Passion, romance, community and earthiness are a few words that can be used to describe Serpentfly aka Leslie Helpert.

Ms Helpert will perform in a charity concert in a unique setting at Malvern, on Ord Road, Paget, on May 20, the proceeds from which will ultimately be donated to environment group GreenRock who continue to endeavour to improve the environmental health of the Island.

Malvern is a private property located in a garden setting and surrounded by mature cedar, poinciana and palm trees, which will prove to be an idyllic and unique setting for a concert.

FreeUp Productions managing director, Lindsey Ternent, revealed the lineup will feature emcee Bob Flath and with The Chewstick Band as the opening act. During intermission local poets Laurel Monkman and Springflower will perform. The headlining event will feature Ms Helpert, guitarist Todd Lombardo and Taylor Rankin on violin.

One of Ms Helpert?s first memories is of just singing and loving it.

?Well, I?ve loved to sing and my first memory was that I kind of naturally always wanted to play an instrument,? she said.

?And I learned to play piano and guitar from the age of 12. I always loved writing and language and it all just came together. It is just a deep passion that I just followed.?

She writes and composes all her own material and says her inspiration comes from just about everything.

?Lately I have been moved by just fragments and phrases that I hear, conversation, textures and colours and a lot of subtlety,? said the artiste.

?It is difficult sometimes to pin your inspiration. Sometimes major things happen in your own life, which may inspire you to have a certain kind of flavour and flair in your work. But I think that it is very interesting to look at the relationship of the songwriter as writing from their own life versus when the writer is speaking for a perspective larger than their own life.

?So it kind of comes from everything and it is kind of hard to tell people where your inspiration comes from.?

FreeUp Productions are hoping this month?s concert will one of of many eco-friendly events.

?There will be recycling, biodegradable and waste bins placed in convenient areas around the venue site,? Ms Ternent explained. All of the biodegradable/compost produced will be donated to Wadson?s Farms to be used as fertiliser. The pillows, in the lounge area, are made from reused fabrics and the stuffing is reused Styrofoam packing peanuts.

?In order to cut down on the size of the parking area and greenhouse gas emissions from every car, we are offering an incentive to all who attend,? said Ms Ternent.

?Anyone who arrives in a car with three or more people is eligible to win one of several door prizes at the end of the night. The restroom areas will be stocked with recycled and biodegradable toilet paper, hand towels and hand wash.?

When asked why was saving the environment so close to her heart Ms Helpert replied: ?Well yeah, I feel very strongly about the connection of humanity to the environment and I feel that our life is a reflection of that relationship.

?You have to respect it! Everything from sustainable agriculture, being educated about the nature in our environment to having a relationship with it. Spending time outside... just connecting and being inspired by that connection. Also being able to work with the earth in a way that is considered as being bio-dynamic.?

She added that some close friends of hers are farmers who have now started a beautiful organic restaurant.

?It is really nice to see the arugula that is picked that day served as a salad that night.

?To see how people come together out in the field to plant it and then to pick it ? and I like to see how that connection is community building,? said the musician.

Music is difficult to set in one genre, said the Athens, Georgia artiste.

?I feel like the music nowadays is so inspired by so many different informants, I listen to classical, I listen to hip hop and it is not just music that inspires my music,? she pointed out.

?But in recognising how globally we get to know each other and the music that is happening around the world there is so much influence and so much sound. When I am playing solo with a guitar it can seem more like folk, but I also play electric guitar and I also write a lot of rhymes.

?I feel like my music lends itself to a lot of different kinds of styles. But I think that sometimes genres are not so efficient in expressing what something is. So I usually try to talk myself out of that question.?

Asked when she got her big break, the 29-year-old explained that it was an ever growing situation.

?I don?t know, it always seems like it is breaking further,? she stated.

?I think I started playing out in New York when I was in high school and I knew I was going to keep performing and while I was at music school I just kept doing it.

?It has kind of been a growing process and it feels like a constant process of figuring out how to be innovative in a very changing music industry. I think it is about recognising ways to release your art, because the thing is that you come to a point where you are just staying constant with the discipline of your creativity, which ultimately is your passion.

?It is not a wretched discipline, but one that you love to do and then there is the kind of figuring out and sensing the best modality to put it out, whether it is via the internet or a certain concert. But I think it all comes down to intuition.?

Serpentfly seemed a very earthy and balanced individual, so when asked was she spiritual, she did not hesitate to explain: ?I feel like that word has very interesting connotations, so I want to be honest and to me that feels like a spiritual practice.

?I spend a good amount of time practising yoga and stuff like that. I think that to be on the road takes a lot of working with balance, so there is that for sure.?

A guitarist, who hails from Nashville, Tennessee, will accompany her at the concert.

?I am bringing a really exciting guitarist, Todd Lombardo, with me, and he is phenomenal,? she revealed.

?I actually met him when I was playing in Florida and he turned out to be a friend of a friend and we took our guitars out and it was just so heavenly to play with him.

?So ever since we have been playing together. He also did some recording with me and I thought he would be a good person to take with me to Bermuda ? he would be a nice flavour.

?The show is going to be vivacious. The sound last year was that I had a base player, a guitarist and myself on guitar, but this year it will be a duo instead of a trio.

?I think that we are going to be playing some heart-wrenching love songs, fun foot-stomping tunes a whole bunch of stuff ? it will be a mixed bag. But with Todd on board it will be a fun night for sure. It will be great and I am really looking forward to it.?

Asked what those attending the concert can expect, Ms Ternent said: ?FreeUp?s vision is to create a comfortable, enriching and awareness raising atmosphere that will leave everyone with the notion of being thoroughly entertained.

More specifically we want to set a new standard when it comes to event production in Bermuda.

?We will provide different types of entertainment, unique venue and d?cor, fine food and beverages, minimal waste production and 90 percent of waste will either be recalled or reused and a few surprises for all to enjoy.

?Our formula for success is threefold: to present an international element; alongside a local element; at an original location.

?Overall, we aim to prove that it is entirely possible to attend a musical event, have fun, yet learn something new but most importantly to have the opportunity to truly relax.?

The event will feature a choice of three seating options depending on how relaxed patrons want to be.

?One type would be the lounge area, covered in carpets and rugs with couches, lounge chairs and large pillows in abundance,? Ms Ternent said.

?The second will be the main seating area consisting of over 250 chairs. At the rear of the main seating area will be a selection of tables and chairs for the folks who want to eat and drink while enjoying the live performances.

?The entire venue will be festively decorated with local seasonal flowers and fairy lights.?

Unlike the usual fare at music events, FreeUp is providing fine foods created by two very talented local chefs.

?Kerry Petty, of Barefoot Bakers, and Zahra Jabbar, of EatElite, will be creating delicacies for the evening.?

She added: ?There will be a selection of fresh soups and breads as well as an open air BBQ offering kebabs and salads of all kinds. For those with a sweet tooth there will also be a variety of baked goods, such as cookies and brownies, available.

?A full bar with two lovely bartenders will be located adjacent to the BBQ. For the designated drivers there will also be several choices of organic and fair trade coffees from Rock Island Coffee.?

Parking is available at the Paget Rectory, Ord Road, which is the first driveway on the right . From there Malvern is a short walk away.

Tickets are $45 and available at www.boxoffice.bm. The doors open at 7 p.m.