THIS MUCH I KNOW

Jan Hellriegel

What makes my heart sing is that I can sing at all, and write songs. Plus I get to work with music every day and meet many wonderful talented people.

I have never been a dedicated follower of

what is cool. But I do admire cities like New York, which supports the arts, has rent control and is making affordable housing for artists and musicians because they want to keep their city alive and colourful.

I once left my music career – I was about 33 – I was devastated and it took me while to come to terms with the decision. I wanted to explore a career in business and I wanted to have children. I also didn’t want to spend the rest of my life being a washed-up, depressed, broke muso who felt life was a tortured trial. Fast-forward and I have done everything I set out to achieve and more. I have the kids and the music business but what I didn’t anticipate was that I would be back recording and producing music again.

If I am a word. I am “grit”.

Right now, we need to look at the music industry and its unbridled potential. Creative industries can help grow our GDP as well as creating jobs, which are fulfilling and healthy. We need the copyright industry to be taken as seriously as tourism and agriculture. Ideas don’t pollute waterways or use precious resources, and the value in the copyright lasts longer than a kilo of milk powder. We need to look at creative industries as a resource, which can bring prosperity to the country.

If I could say something to the little girl who grew up out west in a family of brothers, it would be, “Yes Jan! Girls can do anything. But you can’t do everything at the same time, all of the time. Remember the only person stopping you from doing what you want to do is you. Nobody else has power over you, nor should you ever let anyone tell you what to do. Winston Churchill said ‘you create your own universe as you go along’; you will learn to believe these words. Oh yes, and life’s a blast.”

I still have a lot to learn and that how it should be. If I stop asking questions or figuring out how to get better at something or how to be a better person, I guess I will be dead.

I love watching movies at the cinema on my

own, with a box of popcorn. And I am partial to a glass of Champagne, and good cheese. Oh yes, and sardines on toast before a big day.

I’m not shy any more. Not really. Once I truly comprehended that everyone feels the same inadequacy, that imposter-syndrome, and that they don’t know what to wear to a fancy do unless they have a stylist ... then I realised there is nothing to worry about. When I was a teenager I could barely speak in uncommon surroundings so everyone just thought I was a cool fish or a bit of an ice queen. The outcome of this was everyone thought I was really confident and a little bit arrogant — there are benefits to keeping your mouth shut and acting aloof.

Success is knowing that where you are right

now is where you wanted to be, and that you will always end up where you want to be because that it what you wanted.

Best fan moment ever? When a creative from an ad agency sang me Sentimental Fool at a party, word for word. She said it was the best love song ever. Later she was incredibly embarrassed, but I was humbled and, quite frankly, blown away.

JAN HELLRIEGEL PRESENTS MOMENTS IN MUSIC, ON RIALTO CHANNEL, WEDNESDAYS AT 8.30PM, MAY 10-31 ALSO SEE SONGBROKER.NZ