Interview with Citizen Helene
Posted on: August 24, 2011
Buy your ticket now: £12/£10 from Millfield box office
Citizen Helene is one of the marvellous artists who has agreed to take part in Tottenham’s Got Talent. We had a quick word with her to find out why.
You’re from Dorset originally, was it a big culture shock moving to London?
In some ways. The pace of life is obviously a lot faster, and initially people didn’t seem as friendly or polite. I think I adapted to it quite quickly, though. My home town of Bridport isn’t one of the most diverse places, so it was great to suddenly be immersed in so many different cultures. I left Dorset at 18 and was desperate to experience something new and London seemed to offer exactly what I needed at the time.
I believe you live in Tottenham? How long have you been here?
Yes, I do – near Seven Sisters. I’ve lived here for three years now.
What do you like most about your neighbourhood?
I really like Downhills Park, especially the Italian gardens. I often go there when I feel the need for some peace and quiet.
Tell me something about how it felt to be living in Tottenham during the recent riots.
I found the whole experience extremely unsettling. In fact, I actually ended up leaving London for a few days because I didn’t feel safe where I was. Looking back, it seems like an overreaction, but my gut instinct told me it was better to leave than to wait and see if the looters started raiding people’s houses.
The thing I looked forward to doing the most when I got back was being able to operate properly as a self-employed, independent musician – I’d just released my EP on 8th, and then immediately ended up leaving to go to a place with no local post office, all the while with orders coming in every day…
Do you think it will influence your songwriting?
I think so. Perhaps not directly – I tend to steer clear of writing political songs because I think it’s very hard to get them right, but everything I experience ends up in my music somehow.
What does it mean to you to be involved in Tottenham’s Got Talent?
I’m honoured to have been asked to perform and glad to be able to do something for my community. I hope there can be more events like these in the future, albeit for a happier reason.
We put up some information about Citizen Helene and her music in an earlier post, as her website is still under construction.
Tottenham's Got Talent 
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