trades could come and share their craft with the world. That’s a great good deed towards the community, which I deeply appreciate.
Moving on, I am Helena, a singer and dancer living and creating in Toronto, Canada. I’ve been in the Toronto African Arts Community for quiet sometime and dabbled into a variety of projects; producing/directing videos, organizing showcases, teaching dance and having fun on stage singing and dancing.
E. F: Your interest in the art, how did it all start?
Helena Asfaw: My fascination with the arts started early on with Hibre Terit programs that were broadcast throughout Addis Ababa at the time. I used to practice Iskista in front of the bathroom mirror, extra vigorously especially after having watched the 6 o’clock show every evening. Some years later, I had my first chance to appear on stage as a singer and dancer of Tis Abbay Youth Band in Montreal, Canada. On the other hand, at school, I was lucky to be surrounded by friends who were as passionate about performing as I was. They had the brilliant idea of organizing themselves as a performing group and I did not hesitate to join. We did step dancing and some Hip-Hop/African/Reggae fusion dances rehearsing in people’s backyards or even the street when necessary.
E. F: I know that your parents are prolific poets as members of Haddis Nigat Arts forum in Toronto, your sister and brother have also been in to the arts, any influence from the family?
Helena Asfaw: My passion for art has always been shaped by the encouragement from my family. Like I said earlier my involvement in arts continued as I moved to Toronto and joined Nouvel Expose (now known as Jaivah, www.Jaivah.com), under the management of my sister Saba (www.SabaSabina.com), my teacher and mentor in many ways.
As I was busy dancing, my brother Rasselas who was a Rap and Hip-Hop enthusiast at the time was busy recording his first and second albums (Pure Science and My Pant’s Saggin’). He would ask me to sing some parts on his tracks from time to time. I found being in the studio alone was awesome! With his support, I began to write and sing together, under his direction, we released our duo album ‘Guzo Wede Ethiopia.’
I had many joyous moments with those close to me. With their support, I continue to create. My latest project has been working on my debut and long awaited album ‘Tsetita,’ a collection of songs, old and new that was released on August 25th 2011.
Tsetita
E. F: I was at the release party of your album at Ngoma Lounge in Toronto and you described the new album as the reflection of your life .Can you explain that and tell us more about the album?
Helena Asfaw: Tsetita means silence in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia, my place of birth. This album is very close to my heart as it chronicles different stages of my life as I passed from adolescence to finding my way around the world as a grown woman. In my youth, my life was fueled by dreams of freedom to reach the peak of the mountain of success. I took many steps and made great efforts into making this dream a reality. I began recording and wrote my very first song “Ande Ken” (an acoustic version of which is included in the album). I found that the search for my soul began at this time as I felt the writing process really allowed me to get in touch with the images of my mind that were the drivers of my reality. I didn’t know this at the time, I just knew that whenever I was emotionally distrought, I was most inspired to write. With time, I believe it allowed me to realize that a lot of my motivations came from pressures of outside forces rather than from within my own heart. This realization brought about ideas that would eventually give birth to Tsetita. I wrote, even in times of confusion where I could not clearly see where I was headed. These ideas continued to brew and I began to see the driving forces behind my ideas and beliefs that came naturally to me, I began to understand the true meaning of wisdom. I found it hidden in the depths of my own mind and to access it, I had to silence all other thoughts that derived from misconceptions of learned habits. This to me is the meaning of Tsetita. This album represents my search for wisdom; it chronicles my journey presenting songs I’ve written, different voices I have embodied, and personalities I have carried in different phases of this search. I share with the rest of the world a bit of mine knowing that every person who listens will walk away with something of their own. You can see more about my album on my website www.HeluLive.com!
E. F: Finally, are you currently involved in any project or do you have any plan?
Helena Asfaw: I am now in the process of getting together musicians from the Toronto Arts Community to form a band and start performing a myriad of musics from different parts of the world…an Afro fusion band!]
E.F: Thank you for your time!
Helena Asfaw: Thank you for giving me a chance to speak about this! It’s always a great pleasure talking with you!
