Juno Award Nominated 2013 John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Winner 2012 Female Songwriter and Artist of the Year - Vancouver Island Music Awards 2011 Helen Austin is a prolific singer/songwriter from the UK now living on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. She is no stranger to the stage and has worked as a professional performer for over 20 years. After her previous life as an award winning stand-up comedian, she brings her quirky humour to her musical performances, as well as the ability to tug at your heart strings with her more serious songs. "Helen's words and notes are real in the way the best moments in life are real, and she is sincere in every phrase without losing one precious moment of quirkiness." - Indie Music Reviewer Magazine With her self-produced music videos getting over a million viewers online, she has been earning accolades and acquiring fans from around the world. Her music is now getting regularly licensed in Network TV shows such as '90210', 'One Tree Hill' and 'Ghost Whisperer', along with many MTV shows and ads, including a European Nivea ad campaign. "It’s truly a masterpiece because songs like, “Tree house,” “Brand New Start” and most of the other songs on her albums are ingeniously creative." - MV Remix Helen has written music and lyrics for specific occasions such as her song "Relay", written to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay For Life event, which is now played at Relay events all over the world. She also donated a song for the Helping Hearts website, an organization that helps families with sick children. For one year Helen wrote, produced and uploaded a new song each week onto her website as a free download. Thirteen of those songs are on her album, 'Song of the Week' which was nominated for 5 Vancouver Island Music Awards of which she won two. She was also a top 10 international finalist for the prestigious Mountain Stage Newsong competition, has been nominated for several Hollywood Music Media Award and was a John Lennon Songwriting Contest Grand Prize Winner, an ISC winner, as well as being a Juno 2013 nominee. "Helen has a beautiful distinct voice and that will always open doors for her all on its own. She reminds me a bit of a female Elliott Smith or Paul Simon" - Women of Substance Radio Helen has several self produced album releases, the latest of which is her Juno nominated children's album called 'Always Be A Unicorn'. She has also just finished working on a new album with renowned producer, Bleu in LA, which will be out this year. Helen is a regular performer and MC at Vancouver Island Musicfest as well as many other music festivals. "Every track on this project represents the awesomeness that is Helen Austin the artist, musician and songwriter." - I Am Entertainment Magazine