From stealing our hearts on screen, to truly capturing them through his music, Ben Barnes is truly unlike any other. We are fully convinced after living with his newest album, Where The Light Gets In, that Ben is the definition of multi-faceted. You can see throughout his lyrics that storytelling is his strong suit, which we are sure was built brick by brick throughout his years in front of the camera, bringing stories to life.
We were lucky enough to get to chat with Ben all about his new album, his process in selecting singles (like ‘One Minute More,’ which has a new video out now, and you can see it below!) and so much more!
Stream Where The Light Gets In here!
Hi Ben! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us! To start us off, how would you describe your music to someone who is tuning in for the first time?
Hi! Thanks for chatting with ME! I would say it’s ’soul pop’: I’m inspired by 70s legends like Elton John, Ray Charles, and Stevie Wonder but with a pop sensibility and a hopeful poeticism to the lyrics.
Where The Light Gets In is officially out in the world! ‘Beloved’ and ‘Nevermind’ were the only two tracks on the record that were released before the album came out. How do you decide on what to hold back and what to put out?
Honestly, I knew I’d have time to tour in January, so we fit in as many singles as we could before the bus set off! Ideally, I’d have liked three or four more singles, as there were so many contenders—‘Slow It Down’ came out with the album, and ‘One Minute More’ will have its moment on Valentine’s Day with videos… but I could have released ‘Ritual’ or ‘Three New Hearts’ or ‘Someday’ or ‘Take Me To The Moon’ as singles, too!
’Where The Light Gets In’ is both the album title and a track title; what came first? Did you build this album around the title track, or did you have the album name first, and it inspired the song?
I had the songs before I decided on a title, but once I wrote that song with the Maroon 5 guys, I knew it was the song that encompassed the hope of the album more clearly than any other song.
Out of the tracks on your debut album (!!!!! ) is there one that you were immediately able to see visuals for in your head?
I actually made mood boards for 5 or 6 of the songs. I have an ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ themed one for Ritual but the clearest vision was for ‘Nevermind’ – the video only uses one of the ideas from the mood board; it was visuals of soothing daily ceremonies like drinking tea, showering, writing, playing music, or running!
2024 was such an incredible year for music, were there any particular albums that you listened to while crafting Where The Light Gets In that provided any inspiration?
I loved Olivia Dean’s Messy album and Hozier’s Unreal Unearth. Both are incredible and inspiring in different ways.
‘11:11’ was our first look into who Ben Barnes the musician was, what inspired the decision to dive into this form of art, and what made you choose ‘11:11’ as the song you wanted to be that introduction?
I always knew I wanted to share music more widely after dreaming about it since I was a teenager. Then the pandemic hit, and I couldn’t find any more excuses! I didn’t want to regret being an old man who was too afraid of judgment to try. Once I’d chosen songs for the EP, everyone in my life chose 11:11 as the first single because it’s so upbeat, hopeful, and joyful in the face of possible disappointment or rejection, and that’s what I wanted to share about myself as a first offering! An old friend said the ‘music sounded like me as a person,’ and that made me very happy.
You are well-versed both in the acting world and the musical world. Is there a skill that you have found to be universally helpful, both in front of the camera and behind a microphone?
I think telling a story authentically and honestly. But with acting, I’m trying to see parts of myself in other characters’ agendas and other people’s words… the music is entirely my voice.
We have to ask, as it’s also currently our guilty pleasure, what are your thoughts on this season of The Traitors? Who are you rooting for to make it to the end?
I haven’t seen this season yet! My pal on the tour bus is in the bunk below me, and I can hear him watching it! But I’m excited to get into it once the tour is over or maybe on a day off once I’m feeling confident with the show!
Once again, thank you so much, Ben, for chatting with us! Before we let you go, since we are just kicking off 2025, what is something you’re hoping to accomplish with your music this year?
I wanted to sing on live TV, which I already accomplished in January, but I’d like to do it with a full band, too! I’m just excited to see how far I can reach with this album as I’ve worked on it for such a long time, and I’m really proud of the songwriting and the project as a whole.
Check out more of our exclusive interviews here!
We would love to hear from you! What is your favorite track off of Where The Light Gets In by Ben Barnes? Let us know by commenting below or by tweeting @TheHoneyPOP! We are also on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!
1 Comment
Pingback: Exclusive Interview: Anna Shoemaker Captures Life In Her Twenties With Someone Should Stop Her - The Honey POP