Long eulogised in the reviews pages of Cross Rhythms, HELEN JAYNE has finally made it onto CD. Catherine Francis met the Welsh singer/songwriter.

Helen Jayne

After reaching number three in the International Demo Chart with her song "Reality", it could only have been a matter of time before Welsh singer/songwriter Helen Jayne was snapped up by a discerning record company and given the opportunity and backing she deserved. Now, with her superb debut album 'Safe' released this month on Word Records, Helen is someone finally enjoying the recognition her talent deserves.

'Safe' is a classy pop album, full of catchy hooks and soothing ballads. However, Helen is not just a talented songwriter with a crystal voice; she is also someone with a calling. "When I was a little girl, I used to sit at the piano and sing for hours," says 26 year old Helen. "Even then, I sensed that God had planted something in my heart, because I felt so close to him when I was singing. I knew that somehow God was going to use that in the future."

Helen, a delightfully modest and unassuming character, was born into a musical family and brought up in South Wales. "My grandfather trained to be an opera singer and everyone in our family sings and plays an instrument, so I think music is really in my blood," says Helen. Growing up in a Christian family was a great encouragement to Helen, who made a commitment to God at the age of 11. "My family is very supportive of what I am doing now and have really been a strength to me," comments Helen. "They understand that it's not about being a pop star, but about being a servant."

In 1988, Helen moved to Berkshire and shortly after met up with a local musician, Doug McKellar. Together they formed a pop/folk duo called The Promise, and began writing and performing together in churches, Christian unions, pubs, clubs and festivals. "Surprisingly, the material went down really well in pubs and clubs - at least, we never had anything thrown at us!" jokes Helen.

"My Love Is Strong", the first song the pair wrote together, was translated into Welsh and performed by Helen on a Welsh television gospel music programme. "This was a confirmation to us that maybe it really was something we were meant to be doing," Helen says. In 1991 Helen was invited back to perform a second time on the show.

The Promise received air play on local radio stations and two of their songs, "Reality" (featured on the album) and "Running Scared" reached numbers three and seven respectively in the International Demo Charts. In 1991, however, The Promise folded and Helen Jayne was launched as a solo artist. Doug took on the role of her manager, although they continued to work closely, performing live gigs and recording their material.

"Doug has been one of my strongest supports and although it is me who is being promoted now, it is what we have done as a team over the years that has brought me this far," Helen explains. "In the early days, Doug and I would often record until all hours. We both had responsible jobs at a computer company so we put nearly every evening and weekend into our music. Sometimes we think back and say, 'We must have been mad, the way we burned the candle at both ends,' but writing songs, learning to record and produce them was a new, exciting experience and we wanted to progress as quickly as possible.

"There are times when you struggle and think, 'Maybe I should give up,' but if you have been called to do something, and you have a vision that God has put in your heart, you can't let it go, no matter how difficult it gets."

After following Helen's career for several years, Nelson Word finally offered her the deal she had been waiting for. Now, she can see God's timing in the four year wait for recognition. "The Lord has taught me that he needed to prepare me for what was going to happen. You may think you are strong enough, but he knows best," explains Helen.

'Safe' was recorded in Nashville, USA, and Derby, England. It was produced by Chris Eaton, the Brit keyboard maestro. An impressive line up of musicians was selected to play on the album, including lead guitarist Chris Rodriguez, who has also worked with Amy Grant and Michael W Smith, bass guitarist Jackie Streets who has played for DC Talk, and drummer Steve Brewster, fresh from recording the latest Out Of The Grey album. "They were amused by the fact that I was in awe of them; I even got Steve Brewster to sign his used drumsticks at the end of the project, which he thought was hilarious!" says Helen. All but one of the tracks on 'Safe' was written by Helen, and are drawn from her personal experience.

The title track of the album was written just three weeks before recording began. "'Safe' describes how I was feeling at the time. As I sat at the piano, I closed my eyes and saw myself approaching God's throne. It was quite a clear picture - I looked small, weak, insecure, afraid, and he could see straight through me. Even though I knew my career was about to get off the ground, I felt worried about the future and wasn't trusting God's plan the way I should have been. I heard God telling me to lay down all the things that were troubling me and to realise that he was in control and that my life was secure in his love. By the time I'd finished writing the basic song an hour later, I felt completely renewed."