"Helena is blessed with a real jazz voice, timbre from the “old days” – impressive...
It all comes with ease – remarkable high notes and a contrasting intimate sound happen here. Powerful improvisation."
- Sabine Kuehlich, jazz vocals faculty at the Conservatory in Maastricht (Netherlands).
Jazz vocalist.
Member of TO ensemble.
Song-writer. Improviser. Marine Biologist.
2017 Montreux Jazz Voice Competition Semi-Finalist.
A semi-finalist of the Montreux 2017 Jazz Voice Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Helena Hulsman has wowed international audiences with her nuanced interpretations of jazz standards, her touching originals and exhilarating vocal improvisations.
Her charisma and amazing energy on stage are fueled by her great love for music, singing and in particular, vocal improvisation.
Read more about Helena here.
Helena Hulsman has worked and performed with various musicians since her first endeavour into music. In Rotterdam, Helena received vocal training from contemporary singers Ai Ming Oei and Ntjam Rosie, and performed alongside Stefan Lievestro (upright) and Reinier Baas (guitar). In Singapore, Helena has played with renowned Singapore jazz musicians like Mario Serio (piano), Rick Smith (guitar), Oliver von Essen (organ), Christie Smith (upright), Wendy Phua (bass), US jazz greats Jason Palmer (horn), Rory Stuart (guitar) and John Ellis (sax)
and her two main collaborators Tze Toh and Goro Tsukakoshi:
Award-winning composer-pianist and music director of TO ensemble Tze Toh (SG) has worked on a diverse array of productions, creating music for full-length feature films, animation, documentaries, contemporary dance, Asian / world fusion albums, and experimental projects/conceptual works.
Tze now works with Helena on composing, writing and recording their collaborative contemporary jazz album
Jazz guitarist Goro Tsukakoshi (JP, SG) has been Helena's musical partner in crime in Singapore's music scene. After playing for many years in Singapore as a respected jazz drummer, Goro picked up the guitar and has not put it down ever since.
Goro and Helena have a regular gig at Singapore's Tomo Izakaya on Clarke Quay, performing a variety of jazz standards, classics, Japanese songs and a number of original jazz songs by Goro and Helena.
