5 Questions With’: Joshua Benjamin
Joshua Benjamin is one of the most promising young voices to emerge onto London’s music scene for years. With a style that is full of sensitivity and excitement alike, the multi-talented performer has already made his mark as a producer, songwriter, and performer, and his trajectory shows no signs of slowing down. With his sharp fashion sense, model-esque looks, and charismatic presence, he has shown himself to be a jack-of-all-trades, appearing on a multitude of tracks as a singer and instrumentalist. By the time he officially launched his solo career, he was already a seasoned veteran despite being only twenty-five years old. Joshua’s songs are true-life stories – they’re raw, real, and often exposing, strongly informed by a desire to provide comfort in a chaotic world. Stemming from a past situation, his latest single ‘Here’s To You’, out today demonstrates both sensuality and sensitivity through his magnetic vocals, softly underlined by an atmospheric, electronic-textured soundscape that instantly elevates the listener’s spirit and opens the door to new possibilities. The sky is the limit for this budding star, and we’re calling it here first, 2021 will be the year of Joshua Benjamin.
Read the feature below…
Interview by Danielle Temeng
EQ: Hi Joshua, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got into music? Did you grow up in a musical household?
JB: Hi! Yes of course. I’m a singer/producer from a tiny village in Hertfordshire and have loved R&B and soul music ever since I first heard artists like Al Green and Sam Cooke singing. It was like a switch just flicked! And I was always blessed with encouragement from my musical family. My late Dad used to be a DJ, along with my two brothers, so the house would either be filled with live music coming from my room or a mixture of House/Hip-Hop/R&B or Rock coming from every other room!
EQ: If you could pick one song as the soundtrack to your life so far what would it be and why?
JB: That’s a great question! It’s going to have to be Pretty Wings by Maxwell: that work of art has shaped my life in terms of striving for a great voice, great instrumentation, great arrangement, and the lyrics resonate strongly with my journey in finding myself as well as my soul mate.
“This track is a process of letting go of a past relationship in a way that is not easy but is necessary. It’s about knowing that there is still love there but that it’s healthier for both parties to continue apart…”
– JOSHUA BENJAMIN
EQ: Your new single ‘Here’s To You’ has just been released – congratulations! Your vocals really shine through on this heartbreaking yet sultry song. It’s RnB yet cleverly infused with some electronic sounds – what was your creative process like with this, and is there a story behind its meaning?
JB: Thanks! We loved making this one so appreciate your kind words. 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. Which I find is the perfect place for me to write and have some real headspace, to reflect, and to be free and creative without the worries of our day-to-day. This track is a process of letting go of a past relationship in a way that is not easy but is necessary. It’s about knowing that there is still love there but that it’s healthier for both parties to continue apart. ‘Here’s To You’ reminds me of the dark parts of a relationship and the need for letting go.
EQ: Your single will be going on our playlists for sure as it’s giving us all the vibes and all the feels! What three songs are at the top of your playlist at the moment?
JB: Thanks so much, love that! And ah, there is some amazing music coming out at the moment that I’m playing daily!
‘Keep Doing What You’re Doing’ by Bryson Tiller is so wavy and real.
‘Language’ by Col3trane and Ebenezer is an absolute jam and great show of a UK and US artist killing it on the same tune.
…and ‘For Us’ by dvsn is one that just gets me in my feels every time.
EQ:…and finally, what can we expect to hear (or see) from you the rest of 2021. Is there anything you’re really looking forward to doing once lockdowns are lifted?
JB: I have many more collaboration projects to complete, an EP with Oriyo and another with Haychkai and Manuel and then something different with the likes of the talented Nathan Fostell, diving into some house with him – which is exciting. This pandemic has shut down live gigs that I had planned but online gigs will become more of a focus for me this year for sure.
YouTube/JOSHUA BENJAMIN
Stream ‘Here’s To You’ HERE
Keep up with Joshua on socials
Instagram: @joshuabenjamind