#bea garcia

[steampunktendencies]

"Amadeus" FX Make Up: Bea García Photography: Rebeca Saray

[shemakesmusic-uk]

INTERVIEW: Bea Garcia of Twist Helix

Firing on all cylinders, Newcastle’s Twist Helix are flexing their studio muscles as of late, as they pave the way for their upcoming 2020 album, Machinery. They kickstarted their 2020 by introducing their next LP with the single ‘Louder,’ an atmospheric synth-pop triumph that laid down the tone for the rest of the record. Now, 4 they’re releasing a brand-new single. ‘Frida Kahlo’.

Since bursting onto the scene 4 years ago, Bea Garcia (Synth, vocals), James Walker (Drums) and Matthew Barron (Bass) are renowned for their idiosyncratic mix of electronica and indie, which blends dramatic synths,with uplifting pop hooks and a soft Iberian lilt.

With arena-sized vocal chants that delve in and out of English and Spanish, you’re instantly drawn into 'Frida Kahlo'. Filled with intrigue from the outset, the single weaves in and out of pop, and new-wave influenced sections spurred on by giddy bouts of synthesizer and compelling jump-rope verses. Uplifting, hopeful and full of charisma, ‘Frida Kahlo’ showcases everything the band represent.

We had a chat with Bea all about the new single, what we can expect from the new album, quarantine life and much more. Read the full interview below.

Hi Bea! How are you? How have you been spending your time during this pandemic? How as it affected Twist Helix as a band?

"Hola She Makes Music! I’m good thank you, thanks for inviting me to chat about the new single!

"It’s been a really strange year to make music. The pandemic and the lockdown came at the worst possible moment for us, we’d just wrapped up our first tour dates of the year and were set to board a flight to Madrid when all of Spain was put under quarantine. So, we’ve had to improvise a bit, working digitally between two studios 1500 miles apart, it’s been a stressful experience but we’re so glad to have finished recording the new album!

"Other than that, I’ve just been locked in my flat playing countless hours of Rayman."

You recently released your new single 'Frida Kahlo'. What's the story behind the track? What does the song mean to you?

"'Frida Kahlo’ is one of those songs we could never quite finish. I had the idea for the synth lead about the time we were writing the Ouseburn album but could never quite make it fit into a song. Then last summer the group were invited to participate in a studio residency at Sage Gateshead; that time together to write with no pressures or deadlines in a space of our own really brought out the best in us. We spent the residency writing music and thinking about the relation between cultural production and cultural product and well, I don’t quite remember how it happened, but somehow the conversation turned to Frida Kahlo earrings."

'Frida Kahlo' and previous single 'Louder' are to feature on your upcoming new LP Machinery. What can you tell us about the record?

"The idea behind the album was that we would use this album to peer into the workings of the music industry, the literal workings of the machinery behind it. It’s a distillation of our own experiences, observations and our projected hopes and anxieties."

What were your musical influences for the LP? Who were you listening to around the time of writing it?

"Gosh I consume music voraciously, and I’m a total synth freak and it shows. There’s hints of everything from MGMT, The Naked and Famous, Ladytron, Gossip, Izal… It sounds weird writing it down, but being behind the keyboard the mind just sort of channels all these disparate parts into something whole."

How is Machinery different (or similar) to Ouseburn? Was the songwriting/recording process any different?

"There’s always a self-reflexive quality to our music and euphoric rush of feelings and sound. The big difference on Machinery is we’re feeling a lot less incumbered by expectations of what that sound is, we’re painting in much bolder strokes and that means rapping on some tracks, vapourwave inspired instrumentals and following synth punk tracks with brooding symphonic ballads."

Were there any other songs written during this period that didn’t make it onto the album, and if so, will you revisit them again in the future?

"Almost certainly and yes, probably, who knows. Honestly you never stop writing, even when a recording is finished and an album is released you don’t stop tinkering with it. That’s the fun of creating."

Which new artists/bands are you listening to right now? Anyone we should be checking out?

"We got the new Bugeye album through the post this morning which is just a superb collection of spikey disco-punk ferocity. We’ve also been touring a bit with a band from Leeds called Artio, and have loved hearing their EP Backbone, I won’t spoil the surprise too much, just think Alt-Rock meets Synth-Pop. Trust me you’ll love it."

With having a lot of time to reflect recently, if there was one thing you could change about the music world today, what would it be?

"Speaking as an artist signed to a European label and on behalf of the other two thirds of Twist Helix that as of this year will no longer be European citizens, we’d really like our freedom of movement back please."

You have been so busy and accomplished so many awesome things in the last four years. What would you say has been the biggest highlight for Twist Helix so far? And why?

"Honestly, for all the wonderful experiences we’ve had and places we’ve been I think just keeping the group going and having the determination to see through a third album is a huge achievement. We love making and performing our music and as long as there’s still a couple of crazy people who want to hear shouty happy unabashedly Spanglish synth pop, we’ll keep doing it."

Finally, what do you have planned now we're getting back to some sort of normality? I expect you're itching to get out on the road to tour the album following its release and when it is safe to do so?

"Absolutely and we’re over the moon that the majority of festival bookings we had this year have kept in touch and intend to honour the booking for 2021. That said, we’re not going to rush into it unless we can feel comfortable in doing so. We work closely with the venues and promoters that support us, and while this has been a difficult time for all involved, we’re behind them 100%. It’s not been talked about in the press but before the UK went into lockdown (or didn’t if you compare our version of it to say what happened elsewhere in Europe) many venues were showing the leadership our government lacked and closed their doors before the government so belatedly intervened. They did that to their expense because they put the wellbeing of their staff and their patrons ahead of profit. I’ve got nothing but respect for them."

Twist Helix · Frida Kahlo

Photo credit: Jay Dawson

[chroniclesofmiddlegrade]

We’re so excited about this week’s new books! Take a look at the chapter books and middle grade titles hitting shelves this week.

Bea Garcia: My Life in Pictures

Authors: Deborah Zemke Age range: 6-8 Series: #1 in Bea Garcia series Two-sentence recap: When artist Bea’s best friend moves away, not even drawing makes Bea feel better. Can Bea make a new friend with the rambunctious boy who moves in next door?

Mutt’s Promise

Author: Julie Salamon Illustrator: Jill Weber Age range: 8-12 Two-sentence recap: Puppies Luna and Chief grew up on farm, but when their owner passes on, they wind up trapped in a puppy mill. Can they take matters into their own paws, escape, and find their way home?

You Can’t Drink a Meatball Through a Straw

Authors: Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Age range: 6-8 Series: #7 in the Here’s Hank series Two-sentence recap: Hank is nothing like his cousin “perfect” cousin, Judith Ann. But when Hank and Judith Ann both enter a culinary competition, he finds out that they have more in common than he thinks—and it’s not cooking!

[laissezferre]

Visit Original Link

a rarity when a local production actually gets a recording (albeit of just one song)

mechu lauchengco-yulo (diana), jett pangan (dan), felix rivera (gabe), bea garcia (natalie), jake macapagal (dr. madden), and markki stroem (henry)

[teachchronicles-blog]

Because every idealist needs a realist. Thank you Ky. <3

[teachchronicles-blog]

I was 4. It was for my Ninong. (Abbot Tarcisio Narciso of the Benedictine Priests.)

[teachchronicles-blog]

Last night in my cousin’s D Group, I found the girls that can help me start my dream: TEACH (Teaching and Educating Artistic Children with Heart).

TEACH will be devoted to adopting street children, as well as children from the less fortunate rural and urban communities of the country, educating them through Art (Visual, Music, Performance, Production, etc), and helping them get through life.

More importantly TEACH will be imparting values that will not only equip the children with the tools to succeed but also move them to change their situations, inspire people and bring change in society.

This is where my dream foundation starts—this Blog (inspired by “The Happiness Project). This is where my journey begins. 😊

[maitaponce]

GLOW: BEA GARCIA

I cannot imagine going through life without a friend like Bea Garcia. Bea is the second of my triumvirate of maids of honor. We first met in Ateneo Blue Repertory where we were both members even before we were officially in college. It was a rehearsal just before school officially started in 2002 at someone's house. She offered me her salad from Starbucks and claimed to be on a diet because she gained weight over the summer. To me, she looked perfectly slim.

Bea Garcia is considered to be one of the finest actresses to ever grace the Philippine stage. She started professionally in Repertory Philippines 1993 production of Les Misérables, where she played Little Cosette. The rest was history. Bea was recently seen playing Natalie in Atlantis' Next to Normal. She is also known for playing title roles like Cinderella in Cinderella and Princess Jewel in Little Mermaid. Her theater credits also include Spring Awakening, Broadway version of Little Mermaid, Xanadu, Little Night of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and so on. Aside from theater, she is exceptional on film. She was part of Brilliante Mendoza's Captive (which also starred French film actress Isabelle Huppert), Dennis Marasigan's Anatomiya ng Korupsiyon and Jerrold Tarog's Faculty (which I thought she was brilliant in). Currently, Bea is on hiatus from acting. But we all look forward to the day she comes back on stage or on camera. Her skincare: In the morning and before I sleep I wash my face with Celeteque Facial Wash with Natural Moisturizing Factor; once a week I wash with St. Ives Blemish Control Apricot Scrub.

At night I moisturizer with Organature Balancing Cream By Beyond. I got it in our last trip to HK for your wedding. Then in the morning after washing, I put Power Perfection BB Cream, by FaceShop.