In this interview spotlight, we chat with Nashville’s Lonely Benson about the new single, Silly Girl, influences and more.
Q&A, links, and a stream of the single below.
Where are you from and what style of music do you create? (In your own words, not necessarily in marketing terms or by popular genre classifications.)
For the last 3 years or so I’ve been residing in Nashville, TN. I’ve been calling my music “Lounge Rock” or “music to relax to”. My goal is to work with sweet grooves and gentle sounds.
What led you down this path of music and what motivates you to stay the course?
I think I really discovered my vision for the sound when I heard a record by Norah Jones, “Little Broken Hearts”; a record that soothes the listener but also has interesting production. I decided to take that approach. I love the concept of using organic tones with modern edits and production. My commitment to releasing a new song every month is an obvious motivator. I’ve been able to adjust my sound as I go and I’ve been developing some new methods to add the my box of tricks. This regular sort of discovery is exciting and keeps me creating to see what happens next.
Who or what are your biggest influences when it comes to your creativity?
Here in Nashville, there’s a radio station called “Hippie FM”. It’s my default listening in the car. I love the older music Nilsson, for example, I felt a lot more comfortable keeping my lyrics loose and often downright silly. Recently I’ve started ingesting and borrowing from some jazz influences too, mainly Antônio Carlos Jobim.
How is your new release different than previous ones? Did you set out to accomplish anything specific?
“Silly Girl” is probably the most simple song I’ve released since I began releasing these monthly singles in June. Not that any of them are particularly complex. I think the synth bass part is what makes this one unique to the family. That was new for me. The goal with this song was just to keep it in the same ballpark as the previous releases; laid back, spacious and groovy, baby.
Do you face any challenges as an indie musician in a digital age? On the flip side, how has technology helped you (if it has)?
In my opinion the hardest part of being an indie musician in the digital age is getting and holding people’s attention. The sheer quantity of music out there is astounding. I actually like that, but I feel like some genres are neglected and left in the dust. Personally I’ve almost exclusively used the internet to grow my project. It’s really the only option on a limited budget. So far, so good; I’ve had my music featured on some popular blogs and playlists that have put my music in front of thousands of people who otherwise wouldn’t have heard it. As with most things in our increasingly digital lives, there are pros and cons. Either way, that’s just how it is now!
How do you feel about streaming services? Any romantic attachments to the physical formats: vinyl, 8-track, cassettes, CDs?
As a listener, I love my streaming subscription. As an artist, I like the ease and reach of these services, though I think there’s paleeeeenty of room for improvement (mainly in regards to artist royalties). My biggest concern with all this streaming is that music seems to be becoming a promotional tool to sell t-shirts. It’s a bit backwards.
I do collect the occasional vinyl for a few reasons; I love the charm of the crackles and pops, I love flipping the record, I love holding the artwork in my hands, and I love the intentional decision to listen to an album. It just feels right.
Where can we follow you online and hear more music?
You should be able to find it on pretty much every digital store or streaming service. For news and extra special updates here’s some links:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lonelybenson/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lonelybenson/
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/lonelybenson
- bandcamp: https://lonelybenson.bandcamp.com/
Anything else before we sign off?
Remember!!! I’m releasing a new song on the first day of every month. If you like what you hear, follow me on one the outlets listed above so you don’t miss anything!
