Joshua Benjamin
Photo credit: Jimmy Brimmacombe
What I love the most about this song is the production. Joshua Benjamin, HaychKai and Manuel Garay did an amazing work on this single. “Here’s to You” offers an honest message through a unique production and songwriting. It’s different from what we hear today and it feels good to hear this.
“This song speaks to all of the times I was left in the dark, and for those who are still left in the dark. I went through this in a relationship, in terms of communication and emotionally. Sometimes, when there’s a breakdown in connection between two people, I feel that it allows space for darkness and negativity to enter. This track feels like an ode to these times and a release of its hold on me, knowing that it’s been something I’ve learnt from and something that has allowed me to grow and move forward in my life. For anyone in a similar situation, make a decision, take the leap and grow in whichever direction you wish to take,” says Benjamin.
Joshua Benjamin has created his own musical signature and it’s very promising. I can’t wait to hear more music from him this year.
“Here’s to You” is now available worldwide :)
Photo credit: John Sander
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
I’m a singer/producer from a tiny village in Hertfordshire and have a love for R&B and soul music especially. I hope to spread some light into the darker areas of life and to connect people that can relate to my experiences and feelings through music and my life!
When did you start writing songs? What made you want to write in the first place?
It must have been when I was about 14, I used to listen to so much music, and at certain parts of songs I would always think… ‘Ah, I wish this part could be better’. So I would then learn how to play the song and then re-write the bad (in my very humble opinion) parts! I then decided I was tired of doing that and wanted to just start from scratch. Which is a journey I’m still on.
When did you realise you could sing?
I worked on my voice from singing in church from the age of 5-6, as I was constantly trying to find a better strength in it. It wasn’t until I started to write songs that I really felt like I had to really develop my voice and vocal identity.
What did you grow up listening to?
A mixture of heavy rock, like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin and then a lot of 90’s & 2000’s RnB/Soul and Hip Hop.
Do you remember the first record you've ever bought?
The first real record I bought was on vinyl and it was Sam Cooke’s album ‘The man and his music’.
At what point did you decide to pursue music as a career?
I never used to see it as ‘a career’. I just knew that it made me happy to challenge my voice and my songwriting ability, and then I found it so beneficial to express feelings that I didn’t always know how to simply communicate in day to day conversations. The first moment I started to see it as a career was when I made my first real record from start to finish in a real studio environment at school!
Who was the first person to ever believe in you?
Musically speaking - my late father, without a shadow of a doubt. He supported me in every possible aspect in music and always pushed that part of me. My mum and the rest of my family always have been so supportive too, along with some amazing friends as well.
How would you define Joshua Benjamin, the artist?
I would define myself as a mixture between an old soul with modern sounding productions. I am trying to scratch into the concept of expressing light within, as well as darker parts of life that are part of everyone’s journeys.
"Here's To You" is your new single - what's the inspiration behind this single?
This track is a process of letting go of a past relationship in a way that is not easy but is necessary. Knowing that there are moments once you have broken up with someone where there is still love there. This track flowed so easy to me, as my best tracks often do, as I draw from personal experience and just try to connect to my emotions as best as possible. Almost like a sort of self-counselling if that makes sense.
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this single? Who helped you create?
It was written by myself and 2 of my great friends/producers: HaychKai and Manuel Garay. We wrote it up in a log cabin up in the Welsh Mountains. We were in the perfect place for our creative juices to flow and we wrote many songs in that week we were there; this one being by far the easiest to come together. We finished 90% of the track in just a few hours!
What did you feel when writing this song?
I felt a great sense of release, and I remember holding a glass of whisky and almost feeling a sense similar to when people drink and ‘cheers’ to someone that has passed or to celebrate a change in their lives etc. Knowing that in this situation I did all that I could, and am at peace with that.
What made you want to release "Here's To You" as a single?
I felt that my connection to the song is so strong that I hope it can help others, as an entity of its own, to move on from situations.
What can you tell us about the artwork?
The artwork is a shot of me taken by a talented photographer (www.johnsander.com) at the time of my life when I was going through this relationship I speak on in the song. The dark tones in the shot and my expression aligns with how I was feeling at the darker times during this relationship.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
I love where the industry is going, in terms of potential uses of blockchain to connect fans with artists closer than ever. And being able to stream our favourite music, as and when we want it through our phones etc. I love that, because it allows the idea that we can have more of a soundtrack to our lives, in more and more situations.
Do you remember a specific time in your life where music made a huge difference?
Yes. During the period where my father died, I wrote down as much as I could and since then, it has been a crucial part of my healing process. I am sure that I would have a lot more emotion bottled up if I had stopped writing after that happened.
What advice would you give to young producers?
Write as much as possible every day! Simple as that. You start to realise which track naturally flows better than others and you begin to realise your own ‘flow’, with how you like to be creative. And don’t be afraid to break boundaries!
What biggest life lessons have you learnt so far?
To listen to my emotions and to communicate them to the people I love and who care about me. I spent a long time not really opening up to people and in turn, not being emotionally available to them. And that is a tough lesson to learn because initially, it feels like that time where I couldn’t express myself properly, I wasn’t presenting the best version of myself.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
If everyone started to invest more in clean energy whether that’s making changes in eating behaviours or whether it’s actually buying shares in clean energy. But it’s going to be an integral part of all of our futures, although a lot of governments haven’t seemed to realise the importance of this investment. But energy in the future is going to become more and more important to the entire world and it will have the power to tear nations apart or to bring them together in better ways, for generations to come. Also, if more people paid attention to Wim Hofs’ teachings on breath control and cold water exposure!
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
That the emotions you feel are important and are the most valuable thing you have. They are a part of you and they become so much clearer once they are shared and expressed in someway. Through these troubling times, the real challenge is to express how you are really feeling and to be open to opportunities for growth.
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