Carmel Helene is a singer/songwriter/guitarist who has been a professional performer for over 14 years. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, her father was a conga player for Cal Tjader and Chick Corea, whose love of the road led her to follow in his footsteps. Due to an extremely wide variety of musical tastes, her experience extended throughout the genres of top-40, heavy metal, jazz, folk, and everything in between. She has sung for several commercials, industrials, film and television shows, such as C.S.I., Jimmy Kimmel Live, National Lampoon’s "Golddiggers", Iomega, Dr. Pepper, Perrier and more.
Born in San Francisco to a Black father and a White mother, Carmel was named after her mother’s favorite place on earth – the beautiful shoreline community of Carmel-by-the-sea - and her caramel complexion.
Growing up, she was very shy and took to writing lyrics in order to express herself. An only child and a tomboy ultimately raised by her mother, Carmel stayed largely to herself in her formative years.
Spending much of her time writing alone in her room, and influenced by a wide variety of musical tastes, she formulated her own brand of rhythmic acoustic pop.
She began her performing career as a teenager, sporting long blonde hair and leather pants while singing in heavy metal bands in Bay Area clubs. She went on to join her first R&B band at 19 and met her first African American friends. She became immersed in the world of Top 40, and delighted crowds with high energy versions of pop and soul covers before she was old enough to get into clubs. Soon, she was introduced to multi-platinum producer Narada Michael Walden through a friend and began doing session work at his studio. She began to gain professional experience singing for television and commercials like McDonald’s, Dr. Pepper, Perrier, Iomega, Jimmy Kimmel Live, C.S.I. and National Lampoon’s. After moving around quite a bit following her dream, Carmel moved to Vegas when she unexpectedly landed the principle role in the show “Le Follies Bergere”.
While living in Vegas for a year, she sang back-up for Michael Bolton on shows like The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, Live with Regis and Kathy Lee, Rosie O’Donnell, Vibe, and The Larry Sanders Show. She then went on to sing on a world tour for Latin Grammy winner Luis Miguel. All the while, recording her own music with award-winning producer Andy Goldmark, and performing in Vegas and Los Angeles clubs.
Moving again back to L.A., she began working with legendary keyboardist and author John Novello on a soulful rock project. Combining her rock roots with the jazz and soul stylings she’d acquired over the years, she was nominated for “Independent Female Singer/Songwriter of the Year” and “Music Video of the Year” by the L.A. Music Awards in 2005. Music Connection Magazine called her “sexy classic rock served with sizzling talent” while L.A. Music Awards called her “charismatic and over-loaded with star power”.
In May of 2006, and televised on BET to millions of viewers, she shared the main stage alongside Al Green, Seal, Babyface, Rihanna and more, at the 15th annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival.
A large part of her goal as a musician is the will and desire to help her fellow man. Among her many humanitarian efforts, she has worked with and written songs for various human rights groups including the Enough Project, Artists for Human Rights, Citizens Commission for Human Rights, The Red Cross, schools (internationally) as well as a myriad of live performances for her local churches.
Today, Carmel continues to write, record and distribute her own music the best way she knows how. While also on tour with Miley Cyrus and occasional performances with Billy Ray Cyrus, she never refuses the challenge of being a one-woman entrepreneur with the determination it takes to achieve her goals no matter what the odds.
