Based in Ottawa and originally from London, Ontario, Heliara is an acclaimed Canadian indie singer-songwriter and storyteller. Renowned for her evocative lyrics and genre-blending sound, Heliara crafts music that resonates with listeners seeking authenticity, empowerment, and emotional depth.
Heliara’s musical journey began at a young age, culminating in the release of her debut album, Starry Skies, in June 2022. The album features a unique blend of piano, vocals, cello, and bass, exploring universal themes such as love, friendship, exploration, motherhood, and the pursuit of one’s dreams.
In 2023, Heliara released the indie folk single “Under the Pines,” a heartfelt tribute to intergenerational love and her late grandfather. This moving track earned a spot on the City of Ottawa’s 2024 City Sounds Playlist, highlighting her growing influence in the Canadian music scene. Spring 2024 saw the release of “He’s (no) James Bond,” a dark indie pop single that reimagines classic narratives with a modern twist, featuring lush cellos, dynamic piano, and Heliara’s signature smooth vocals.
Continuing her momentum, Heliara dropped “Cloak of Fear” on November 1, 2024—a powerful pop rock anthem addressing anxiety, self-worth, and hope. The single was recognized as a semi-finalist in the 2024 Music in Motion Awards Competition, celebrating Canada’s top unsigned indie artists.
Looking ahead to Fall 2025, Heliara is set to release her highly anticipated EP, Everything’s a Love Song. The project launches with the uplifting pop-rock single “Self-love,” available on all streaming platforms from Friday, September 26th. Inspired by the beauty and chaos of motherhood, “Self-love” delivers a universal message: no one is alone on the journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Heliara will continue to unveil new tracks throughout the season, inviting listeners to experience her evolving artistry and empowering storytelling.
For fans of indie folk, pop rock, and authentic Canadian music, Heliara’s catalog offers inspiration, connection, and a celebration of life’s complexities.
What first got you into music?
I was a “music nerd” growing up: I sang in multiple choirs, took piano and theory lessons (I have my Grade 8 Conservatory piano), played flute in band, violin in orchestra and was on my high school Music Council (thankfully, at my high school, it was “cool” to be a music nerd!). I was also really into dance growing up (I started both ballet and piano at age 5) and I think there is a natural link between the two. I have been writing songs for as long as I can remember and they would often come about as I stumbled upon chords that I liked while practising piano at home. At home we listened to a lot of different types of music, and that probably still subconsciously informs my song-writing to this day. My sister is also very musical (she is always the first one that I run my songs past, as she has great musical instincts), and we performed a lot of vocal duets growing up as our voices harmonized well together. We also really loved improvising together just for fun, whether we were in the car, at home or travelling as a family: we would pick a starting note and see where our melody and counter-melody would go (it most often ended up in laughter!).
What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
It is an enormous privilege to be able to draw out emotions in others through my music; to make someone else cry or experience joy or simply feel heard, validated or less alone in the world because they identify with the track in some way is huge for me! Music has a healing power and the ability to connect people; it transcends anything that can divide us as humans, and I feel truly blessed to be a part of the Ottawa music scene. When I performed with my indie rock band at our local Porchfest this past Summer, there were a bunch of little girls (including my own) dancing on the lawn to my music and watching me perform, and I could almost see them thinking: “If she can do this, I can too”. I hope that I can be an inspiration in my own humble way to younger generations, and that they will trust themselves to follow their heart.
What sets your music apart? What is unique, or at least uncommon?
I am a unique mix of sweet and edgy, tender and bold, and vulnerable and strong, and I think that my music reflects that. My voice is on the sweeter side, but I love writing dark chord progressions and including dissonance in my tracks. The contrast between light and dark and the authenticity of my messages is something that stands out and that, I hope, people appreciate.
What is your creative process like?
This might sound funny, but I often don’t feel I have much of a “choice” as to which songs I write; they just come to me. Sometimes it starts with a chord progression I find interesting, and then the melody pops into my head, and other times it is the reverse, and I hear the melody first. In the case of my most recent release “Self-love,” the lead single off my upcoming EP “Everything’s a Love Song,” I heard the melody in my head while washing dishes and the words came flooding in. Once I had established the general melody, I sat down at the piano another day and found a chord progression that worked. Thankfully it only took about 5 minutes to find those chords, as I remember it being a very hectic moment, with four young kids running around (my two and my sister’s two)! I will add that I am learning to refine and better my craft as a song-writer in order to make the message of my songs, inspired by my personal life experiences, more focussed, universal and relatable to others. After having a workable “draft” of a song, I will now sit back and examine the flow of the lyrics to see they can be made more pithy, fun, provoking or meaningful.
Do you enjoy recording and production?
This is one of my favourite parts of the process; I can’t emphasize enough how thrilling it is to see a song truly come to life! I am fortunate to record with an amazing producer here in Ottawa (Steve Foley at Audio Valley Recording Studio) and I always learn so much each session. As I’ve mentioned, I am a big fan of vocal harmonies, so I make sure we include a lot of harmonies in the tracks to give them depth and breadth (I do all the backing and harmony vocals myself, as I have a fairly wide vocal range). It is also really exciting to determine what style/colour of instrumental can most effectively support the message I am trying to communicate. My upcoming EP “Everything’s a Love Song” contains 6 different tracks, which I am releasing progressively this Fall and Winter, about different types of love, all done in different but complementary styles.
What is one message you would give to your fans?
We are all on this human journey together. Let’s learn from each other and help each other along the way.
If you could learn any language fluently, what would it be?
I am fortunate to speak a bunch of languages: I am fluent in English, French, German and Italian, and my Spanish allows me to get by fairly nicely, but I really wish my Arabic and Polish were better. Arabic, because it is such a cool language and I love speaking it (I have had different work experiences in Arab countries), and Polish because I have Polish roots on my mom’s side, which I am immensely proud of, and I would love to have a more fluent conversation in Polish with my grandma, whose parents immigrated from Poland, that I can now.
What’s your least favorite personality trait you like about yourself?
I will admit that I have always struggled with time management and punctuality; for some unknown reason, my brain tends to perceive time as being “elastic.” It also doesn’t help that I often try to attempt too many things in too short a time-span. As for when I’m doing music, a 3-hour band practice or a 7-hour studio session can feel like a mere 5 minutes to me (which may be a good thing!).
What is the most useless talent you have?
I can touch my tongue to the tip of my nose!
Do you have a cherished childhood teddy bear or other stuffed animal sitting on your bed at home?
I do have a special teddy bear that was given to me by my aunt when I was born and that I now “share” with my 3-year-old daughter. She takes good care of him!
If you were talking to a younger version of you, what advice would you give yourself?
Trust the journey.
Heliara returns with the playful and empowering “Self-Love,” the lead single of her upcoming Everything’s a Love Song EP. Intimate, authentic, and fun, the track blends pop and rock sensibilities with infectious energy, capturing the ups and downs of everyday life and the beauty of embracing oneself fully even when the going gets tough.
“Loving oneself is not always easy, no matter what stage you are at in life. This song is raw, authentic, and vulnerable,” Heliara shares. “Written from the perspective of a mother with two young children feeling stretched in every aspect of her life (me!) and inspired by the beauty and chaos of motherhood, ‘Self-Love‘ is a song for all people: we are all together on this human journey.”
Stream and share “Self-Love” now: https://social.tunecore.com/linkShare?linkid=7Hk-yeDnlpjVEvk4NlFjtA
https://www.instagram.com/heliara_music
