Today we are doing something new and highlighting an up and coming local artist! When Ben reached out to me with his new single, it was obvious he was the perfect first artist to team up with for this new feature shining a light on some great music in our own community!
BEN AM is an emerging artist from here in Regina who crafts a blend of soulful R&B and modern hip-hop! Today he’s releasing his new single “Ever Wanted” which he describes as a ‘vibrant fusion between R&B and funk’. This song is the second single off his upcoming EP, “DEJA VU”.
Take a listen to the new single and get to know BEN AM below! And if you or someone you know is a local artist submit your stuff to me at jessica@play92.ca!
Get to know BEN AM:
Song he could listen to on repeat forever:
This is a tricky question. I feel like my favourite songs change by the day based on my mood. Lately, I’ve been enjoying “Linger” by The Cranberries, “Crash & Burn” by Leon Thomas, and “Target On My Chest” by Brent Faiyaz. I’ve also been listening to lots of bedroom pop with artists like Katie Tupper, Men I Trust, and Daniel Ceaser. But the song I could listen to on repeat forever would have to be”Juna” by Clairo. The song just has an irresistible quality about it. The crispy drums are addicting, and the way the harmonies sit, the background vocals dancing around the main line, and that Roy-Ayers-Everybody-Loves-The-Sunshine-synth part scratches an itch in my brain that words can’t explain.
Favourite Local Spot:
The Mercury has to be my favourite local spot. Its retro vibes and super-friendly staff are amazing, and the food and drinks are fantastic. Not to mention, The Mercury is a massive part of the blooming music scene here in Regina. I can’t begin to explain in words the phenomenal vibes at live shows at The Merc. The warm, intimate space with the disco ball hanging from the roof is a centrepiece of local music. I hope they never change!
Artist he looks up to:
One artist I look up to is Steve Lacy. He started similarly to me, beginning his musical journey with GarageBand. He even made his debut EP entirely on his iPhone. Seeing Steve Lacy’s story from making my favourite song, “PRIDE,” on Kendrick Lamar’s 2016 Pulitzer-prize-winning album “DAMN” on an iPhone to becoming a worldwide sensation is nothing short of inspiring. Looking at how much success he’s had since then without a wealth of resources starting out makes me feel like anything is possible. I’m fortunate to have been granted some amazing friends who can help me along the way and make me feel like my dreams can come true.
Favourite 90s TV Show:
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, hands down. The show’s cultural significance runs so deep that in Grade 7, I had an exam where the lyrics to the opening were a bonus question. Will’s fashion and refusal to adhere to the standard mould set before him is inspiring, and how the show dealt with important social issues was super enlightening for me as a kid. And that’s not even getting into the positive role model Uncle Phil was for probably millions of young black men, including myself. Will’s balance of his academics and other pursuits was also huge, as it showed me that it was possible. On top of that, it was really, really funny and iconic in so many ways. Catch me breaking out The Carlton next time “It’s Not Unusual” comes on.
Random fact about Ben:
A random fact about me is that I love to cook. It’s been another passion of mine since I was a kid. Some of my fondest memories are baking banana bread and peanut butter cookies with my mom and making a huge variety of homemade food during the pandemic. My family and I got creative and made tons of really good food, ranging from pizza dough to mushroom alfredo sauce from scratch, and it was always so much fun just being in the kitchen surrounded by loved ones. I recently started doing a dinner club, where my roommates and I invite our friends over, and we make a big supper from scratch. Our first installation was a ramen night, where we made everything save for the noodles from scratch, with no recipe! My roommate and I have both loved cooking for so long that we were able to use educated guesses to make something delicious. Spending time putting love and energy into something and sharing it with friends is always amazing.
Check out his website ben-am.com and add his new song to your playlist on Spotify or Apple Music!
