I’ve been getting into a lot of Scandinavian music recently, so I was extremely excited to hear Ben Alexander’s track, Something Powerful. He’s a fantastic musician and someone you really ought to check out if you haven’t already!
By Jane Howkins
You recently released a single titled Something Powerful. What can you tell us about the track?
I wrote Something Powerful to try to capture the feeling when someone special finds their way into your heart. When we find someone we truly connect with, something powerful happens. It kind of jumpstarts our hearts in a way and makes us feel alive. I wanted to capture this energy in the production and make a song that allows the listener to really let loose.
How has the reception to Something Powerful been so far, and where can the song be purchased?
The reception of Something Powerful has been amazing so far. Its already closing in on 18k streams on Spotify (which is amazing for me), received much blog coverage, playlisting and shares on social media. I couldn’t be happier and it really means so much.
Do you plan to release any more singles in the near future?
Most definitely. Throughout 2022, I have been working on a larger collection of songs that I want to put out for all to listen to. Something Powerful was simply one of these projects. You can expect new music already quite early into 2023.
Are there any plans to release an EP or an album anytime soon?
Yes. Not quite sure whether it’s an EP or album yet, but this relates to my previous answer. I have a lot of new music that is ready to be put out there – I just need to map out the final details first.
Did the pandemic hinder your work much as a producer?
As a producer, no. Quite the contrary actually. I was able to sit alone in my home studio and create as much as I could. It was actually quite peaceful. However, as an artist, it was a bit difficult seeing as live shows were out of the question. Therefore, I wanted to put my primary focus into making as much music as I could while the world was ‘taking a break’ socially.
Your music contains elements of EDM and pop. What/who influences you most as an artist? What have you been listening to recently?
When people ask me this, I tend to always give them the same names simply because these influences have been with me for such a long time. Artists like Royksopp, M83, Tame Impala, Rufus Du Sol, Lynnic, Kaytranada, Daft Punk and so on… Recently, I have been listening to a lot of Kaytranada and Shay Lia – I absolutely love the mix between house and soul/r&b that these artists manage to bring forth.
What is the composition process like for you?
My composition process varies depending on where I am and what’s going on around me. Usually, I get an idea in my head that I need to ‘manifest’ somehow. Until I do, it bothers me. So, I kinda have to get it down on paper, if that makes sense. I spend a lot of time in the studio, so I usually have everything I need to start recording down the notes. This can be everything from a vocal melody, a baseline, some piano chords, a beat etc. Once the first layer has been set – I start to add other layers and slowly make the main idea of the song. As a producer, the music/instrumental usually comes first as I add the vocals later. After that – it’s the mixing, mastering and actually deciding that the song is good enough for me to let go of it – which is quite difficult at times.
You’re based in Norway. What is the music scene like in your part of the world?
Norway is a wonderful country for both established and upcoming artists. Despite being a small music scene, we have so many wonderful musicians and producers here that have made their impact on the international music scene. For me, I always enjoyed the international scene more than the national. Much of this has to do with my upbringing as I wasn’t exactly brought up in a traditional Norwegian household. But everyone is different.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Unfortunately, not at this time. However, I will definitely play in the UK during next year (2023) and all this will be updated on my social media platforms to keep people informed.
Any last words for the fans?
To the fans – thank you for listening, thank you for following and thank you for sharing. It means the world to me, and I will do my best to give you guys music that will give you strength, happiness, sadness, joy, love, understanding and all the other aspects that makes us human.