Artist Spotlight: Meet Benjamin David
What inspired you to write the lyrics/music for "Real?”
I felt driven to write the lyrics after seeing several key political figures get caught lying to the public. I knew scandals like these had come to light before but what felt different is we watched them brazenly get away with it. Their popularity remained unaffected or even enhanced. So with the lyrics, I wanted to enact a caricature of a privileged, rich world leader, blinded by self-obsession. I wanted the accompanying visuals to evoke an image of a monarch, bathed in opulence. The styling was inspired by the modern-meets-Regency-era fashion of the Netflix drama Bridgerton.
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for "Real" to life?
I produced “Real” myself so I had a lot of creative control. It was a long process. The song went through several wildly different versions before reaching its final destination. I used sampled drums, programming them to be skippy and intricate. I wanted the 808 bass to feel massive. I deliberately held back on hard auto-tune in the vocal, which is common in hyperpop, as I didn’t think it worked with the old-school Bowie-like melody and soulful inflections of my voice. A lot of the more experimental sounds were the result of happy accidents and I learned a lot of experimental production techniques as a result. The award-winning engineer Sefi Carmel mixed the track, getting everything to be sonically perfect, well compressed and excellently mastered.
How do you feel "Real" represents your artistic identity?
It’s one of my most unusual records and one of my personal favourites as a result. My mission statement is to be constantly experimenting whilst staying true to myself and I think this song encapsulates that. It doesn’t go where you expect it to, and I like taking the listener by surprise. My favourite artists are always subverting expectations and it’s what keeps me coming back to their music. Björk is great at this. She straddles avant-garde and pop aesthetics masterfully. It makes her music both catchy and daring. I hope to capture this in my career and “Real” is my best attempt yet.
Can you share a bit about your musical background and the journey that led you to where you are today?
I was born into a musical family and trained in piano from a young age. I started the saxophone at 9 and was writing songs at 11 after becoming obsessed with Bob Dylan. At 13, I and my best friend made songs on a 4-track recorder and we designed our own album covers. I went to the BRIT school at 16 where I developed my skills as a singer, keyboardist and guitarist. I recorded my first album with Grammy-winning producer Kipper a few years ago.
Now, I am finding my own sound as a producer. I love the freedom of being able to write, produce and perform my own music and I have a heavy hand in designing the visuals. This allows me to have full creative control and to try to invent a unique experience for the listener that feels authentic.
How do you stay inspired and motivated to continue pushing boundaries in your art?
The truth is, I think it is difficult to stay creative as an independent artist in 2024. Many artists like myself are their own managers as well as making all the music, visuals and social media content. You have to play two very different, almost polar opposite roles: One is a pragmatic person who gets things done; the other is a free-thinking creative who wants to sit for hours listening to the whistling wind.
I take a lot of inspiration from artists I listen to. When I hear music that feels subversive or imaginative it expands my mind and reminds me to be fearless. Going for walks, taking baths and practising stream-of-consciousness writing helps me keep an open perspective. It’s important to nurture the artistic dreamer within us because we live in a world that is far too often better suited to the pragmatist.