SATURDAY 15 JANUARY
EAST ISLAND feat HELENA
LIVE SHOW with Free Entry!

Our new label VOLUME UP RECORDS is proud to announce the live performance of our trance act EAST ISLAND featuring HELENA live on our stage for the very first time to perform their CLUB ANTHEMS ASIA track "Love Don't Let Me Down".

GREG DAVID sits down with vocalist HELENA ANGWIN for this volume.com.hk exclusive interview:

GREG: So, who are you exactly? Please introduce yourself to our readers.

HELENA: Hey guys- I am Helena Angwin (Aka Hel A) a singer in Hong Kong and the UK, where my family is from originally. I also run one of the city's premier modeling agencies Hell Models. I am one part female entrepreneur and ten parts diva (laughs).

How very modern! OK, so a lot of nightlife-loving Hong Kongers are familiar with your live shows as frontwoman for local band The Astrocytes. Tell us more about that.

HELENA: The Astrocytes are actually a co-operation involving numerous people (including my husband Joe!) in order to create a new, hyper-visual yet music-driven image here in Asia. We create music that all kinds of people enjoy and our image invites everyone in to be a part of it - music has no discrimination! The Astrocytes are so much fun to perform with and you can learn more about us in our exclusive new interview in the current issue of Milk Magazine but first, check us out in our new music video. (below)

Sidelining as part of Hong Kong's newest trance act East Island is quite the genre shift for you. Or is it? And why do you think trance music is gaining such popularity in the LGBT scene?

HELENA: When I was first asked to do the song I was skeptical. I thought 'Oh My God, I have never done trance music before, what if we don't click?', but once I got in the studio with the East Island boys they helped ease my mind to the idea and guided me through the concept. The Youtube sample of the song we created online is now on my most watched Youtubes list! I just love it and doing the song opened up an entire new genre for me! And of course- gave me a very welcomed and fabulous invitation into the wonderful LGBT community you guys have going on here in Hong Kong. When I was asked to record the song for the Volume album I wasn't at first aware that trance music is now the big thing in the gay scene at large scale events- especially so in Australia and America, but through the Club Anthems Asia project I know about it now. Let's see how it progresses here in Asia...hopefully my contribution can help the genre cut across different audiences.

What was it like performing alongside Above And Beyond at their recent HK gig at Asia World Expo? That must have been quite an honour to be hand-picked by them as their support act.

HELENA: You are so right- it was an honour indeed. Our record hadn't even come out yet but my label sent it to a few bigwigs in the industry then word spread pretty quickly amongst the local promoters and that's how Paavo (Siljamaki, one third of the DJ trio that make up Above & Beyond) heard about us. I would say that it was one of the most fun and exiting shows I have ever done! The crowd were very welcoming and I could tell by their vibe they were up for it. It truly was amazing to be playing alongside such huge names like the Above & Beyond guys and Scarlette Etienne. I'm so thankful to everyone who made that happen.

Watch East Island and Helena perform alongside Above & Beyond, then, scroll down for more of our exclusive interview.

What was it like being a part of Asia's first LGBT label Volume Up Records and their debut album "Club Anthems Asia"? Is Asia ready for such and out and proud product?

HELENA: I'm aware that the clubbing community who respect the trance music genre is so large, even amongst the LGBT crowd, and know they have been waiting for too long!! It's about time Asia chilled out about the whole gay issue. Look how much press attention the Volume album got around Hong Kong- that's a proud indication that you guys are fighting back for your rights and the Western mainstream press are getting on your side. The local Chinese press will follow suit in due time with a little more positive noise coming from your side. I've seen online many serious followers of the album release on Facebook and Youtube throughout the entire CD production process. Its so exiting to be a part of it! I've even started getting gay fans showing up at Astrocytes gigs. That is super cool and my bandmates are very happy when you guys come along and rock out with us.

Your Volume album track "Love Don't Let Me Down" is shaping up to be quite the fan favourite and gets a great response when our DJs play it in the venue. Talk us through what the song is about and the process behind recording it.

HELENA: When the East Island guys first gave me the lyrics, the words seemed to be all jumbled up because in some parts they are conceptually surreal. I read through them like a hundred times, and in fact by doing so, I felt like I'd been able to create a relationship with the song itself. The song is filled with shades of darkness and as the vocalist, I get to play the character of a girl who is initially skeptical of head-over-heels romance. She finds it wishy washy and kinda corny. But through her search for the light at the end of the tunnel, she comes to find that real love can turn any cynic around if you truly believe it does exist. Yet even in her state of true love, she is also full of uncertainty- a complex contradictory emotional state many of us have experienced. She is fearful of love, but more so, underneath that fear, believes her faith in love is the stronger, more powerful emotion and it will triumph in the end. The song itself is a self-empowering story, but told in a very real, human way.

You had a close friend recently come out to you. Tell us about his experience and what your understanding is on what it is like for Hong Kong's gay youth in 2011?

HELENA: Actually he came out to me ages ago but I forgot which is terrible! It is just not a big deal to me, honestly if a boy or a girl told me they are gay all I would think is ''Hey this person is so confident and fun!'' The part which is so hard for him though is that he is still a student and obviously coming out when still at school other kids can make it very hard for him. All I can say is that being different is something so powerful that it scares other people sometimes. If you are so strong as to come out to someone close to you, then jeez -you can pretty much do anything. I personally have experienced that, like coming out, it can be scary to stand up for love. I got married at 18 when I was still in high school. I'm sure you can imagine what some of my classmates thought about that! But, being so young, it was still one of the toughest but best things I have ever done in my entire life. It made me stronger and I've been blessed to be able to embrace my inner strength much sooner than if I had taken a stand many years later. No regrets because life is just too short.

What can Volume's guests expect from your gig on Sat 15?

HELENA: I want everyone to just feel the fun from a live performance! Lets Dance!!

Anything else you'd like to say/plug before we wrap up?

HELENA: I'm so exited and thankful to be working with our city's most special gay community!! And I hope the Volume team can make more life-changing music! Do support it in the stores and at our gigs and help us spread the word through music about equal rights for all.

Thanks for your time and best of luck entertaining the Volume crowd!

HELENA: Anytime! Hope to see each and every one of you there!

Don't miss HELENA when she takes to Volume's stage with the EAST ISLAND crew on SATURDAY 15 JAN. Show starts before 1pm. Free entry! Their debut track "Love Don't Let Me Down" features on the Volume album "Club Anthems Asia".

VOLUME's debut album CLUB ANTHEMS ASIA is out NOW. For details on how to get your copy, ask our bar staff next time you visit or email your inquiry to info@volume.com.hk with "Club Anthems Asia" as the subject heading.

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