HelenaMaria
Encyclopedia
HelenaMaria is an American indie pop-rock group from New Jersey
composed of identical twins Helena and Maria Mehalis.
, Helena and Maria grew up in a self described "free-spirited" environment promoting artistic expression. Since the age of 4 they took classical piano lessons and sang in their church choir. Also at the age of 4 they landed their first national commercial, later becoming members of the Screen Actors Guild
. They were home-schooled until 7th grade. In their sophomore year in high school they learned to play the guitar, and songwriting soon followed. They later began performing at venues as much as possible all over New Jersey
, New York City
, and Pennsylvania
.
Helena and Maria are identical twins, however Helena is right-handed and plays guitar fretting on the left hand and strumming on the right, while Maria is left-handed and plays it the opposite.
Helena and Maria write songs to reflect their life experiences. Maria explains: “Life experiences inspire me, but it’s also observations of what others are going through, which could be completely irrelevant to my life, that somehow affect me, as well as my sister.”
Musically their skills on the piano and guitar are nearly identical, but they maintain that their songwriting style and vocals are slightly different.
In 2006, Helena and Maria recorded their first album, "Serene", consisting of all original material.
Throughout 2009 and 2010, HelenaMaria have released cover versions and videos of popular songs for release on iTunes MP3 download and for viewing on YouTube
. One of these videos to date has garnered attention from television and radio personality Ryan Seacrest
.
HelenaMaria tried out for American Idol
but were told to instead stick together as a duo by an executive producer of the show.
, beginning in episode 4, "Dan de Fleurette", which originally aired on October 5, 2009. They subsequently made at least 2 other small appearances on the show.
In May 2010, HelenaMaria's song for a Folgers
coffee contest was selected as a finalist, and they got to appear in front of and meet American Idol
judge Kara DioGuardi
.
On August 18, 2010, television and radio personality Ryan Seacrest
posted a HelenaMaria video on his blog asking his audience if HelenaMaria's cover of Eminem
and Rihanna
's "Love The Way You Lie" was better than the original. Saying he "got some really good feedback" on the video, Ryan Seacrest invited HelenaMaria onto his morning radio show. On August 23rd 2010, HelenaMaria performed the song live on his show.
Maria appeared on Season 6 of How I Met Your Mother.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
composed of identical twins Helena and Maria Mehalis.
Biography
Born in New Brunswick, New JerseyNew Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, Helena and Maria grew up in a self described "free-spirited" environment promoting artistic expression. Since the age of 4 they took classical piano lessons and sang in their church choir. Also at the age of 4 they landed their first national commercial, later becoming members of the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
. They were home-schooled until 7th grade. In their sophomore year in high school they learned to play the guitar, and songwriting soon followed. They later began performing at venues as much as possible all over New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Helena and Maria are identical twins, however Helena is right-handed and plays guitar fretting on the left hand and strumming on the right, while Maria is left-handed and plays it the opposite.
Helena and Maria write songs to reflect their life experiences. Maria explains: “Life experiences inspire me, but it’s also observations of what others are going through, which could be completely irrelevant to my life, that somehow affect me, as well as my sister.”
Musically their skills on the piano and guitar are nearly identical, but they maintain that their songwriting style and vocals are slightly different.
In 2006, Helena and Maria recorded their first album, "Serene", consisting of all original material.
Throughout 2009 and 2010, HelenaMaria have released cover versions and videos of popular songs for release on iTunes MP3 download and for viewing on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. One of these videos to date has garnered attention from television and radio personality Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
.
HelenaMaria tried out for American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
but were told to instead stick together as a duo by an executive producer of the show.
Mainstream Success
In 2009, Helena and Maria appeared together as actresses on Season 3 of Gossip GirlGossip Girl
Gossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite...
, beginning in episode 4, "Dan de Fleurette", which originally aired on October 5, 2009. They subsequently made at least 2 other small appearances on the show.
In May 2010, HelenaMaria's song for a Folgers
Folgers
Folgers Coffee is a major brand of coffee in the United States, part of the food and beverage division of The J.M. Smucker Co.-Company history:...
coffee contest was selected as a finalist, and they got to appear in front of and meet American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
judge Kara DioGuardi
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, composer and TV personality. She writes music primarily in the light pop-rock, dance, and R&B genres. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; her songs have appeared on more than 159...
.
On August 18, 2010, television and radio personality Ryan Seacrest
Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest is an American radio personality, television host, network producer and voice actor. He is the host of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, a nationally syndicated Top 40 radio show that airs on KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and throughout the United States and Canada on Premiere Radio Networks,...
posted a HelenaMaria video on his blog asking his audience if HelenaMaria's cover of Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
and Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "Love The Way You Lie" was better than the original. Saying he "got some really good feedback" on the video, Ryan Seacrest invited HelenaMaria onto his morning radio show. On August 23rd 2010, HelenaMaria performed the song live on his show.
Maria appeared on Season 6 of How I Met Your Mother.
Other Popular Culture Recognition
- HelenaMaria won Wrigley's Battle Of The Bands to qualify for the mtvUMtvUmtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
Campus Invasion Tour 2007. - HelenaMaria's song "Let Me Breathe" was featured on MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's The Hills the week of 10/1/07. - HelenaMaria were featured on mtvUMtvUmtvU is a division of Viacom's MTV Networks which produces a 24-hour television channel that is available on more than 750 college and university campuses across the United States, as well as several digital cable packages...
's "Meet Or Delete". - HelenaMaria were featured on CW11's "Spotlight On" series on 12/11/07. (WPIX New York)
- HelenaMaria are scheduled to have their song "Our Secret Place" featured in an upcoming movie, In My SleepIn My SleepIn My Sleep is 2010 suspense thriller movie written, directed and produced by film director Allen Wolf. It stars Philip Winchester, Lacey Chabert, Tim Draxl, Abigail Spencer and Kelly Overton. The story is about a man who believes he may have murdered a good friend while...
by Morning Star Pictures. - HelenaMaria were featured on CBS-3's Verizon Sunday Kickoff Show. (CBS Philadelphia)
Current members
- Helena Mehalis – Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
- Maria Mehalis – Vocals, Keyboards, Guitar
iTunes/Amazon Covers
- “The Climb (Miley CyrusMiley CyrusMiley Ray Cyrus is an American actress and pop singer-songwriter. She achieved wide fame for her role as Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel sitcom Hannah Montana....
Cover)” (2009) - “My Life Would Suck Without You (Kelly ClarksonKelly ClarksonKelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
Cover)” (2009) - “Outta Here (Esmee DentersEsmée DentersEsmée Denters is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She was a regular cover-artist on video-sharing website YouTube on which she covered songs by contemporary musicians like Justin Timberlake and Natasha Bedingfield....
Cover)” (2009) - “Love Story (Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
Cover)” (2009) - “Forgive Me (Leona LewisLeona LewisLeona Louise Lewis is a British singer and songwriter. Lewis first came to prominence in 2006 when she won the third series of the British television series The X Factor....
Cover)” (2009) - "Telephone (Lady GagaLady GaGaStefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
Cover)" (2010) - "Love The Way You Lie (EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
Cover)" (2010) - "Rude Boy (RihannaRihannaRobyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
Cover) (2010) - "Firework (Katy PerryKaty PerryKaty Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
Cover)" (2010) - "Just The Way You Are (Bruno MarsBruno MarsPeter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
Cover)" (2010) - "Mine (Taylor SwiftTaylor SwiftTaylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
Cover)" (2010) - "Jemima's Decorative Teapot (Canine Tricycle Bereavement Cover)" (2011)
- " E.T - Futuristic Lovers (Katy PerryKaty PerryKaty Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
Cover )" (2011) - "I Need A Doctor (EminemEminemMarshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
Cover)" (2011) - 'Hold It Against Me (Britney SpearsBritney SpearsBritney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
Cover)"(2011)
External links
- HelenaMaria official site
- Profile page at mtvU's Best Music On Campus
- Official YouTube page at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Profile page at BroadjamBroadjamBroadjam is a US-based music community website, founded in September 1999. The service is aimed primarily at independent musicians. Users can interact with other artists, enter contests, and collaborate with peers through email, reviews, blogs and other social networking tools...
- Profile page at MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Twitter Account at TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...