Page 15 - June Issue 2021

Last month I wrote about my first self penned The journey into Unbroken was a long one.
I had already recorded and released two successful singles in 2019 before the album had been finished. These were Hometown and Save it for another day, reaching Number 9 and 3 respectively, in the UK ITunes country singles charts. The album, yet to be named, had been planned for a Spring 2020 release. I had already written the single, Unbroken which had been written about my experience of being diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. I had also been working with Nineyards Music in 2019 and we wrote and released two more Top 10 hits, Runaround and Take me away, also meant for the Unbroken album.
Unbroken had been a very personal and honest song, written about the brain tumour and the fact that whatever treatment I needed, I would not let it break me and it didn’t. The airplay on all these singles had been absolutely amazing around the world and I was looking forward to releasing the new album to the world but it was not meant to be.... Yet...
In March 2020, as we all well know, the world suddenly stopped due to a global pandemic. Within a matter of hours, my recording dates, gigs, tour dates and all my work had been canceled and like millions of others, I was faced with immediately uncertainty of the future. The entertainment industry was hit hard and as a musician, I did not know what was going to happen next.
As the weeks in lock-down passed, I wrote more tracks and eventually in the late summer of 2020, I was able to finish the album in-between lock-downs and managed to get an August release. In the same week, the album reached Number One in the UK Country ITunes country charts and I sold all the first batch of CD’s on pre-order alone, but just a week later, I was in hospital alone having radiotherapy on my brain. The massive roller coaster of life of a number One album followed by intense radiotherapy in the same week.
I never managed to tour my Unbroken album due to the pandemic so its success was a massive surprise and it still sells today. It’s an album of life, love, home, music, health and determination and it will always have a special place in my heart.
A few months later before our last lock-down, I was back in the studio recording a successful Christmas album but that’s a story for a cold wintry day, nearer to this Christmas.
We are now coming through the other side of 3 lock- downs here in the UK and I have started writing a new album and have already recorded two tracks at Hangover Hill Records. The new single is being sent to radio as we speak so look out for Shifting Sands, a song about change and unpredictability in a relationship.
Next month, I will write about my work in TV and Radio promotions to give you an insight into what I also do behind the scenes.
Helena xx
www.helenamace.com www.hangoverhillrecordingstudio.co.uk www.countrymusicsocialmedia.com
Helena Mace Singer/Songwriter and Radio Presenter
at Radiodowntown.ca
Unbroken
– The Journey BY HELENA MACE
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