Divided Heart
Helena has a new show for 2004, Divided Heart. It features the best of her own music over the years as well as international favourite covers such as Elton John, Tracy Chapman, Bette Midler and Janis Joplin.
In this show with a local and continental flavour, she pays tribute to musical legends that have inspired her such as Piaf and Brel whose music she twice performed with the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra to standing ovations, as well as Marlene Diettrich. Helena sings in several languages such as French, Flemish and German.
The second half of the show features local music such as Ingrid Jonker’s Toemaar die Donker Man as well as exclusively original songs from her exciting CD, Divided Heart by South African singer/ songwriters such as Anton Goosen, Mel Botes, Marelise Scheepers of “Hei, mev Brown” fame, Marietjie Stoop and Eugene Vermaak as well as five of Helena’s own songs.
These are Girl with a Divided Heart, the title track of the new CD written in London in 1997, Wasted Wounded and Life is Like a River, also on the new CD, as well as Nat King Cole’s evergreen Unforgettable with her father, Jan Hettema, renowned Olympic cyclist and rally champion. About her music the Press has written:“She has mastered Brel and Piaf …made it her own” – (Metro Pretoria)
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“South Africa has its own folk poet in the form of singer/songwriter Helena Hettema. This child of the cosmos brings an ethereal, thoughtful vision to Divided Heart, her sixth CD. (Christina Kennedy –Citizen- 21 June 2004)
“Sy het haar eie stem gevind, ‘n klank en versameling wat reg aan haar vermoëns laat geskied, tog is dit met haar eie musiek en lirieke wat sy die meeste beïndruk” (Mariana Malan – Die Burger – April 2004)
“An enchanting album. Hettema has honed her songwriting skills ….Celtic quality – sweet music done with great care and simplicity.” (Diane de Beer – Pretoria News – 28 April 2004)
“Eie komposisies wat haar ryk misterieuse resonante stem en kabaretstyl tot hul voortreflike reg laat kom. ‘n Weldeurdagte verameling eg SA liedjies met ‘n splinternuwe vermenging van die polsende ritmes en eksotiese klanke van instrumente soos die Australiese didgeridoo, Indiese tabla en sitar tot “potbelly” dromme. (Eastern Pretoria – May 2004)
“Divided Heart boei, voer mee en bekoor. Dit verdien volpunte! DH – deurwinter tog vars, eksotiese maar gestroopte Afrika-aards. Daar is baie sangeresse maar min vertolkers. DH is ‘n spog vertoonvenster vir SA musiektalent. Haar kreatiewe vertolkingsvermoë skitter. Helena Hettema bied fynproewersmusiek.” (CJ the DJ- Vrouekeur -4 Junie – 2004)
“Een van ons beste sangeresse.” (Rapport)
Helena has twice been nominated for the Vita Theatre Award for stage performances and for a SAMA Award for her CD “Highlights”. |
