We had the good fortune of connecting with Helene Alexandra Jæger and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Helene Alexandra, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
To get to know yourself deeply, and trust your own vision. And to not rush. It’s been the hardest lesson for me, in a fast paced world and people always asking “when’s the next thing coming out?” But sometimes a song or an album or an idea wants to evolve to a place you can’t see quite yet.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Both my strength and weakness is probably that I don’t sound like others, or I don’t fit in. Things just don’t tend to come out that way for me. I was on a completely different track from now, when I released my first single – a pop song – in my native Norway and it got playlisted on the radio and did really well, international managers and labels got in touch and so on… But as a music lover and someone who was super into cult films and literature, I was really drawn to going deeper, and I guess I wasn’t quite willing to be what they wanted me to be. I pursued the deeper expression I was drawn to, and gradually created Holy Boy, which is very artistically satisfying but has required a lot of patience. I think there’s something interesting about, what lies beyond the normal. Mystery, I guess you can call it. What cannot be seen or touched or clearly labelled. That’s what I’m drawn to. And it doesn’t really fit in with a standard industry approach. But to me, it’s far more interesting. The “dark side” of things.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love old Hollywood and the music history of LA, so if we had an unlimited budget I’d rent a cool vintage car and take them driving around in the hills around Laurel Canyon and on Mulholland Drive to soak in the vibe, listen to the music and tell them about the history back in the 60s there… Get an iced coffee at the canyon store… I’d definitely take them to the beach, driving up Sunset Blvd all the way to PCH, and play the Beach Boys on the way. Dip our feet in the pacific ocean and get food at the Greek Taverna out there. I’d also take them to the Beachwood cafe and Griffith park observatory, and definitely to Tower Bar for drinks, which has a really cool old Hollywood vibe. I also love driving in LA at sunset and into night, seeing the neon signs and the sky on fire with the rows of palm trees, which stuns me every time.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Dylan W. Long, who is the producer and long-time collaborator I’ve worked with on Holy Boy.
Website: https://www.holyboyaudio.com
Instagram: https://www.holyboyaudio.com
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/holyboy_audio
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holyboyaudio
Other: Tiktok https://tiktok.com/@holyboyaudio Facebook group “The Dark Side” https://www.facebook.com/groups/holyboydarkside
Image Credits
Dylan W. Long