Two-time EDMA “Best Female Artist” winner HALIENE releases her debut EP on Ophelia “Water”. The EP highlights HALIENE’s dynamic and emotion-laden vocals alongside electronic backdrops. Featuring collaborations with Kill The Noise and NURKO, the EP masterfully weaves through melodic bass, dubstep, trance and dance pop.
“This EP, Water, came to me both fast and slow, kind of like the movement of water itself. My first album, Heavenly, was my mission statement, but I wasn’t sure what the next evolution of HALIENE looked like, what the next chapter would say. I was waiting for it to reveal itself to me as I wrote the songs, but nothing came at first. The earliest song I wrote was Memory Of You with Annika Wells back in 2021, and the latest song I wrote was Water in the summer of 2023. While I knew a new body of work was forming, its direction was not clear until I finished Water.
I was on vacation in Canada, feeling incredibly burnt out from music after 3 headlining tours, and one evening I took a bath in a jet tub. As I relaxed in the flowing jets, I heard two tones coming from the motor; Bb and F. The next thing I knew, I was writing a song to the sound of the tub, and the song “Water” was born. Songs frequently just come to me, not always with chords of a musical instrument, sometimes just out of the silence or a dream, but this was the first time I’d ever collaborated musically with a jet tub! There was a haunting and addictive quality to the melody, which we called “pirate lullaby” for a while. We just couldn’t stop singing it.
After Water was fully written, I realized there was a common theme in all the recent songs I’d been writing, and that theme was the element of water.Finally, the truth of the music was revealed to me. This EP dives into themes of duality: light and dark, life and death, creation and destruction, the tension of hope for tomorrow despite the difficulties of the present.
The lyrics of the title track, personify water, committing fate and self to the ultimate higher power represented in a conversational relationship with the ocean. There is love and fear, dependency and autonomy, but ultimately the water, which makes and shapes us, guides us to our inevitable fate.
In Castles in the Sand, I am sharing a personal truth: everyone tells you who they are when you first meet them. This song is my personal experience of realizing I don’t always listen. This relationship was built on a foundation of sand, only to be washed away by the tide. Like a castle made of sand, we invest so much energy and care into creating something we know will only be destroyed, but in this we can still love. We find beauty in the duality of creating order despite knowing that all things will end up in chaos.
Take Your Light helps illuminate the mission of the EP, which is that even when the circumstances around you are difficult and seemingly hopeless, do not let your candle, though dimly burning, get snuffed out.
Hold on and continue through the storm, through the dark. This song gives us permission to feel during the journey. With grief or any difficult emotional thing, I always say the fastest way out is through. If you don’t release those painful feelings, you won’t make it out the other side. It’s okay to feel the way you do, it’s okay to be scared, okay to cry, to scream, but don’t ever let that circumstance and pain take your inner light. I was so grateful to work with both Nurko and Kill the Noise on this EP, two producers I have a huge amount of respect for, and I believe are some of the best in different fields of our genre. They each brought their distinct colors and sound to our collaborations.”
– Kelly Sweet (HALIENE)
Emerging from the vibrant realms of trance and melodic dubstep, Grammy-nominated songstress and American performer HALIENE stands as a visionary force, redefining the very essence of an artist in electronic dance music. Crowned as Female Artist of the Year in the 2023 and 2024 EDMAs, she is a unique exception to an industry that principally uplifts male DJ producers. Not only has she dramatically altered the game but she’s paving an inspiring trail for vocalists and live acts in the changing topography of EDM. HALIENE's vocal prowess possesses an unparalleled ability to captivate millions globally, weaving empowering lyrics and heart-wrenching melodies into a tapestry of emotional resonance. Her voice has graced singles alongside dance music giants such as Armin Van Buuren, Illenium, Gareth Emery, Da Tweekaz, Excision, Seven Lions, and many more, consistently dominating charts worldwide. Evolving beyond collaborations, HALIENE has solidified herself as a genre-defying solo artist, seamlessly bridging the gap between poetic lyricism and melodic dance music. Her releases boast millions of streams, crafting some of the most iconic melodies within the dance music landscape. Acclaimed for chart-topping singles and energetic live shows, HALIENE has soared to superstar status within the industry. Her debut album "Heavenly," garnered strong radio support and multiple sold-out stops across her branded solo tours. From Australia to Europe, Mexico to Canada, her performances have electrified fans across the world, whether her own headlining shows at historic venues such as The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles or Webster Hall in NYC, to prime slots at renowned festivals like EDC, Dreamstate, Lost Lands, Bass Canyon, Ember Shores and many more.
As the official record label of melodic dubstep leader Seven Lions, Ophelia Records is a label that promotes independent dance music across a wide range of genres. In just five years, Ophelia has become one of the hottest labels in electronic music thanks to its tight-knit community and ability to connect fans of melodic bass, dubstep, trance, psytrance, drum & bass, house and beyond. With over 200 catalog releases from acts such as SLANDER, Excision, Kill The Noise, MitiS, Jason Ross, NGHTMRE, Wooli, Trivecta, Blastoyz, Crystal Skies and Last Heroes, Ophelia has multiple #1 iTunes dance records and has been supported on the covers of mint and danceXL with additional playlisting on New Music Friday, Dance Rising, Bass Arcade and SiriusXM BPM. The label has also sold out showcases at Echostage, Avant Gardner and Red Rocks, as well as hosted festival stage takeovers at Electric Zoo, Miami Music Week, Nocturnal Wonderland and more.