Behind-the-scenes of Hollie Smith's Helena video

Behind-the-scenes of Hollie Smith's Helena video

When television presenter Helena McAlpine lost her life to breast cancer last year, Hollie Smith lost her best friend.

But the singer has turned her grief into what she does best by releasing a tribute song for Ms McAlpine.

It began life as a poem and it's since evolved.

Written by Smith and Ms McAlpine's husband Chris Barton, the recording was finished just before they lost Ms McAlpine to breast cancer.

"We were able to play it to her the next morning, which was just a few hours before she died," Smith says. "It was nice to be able to get that finished for her and for her to hear it."

Ms McAlpine had an epic bucket list to tick off before she died -- one of the things she wanted was to have a hit single.

Now Smith is trying to make that happen, and she hasn't done it alone.

"It's nice to have a team of her friends involved with the production and direction. That was a nice aspect that we wanted to include."

Working on the music video and her forthcoming album, Water or Gold, has kept her busy.

"I haven't had time to stop and think," Smith says. "I think she's put a bit of a dopamine spell on me, cause it's just like this on-going sort of thing of feeling pretty good and positive.

"As tragic and hard as it was, it was a really beautiful time as well. And it's one I'll forever grateful for."

'Helena' is available for digital download and the full video is on YouTube.

 

Newshub.