Helen Ganya - Sounds and memories

Fascinated by her new album released via Bella Union, I interviewed Scottish-Thai singer-songwriter Helen Ganya. It was a valuable opportunity to dig into some of the ideas hidden behind the songs and to better understand certain references to Thai cultural traditions. Because in her third record, the musician doesn't just rework childhood memories and family stories, but also celebrates Thai culture and music. Active for more than ten years in Brighton, where she studied and met Simon Raymonde, the founder of the legendary label, with "Share Your Care" Ganya has crafted an enchanting record, capable of soothing these final winter weeks with warm, luminous sounds.

Since many people in Italy may not know you yet, could you briefly describe your musical project?

I was originally active under the name Dog in the Snow and I made an album with Bella Union. Around 2020 I decided to use my own name, and I released "polish the machine" and now "Share Your Care", again with Bella Union. Since starting out under the name Dog in the Snow had created certain false expectations, like a supposed reference to the song "The Fox In The Snow" by Belle and Sebastian, and a lot of people thought it was a band, I decided to start from scratch and make my Thai origins clear as well.

On the new record you tackle themes like grief and memory, yet the songs sound incredibly luminous. Was that an intentional choice?

When I think about the time I spent in Thailand during my childhood, positive emotions come back to me. I don't think I was really aware that the record would turn out to be so euphoric and luminous, but then I realized there was a sense of happiness in making music that allowed me to reconnect with those memories. Also, the traditional Thai instruments I used lend themselves very well to brighter tones, and they helped create the atmosphere you breathe throughout the record.

It's striking how you've combined the structure of Western pop-rock songs with the sounds and instruments of Thai musical traditions. Why did you choose to explore this musical heritage more deeply right now?

My grandmother died in 2021, and I was afraid of losing and forgetting the memories I lived through in Thailand, and more generally these roots of identity. So I started writing down in a diary all the memories I associated with the time I spent in Thailand with my family. A few nights after her death I dreamed about her, and that dream became the song "Horizon". At that point I realized I could use some of those memories and turn them into songs. I started composing with Midi, knowing that I could later look for people able to play the traditional instruments. I wanted those sounds on the record precisely because they're the ones I heard as a child when I was in Thailand, and so they're connected to the memories I sing about in the songs.

It's interesting that a record so centered on the process of keeping memories intact ended up giving you new moments to remember, through all the people you connected with to make it.

Yes, I really went on a kind of journey to find Thai musicians in the UK. It was fascinating to meet these people I would never have crossed paths with if it hadn't been for this project!

It's not just the instrumentation that draws on Thai musical traditions - you've also woven elements of Thai culture into these songs. Could you tell us about the tradition you sing about in "Hell Money"?

In Thailand, various cultural influences coexist, and "hell money" is a type of belief with Chinese influences. According to this idea, after death one finds oneself in an intermediate zone before a subsequent reincarnation. There, it's necessary to have money, so special banknotes, known precisely as "hell money", are buried to ensure that the deceased can pass through the gates awaiting them before their new life.

The last song, "Myna", is very moving. I really like how it sets up a dialogue with the myna bird, which also represents your grandfather.

This song is tied to a very particular memory. After my grandfather died, his myna - a type of bird similar to a parrot in that it can reproduce the human voice - started speaking as if it were him. I liked the idea of this bird being able to keep my grandfather's memory alive, just as I do with this song.

When and why did you decide to make "Myna" a duet?

At first I'd thought about singing my grandfather's part myself too, and then lowering the notes I sang in my own voice. But then I realized it would be more moving if there were a second voice involved. I've known Tony Njoku for a few years now, and I'm really glad he agreed to sing it with me.

If I've understood correctly, morlam is a type of traditional Thai music. Could you explain its cultural significance, and where and when this music is played?

Morlam is a type of music that originally comes from north-eastern Thailand, on the border with Laos, a region marked by a syncretism between the two cultures. My maternal grandparents were actually born in that part of Thailand. It's a type of music in which improvisation plays an important role, and it's usually played at ceremonies or weddings; it carries a positive energy, and people often dance to it. Personally, it reminds me of where my grandparents lived. Even though the north-east is one of the poorest regions of Thailand, this music stands in contrast to the hardships of everyday life for many people, and invites them to enjoy joyful, positive moments.

I get the sense that in your music videos you've paid tribute to the nature and landscapes of Thailand. One of the songs is even named after the Mekong river.

Usually, the popular image people in the West have of Thailand includes big cities or beaches, but there are also tropical forests, incredibly vibrant and alive. It's perhaps a side of Thailand that's less visited by tourists, but it's the one I love the most! That's why I wanted to highlight exactly these landscapes in the videos and in the album's visual aspects.

(16 February 2025)

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