Kira McFaden September 15 2019 Interview with Benz0
“Music has always been an outlet for me, and I can’t imagine a day when it won’t be,” said Benz0, a local upcoming musician of the Delaware County area.The 21-year-old has always been an avid music fan, even devoting some of his high school years to jazz band, as well as spending some time in an actual band.
At the age of 20 he decided that he not only wanted to keep discovering new music, but also make music himself. Since he began his musical journey, he has amassed thousands of fans within Delaware County, and hopes his music will continue to grow more popular in time. He strives for an R&B sound, but has released multiple different genres of music, including Pop and Indie. Benz0 recently sat down with me to discuss this passion of his.
Kira McFadden: Do you remember a specific artist that first got you into music?
Ben Oakland: Yes, it was Kanye West.
KM: Which of his albums did you like best?
BO: I would have to say “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”
KM: Why is that?
BO: When you think about Kanye West, he has always had a rocky history. He has struggled with different mental illnesses for years, and has been on and off medication for it over time. When he made “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” he was definitely off his meds. It’s my favorite album because it’s real. It’s different than all the others because he allowed himself to take everything that was going on in his head, the good and the bad, and made it into something amazing.
KM: Would you say your music is inspired mostly by him?
BO: Yes and no. He’s the first artist whose music I came to really love. But there are a lot of inspirations I pull from when I make my music.
KM: Who else besides Kanye West?
BO: XXXTentacion, The Weeknd, Post Malone, usually R&B artists.
KM: So when you’re in the studio creating music, what type of genre are you going for?
BO: For me, it isn’t really about the genre of my music, but the meaning behind my lyrics. I create music that sounds good to me, and every song is different.
KM: What do you mean?
BO: It’s always important to have a good beat. That’s my first step. After that I really just try to vibe with the beat and come up with whatever lyrics come to mind. It’s almost like I’m having a conversation with myself. I sing about what I’m feeling in the moment, and then try to make it all flow afterwards.
KM: Most of your music seems to be fairly sad. Why is that?
BO: A lot of the time, like I said, I’m singing about what I’m feeling in the moment. I’ve grown up with mental illness. I was always in therapy or looking for some other way out of my head, usually through drugs or alcohol. When I’m making my music, it’s easy for me to sing sad lyrics because it’s what I know. It also helps me to be able to write a song and express how I feel, like it’s a release.
KM: Do you think over time you’ll begin to make “happier” music?
BO: I’m not sure that’s a question I can really answer right now. I would love to step away from sad music and do something out of my comfort zone, but I think as long as I’m writing from the heart, it’ll continue to be sad. As long as I like what I’m putting out, and my fans do too, then I’m happy with my music.
KM: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
BO: Yes, stream “September”, my first single, on Spotify!
Ben Oakland (Benz0) home studio. Photo by Kira McFadden