Tag: Helen Shanahan

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Helen Shanahan Releases Beautiful Cover of Tim Minchin’s “The Aeroplane”

Tim Minchin’s well-recognised for his hilarious tunes and musical theatre contributions, but many people don’t realise he’s just an incredible songwriter, period. So I’m glad that fellow Western Australian Helen Shanahan is shining a light on one of his more serious, brilliant songs with her cover of “The Aeroplane.” Her voice has the perfect storyteller quality for this incredible track.

“The song resonates deeply with me, especially now, with my second baby due just weeks after its release,” Helen explained. “The lyrics, ‘any fuel or any fire will do / I will fly to you,’ carry a special meaning for me.”

Take a moment to properly listen to this one. Trust me, you don’t want to miss a lyric. It’s really something special.

Photo credit: Tanya Voltchayanska

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Helen Shanahan Releases Powerful New Single, “Canvas”

Helen Shanahan lays her heart bare in the lyrics of her latest song, “Canvas.” The song paints a vivid picture of a woman in the wrong relationship. If you love classic female singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Janis Ian, this will be right up your alley.

“The single was inspired by a theme from a songwriting group (I Heart Songwriting Club) I joined in 2018,” Helen said. “The theme was ‘lessons’, and it made me think about how I learnt to make myself small and essentially a doormat for a particular group of people. The song brought up lots of mixed emotions, as it unravelled how that relationship affected my adult life and how I had to ‘unlearn’ my feelings of low self-esteem and worth.”

The song’s themes are mirrored beautifully in the music video, which presents a young girl and eventually a young woman who’s learned to shrink herself to suit the people around her.

“The music video revolves around the concept of what it means ‘to be’ and how we become a summation of our own life experiences,” explained direct Jane Tiouowidjaja. “It’s what we learn over time but also what we decide to tolerate when we relate to those we love.”

“Canvas” is the title track of Helen’s forthcoming album, which drops on March 4. She’ll celebrate its release with a special local launch show at Morley’s Night Owl Studio on March 5.

Image used with permission from On the Map PR

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Helen Shanahan Releases Personal New Single “I Only Hide”

It’s been a year and a half since I heard music from Helen Shanahan. But the Perth folk singer is one of those artists that I never forgot, because what I’d heard before really spoke to me. She’s making the same impact on me now with her latest single “I Only Hide.”

It’s a deeply personal track which documents her own struggles with anxiety and desire to break through those emotions to become a better performer. The clip pairs with the song perfectly; it’s sure to resonate with anyone who’s struggled with mental illness.

“The concept was based around the idea of ‘two Helens,’” Helen explained in a press release. “ One Helen was what we called ‘outside’ Helen, and the other ‘inside’ Helen.  ‘Outside’ Helen encompassed the parts of me that were positive, free and fearless.  ‘Inside’ Helen showed the parts of me that felt fearful, isolated and negative.  We wanted the ‘outside’ Helen to be coaxing ‘inside’ Helen out of the house and into the light.”

Thankfully Helen won’t leave us too long waiting for more new music this time. She’s got a full-length album on the way in the coming months and a nation tour to coincide with its release.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Helen Shanahan Delights with “Across the Sea”

I love when an artist isn’t afraid to speak from the heart. It’s for that reason that I’m really connecting to Western Australian songstress Helen Shanahan and her new song “Across the Sea.”

It’s got a lovely country-folk feel to it. I love the addition of the slide guitar and Helen’s warm, easy vocals. But even more than that, it’s the lyrics that speak of Helen’s struggles with anxiety that really resonate with me. As someone who’s also battled the condition, I’m really feeling this one. It’s not about dwelling, but about carrying on and feeling a sense of optimism that life will get better. What wonderful stuff.

Helen won Songwriter of the Year at last year’s Telstra Road to Discovery competition, and she’s clearly making the most of the opportunities. You can bet we’ll be seeing a lot more of her.