Q & A with Helena Ochoa

At just 19 years old, this R & B singer has already opened for Snoop Dogg and made the top 100 of American Idol

By Damian Kilroy

While some people might still snicker if you mentioned the words ‘Fresno,’ ‘music’ and ‘scene’ in one sentence, it would be in their own interest to actually investigate what lies beneath the aged stereotype of this city.

With Esquire ranking Fresno as one of the “Top 10 Cities That Rock” in a recent poll and the sheer volume of new bands popping up, it would appear Fresno is finally getting some recognition for its vibrant music scene that has been gathering momentum for some time. And it isn’t just about rock and roll.

Last September, Fresno lawyer Mario Di Salvo started MD Records and immediately signed 19-year-old R & B singer Helena Ochoa.

Di Salvo has received a lot of inquiries and offers from major label bigwigs to acquire the singing talents of this former American Idol contestant. Offers the label have flatly refused.

“ She is talent,” Di Salvo said, “and her songs are something special.”

Born in Fresno and raised in nearby Mendota, Ochoa comes from a large family of five sisters and grew up in the projects until her father won the lottery. Ochoa is currently in her freshman year studying music at Fresno State.

In between recording her new album and studying, The Collegian caught up with Helena Ochoa at the MD offices in Fresno.

Q. How did your signing with MD Records come about?

A. One of my sisters was dating the secretary of the company. I had dinner one night with my sister, her boyfriend, my manager Lisa and her husband Mario [Di Salvo] who owned the company. I had been on American Idol and we started talking about that. My sister’s boyfriend said I should sing for them, so I sung Amazing Grace and they loved it. Lisa then suggested to her husband that they sign me to their label. So I had a meeting with Mario and he said he wanted me to be on the label and that was it.

Q. You mention you entered American Idol. How did you find that experience?

A. It was a great experience. When I entered I was very pessimistic about it. There are a lot of good singers out there so I didn’t think I’d make it. I made it to the top 100 out of around 20,000 people all over the U.S. so it’s something I’m really proud of and it’s motivated me to keep going. I also got the chance to talk to people like Kelly Clarkson. She was very down to earth and we got on well. We are both huge Shakira fans and we had a lot in common.

Q. What is your honest opinion of Simon Cowell?

A. [laughs] … What do you think of him? No, I thought he was nice. He has to be cruel sometimes to make good TV, but when he gives you praise you know he means it.

Q. When did you first realize you could sing?

A. I was about 8 years old, and I heard a song by this singer on a TV commercial at various times during the day. Later on I was in the kitchen making myself a sandwich and I just started singing that song. My sister thought it was the radio and asked me to turn it up. I said “It’s me!”

She didn’t believe me so I sang for her and she was so excited she told my dad.

Q. Has your family been supportive of your singing career?

A. They’ve been really supportive. My dad used to take me to competitions everywhere. I sang at birthdays, parties and baptisms. They are very religious and believe I should share with people the gift that God has given me.

Q. How much creative input do you have in your songs?

A. I write my own songs and collaborate with other artists on the label. I started getting into song writing in September and thought it would be the hardest thing to do. I had written a lot of poetry before. Anything that came to mind I would write it down, so I’ve always been creative in that way. Sometimes it just comes when I listen to a beat. I was listening to a beat in the studio thinking this would be a really good song, and I just came up with the hook [bursts into song]

“ Something about your smile, It drives me wild, Those blueish eyes, They hypnotize me”

That was my first hook. I couldn’t believe it. One of the artists on the label wrote the other part of the hook, and I got a notepad and a pen and wrote the song in about an hour.

Q. How has your writing progressed since then?

A. I’ve learned a lot from the other artists on the label and observing how they work. I also listen to the radio a lot and try to be different from that. I try to write about my experiences, such as my friends, family and things they’ve told me. I write songs that people can relate to. I’m also studying music at Fresno State to learn more on the music theory side.

Q. Fresno has never been taken seriously as a musical city. What do you think of the Fresno music scene at the moment?

A. People don’t acknowledge Fresno as a music base because we don’t have anyone who has made it big. There are a lot of good artists in Fresno right now trying to break through, and I’m just one of those hopefuls. But hopefully, with God’s help and with my label’s help, I can make it and represent these areas of Fresno and Mendota.

Q. You recently opened up for the likes of Snoop Dogg and Baby Bash. How did they react to your music?

A. They were really nice and so supportive. They liked what I was doing and wished me good luck with everything. The Fresno show with Snoop was extra special. Praise from such big artists is great motivation and I hope that in years to come I will be saying the same things to someone else.

Q. What inspires you to keep singing and writing?

A. My parents inspire me a lot. I’ve seen their struggles so I want to make something of myself. I’m also inspired by Shakira and the way she writes. There is something different in every one of her songs. She always has something to say that has impact. That inspires me to keep writing and keep expressing myself no matter what.

Q. Where to next for Helena?

A. I want to get out there as much as possible, to let people know who I am and get my music out there. I’ve almost finished recording my first CD which should be out in July or August. I enjoyed making the CD with producer Xavier Marshall in L.A. and I hope people will enjoy listening to it.

Q. What do you get up to when you’re not recording or studying?

A. I like to go out with my friends and have fun. I don’t like to be too serious. I’m a bit of an adrenalin junkie so I love theme parks. I really want to go skydiving also.

Q. When you’re 70 years old, sitting back in your armchair. How would you like to look back on your career?

A. I’d like to look back at the end of my career and be content that I did what God sent me here to do. I want to be able to say I accomplished everything I wanted to.