Heleina Zara’s Debut EP Autopilot is so good that you’ll want it on autoplay
Words by Sara West
Photos by Elise Abotomey
If you also fell in love with Sadie Jean’s “WYD Now?” when it went viral last year, I might’ve just found you your new favorite artist. Meet Heleina Zara, the up-and-coming Aussie artist who perfectly soundtracks all your late-night thoughts on her debut EP, Autopilot.
Upon first listening to Autopilot, I instantly felt like I was chatting with my best friend during a sleepover. Heleina’s lyrics pack powerful storylines while still feeling chill and conversational — and did I mention that she does this while also creating catchy melodies? This feeling of connection with lyrics is something I crave with the music I listen to, and it is something Heleina mentioned she searches for as well.
“I moved around a lot [as a kid], so I never really had best friends who would just come and sleep over and do that sort of stuff. So, I always looked to movies and entertainment to find that best friend connection. [Because of this], my end goal is to try and connect with listeners [so they can] hopefully see me as one of their close friends.”
The conversational way Heleina writes her lyrics make her songs feel so pungent, the other piece is her vulnerability. Heleina mentioned that she aims to be as authentic as possible in her songs, often using her music to help process experiences and emotions.
One example of this authenticity is in “Convenience Store,” a single about an emotionally draining relationship.
“It was just me and my keyboard and a very late night. I was going through all the feels and felt very isolated [which] made me rethink a lot of the relationships I had at the time. [I asked questions such as] Why am I waiting for them to reach out? Why do I feel used? They only reach out whenever it suits them.”
She later took this concept of feeling used into a session with Jude York and Ben Beamish and finished the song.
When looking at the EP as a whole, Autopilot represents a multitude of concepts. Heleina mentioned that it touches on her roots of being an airline kid, but there is much more meaning than that. She feels Autopilot is about rolling with the ups and downs that life throws at you while still being able to let go and see what happens in the universe. She also sees it concerning love and surrendering to the experience of meeting someone new.
Autopilot is Heleina’s debut EP, but she is certainly not new to the music scene. She wrote her first song when she was just seven years old and started recording when she was thirteen. Since then, she has noticed many changes in how she approaches songwriting. However, Heleina believes this EP pays homage to her childhood.
“This EP is a little gift to my younger self to be like, ‘Look, this is where we are now; we are still chasing the dream.’”
While writing the EP, Heleina mentioned that she learned many lessons, including how to set boundaries and stand up for herself. She hopes listeners can take away these same messages and wants to reiterate that every person has their own voice and something unique to offer.
If you haven’t already, go stream Autopilot by Heleina Zara. Feel free to scream along and let out any held-back emotions. We promise we won’t judge.
