Ben Kessler
Photo credit: Josefine Cardoni
To tell you the truth, music was pretty boring to me lately, I didn’t know what to listen to, everything sounded the same and music wasn’t that exciting, at least to me. Ben Kessler’s debut EP came out at the right time. As you know, I’ve been a huge supporter of his music since “Good Enough” so I just had to support his debut EP.
Like I said on my last article about him, his single “Cruise Control” was the beginning of something different for him musically. I always get a little nervous every time I listen to a new project because I often have big expectations. But for this one, I was only hoping to hear good music. And that’s what he delivered. Kessler has created a very unique sound for himself. This first project blends different genres into one and it’s very authentic, modern and refreshing. I believe this project perfectly represents what Ben Kessler is all about. He’s getting better and better every day but his production skills are seriously on a next level. “It Could Be Worse” might be my personal favorite - there’s something about the songwriting and melodies on this one that really hit me. Each song has its own story and its own unique sound. Cruise Control has a lot of emotions and feelings and colors. Cruise Control is him and it’s honest from beginning to end. And that’s all I needed from him :) Congrats Ben. Proud of you.
Cruise Control is out now :)
Photo credit: Josefine Cardoni
Hi Ben ! How are you? What have you been up to?
Helloooo! I am good thank you :) Busy but very thankful to be busy. I’ve been finishing up a lottt of new music and getting everything in line for this EP!
You've just released your debut EP Cruise Control - how does it feel like to release this EP?
I feel different things everyday but I think I am mostly excited and grateful. I feel like I have been hiding these bits of myself for so long, and I am so grateful that there are people out there excited to listen. It is crazy to think how much the BK world has grown since we did our first one of these in 2019!
What's the story/inspiration behind this project?
It had been my dream for so long to make an EP after I graduated college… I didn’t expect that to happen in the midst of a pandemic. I moved back home from Nashville for what I thought would be a month, and I haven’t left yet. So the EP is about change and uncertainty and trying to figure out who the fuck you are when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process? When did you start working on it? Who helped you create this EP?
I wrote the title track “Cruise Control” on my last day of classes in April of 2020 with my friend Jonah Shy. I didn’t know that song would be the title track (or frankly even on the EP) until I had written the rest of the songs and realized it was like a synopsis of everything I had been making at the time. “Love You Now, Love You Later” was written with one of my closest friends in Nashville, Camden Mueller. He is such a killer artist and writer and we’ve been so close for so long, but this is our first song together. Ironically (or maybe not so ironically), the song is about leaving people you care about and we wrote it right as I had moved back home from Nashville. I wrote the verse and chorus for “Lying” when I was drunk one night and finished it with my friend Philip Etherington, who is such a talented writer and producer.
What different topics are you talking about on this EP?
It is a very inward looking project - I talk a lot about identity and anxiety and all the shit that comes with being alone for a year… and trying to look inward while figuring out how I want to be known by the rest of the world.
What did you feel when writing "It Could Be Worse"?
Happysad.
What made you want to name your EP Cruise Control?
Jonah and I wrote “Cruise Control” about finding stability and direction when it seems like there isn’t any. I wrote all the other songs without really thinking about the concept of Cruise Control to be honest - it wasn’t until I finished the rest of the songs that I realized everything I had been writing came back to this idea of feeling uncertain and having blind faith that everything will work out.
What was the hardest part about making this project?
It is really hard seeing a project through beginning to end without having any new life experiences and without any change of scenery.
What did you learn about yourself after finishing this EP?
I am so indecisive and I have such a hard time making decisions for individual songs… creating a whole project seemed impossible. I think I am able to make more shit than I realize.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
Josefine Cardoni took the photos and made the layout. She is incredible. I just added some text and that was that :)
What is your goal for this EP?
My biggest goal is to introduce this music to as many new people as possible;
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