Ben Noble Q&A
By Tosin Faseemo
Ben Noble is a Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter. His music explores themes of reflection and growth. Read on to find out about his new album, “Where The Light Comes In.”
Q: Are you originally from Minneapolis?
A: Originally, I’m from Denver, Colorado. I moved here 10 years ago.
Q: Did you move here specifically to join the music scene?
A: Honestly, I moved here to go to college, and then I kind of got stuck here after that. I went up to college then through that I met some of my musician friends. I just really like the music scene, so I stuck around.
Q: Did you find that the music scene in Minneapolis is something that you didn’t find in Colorado?
A: My time in Colorado was before I turned 18, so I didn’t get much of a feel of it. But I do think that there’s a pretty special community in Minnesota, specifically in Minneapolis/St. Paul. I feel like there’s probably more of a music scene than in Denver, but it’s not so saturated, like in the big music cities, like Nashville, LA, or New York. I feel like it’s a happy in-between, because there are opportunities and there are a lot of people here that care about music and original art. I feel like Nashville is so country, and LA and New York are so pop-y. Maybe it has to do with the weather and climate we’re inside for half the year...maybe it changes our personalities to where we aren’t really in the mood for pop.
Q: On the topic of genre, how would you categorize yourself?
A: I would say indie-folk with electronic elements, with an emphasis on soundscapes and textures. Obviously, most artists don’t want to put themselves in a box, but it helps people understand you better. One person told me that my music is like if Radiohead, Bon Iver, and Sufjan Stevens made a baby together.
Q: Would you say those are your biggest artistic inspirations?
A: Yeah, absolutely. Definitely those three. To add to that list would probably be this Icelandic artist, Ásgeir. He’s been really influential. Also, Novo Amor. They’re from the UK. All of those have been really big influences the last few years.
Q: When it comes to things that inspire you when you make music, what else do you look to?
A: Usually, it’s hard for me to just come right out and say what I’m feeling, both through my music and in life. Saying how I feel is not my strong suit. If I’m trying to get what I’m feeling out, I will often go into somebody else’s words. I’ll take a poem or a book, and I’ll pull quotes from them. I’ll catalogue them, then I’ll go back when I’m going to start writing something. I’ll read through them and see what sticks out to me, or what I connect with. There’s almost always a moment where I’ll think, “Yeah, that’s what I’m feeling right now.” It’s kind of a second hand approach to lyric writing. That’s how I’ve always done it. This is my second record; both records have been focused on one major theme throughout the whole record with tiny arcs that float between all the songs. To get to that point, it’s just a matter of digging into other people’s stuff, seeing what resonates with me, and writing from that space, if that makes sense.
Q: You mentioned that your past two albums have been really focused on themes. With your most recent album, “Where The Light Comes In,” what theme are you exploring?
A: The main theme is this yearning for people, myself included, to look inside ourselves and try to identify the trauma that has taken place. We all carry our wounds with us. The album title comes from a quote by the poet Rumi that says, “the wound is where the light enters you.” So it’s just this idea that we need to take a look at our wounds in order to heal. Whatever we have inside of us, we ultimately pass on to the people around us. I have two kids now, so I’m trying to process my own stuff so I can hopefully not pass on bad things.
Q: In terms of the future, where do you hope to go with music? Do you want to travel, or stay in Minneapolis?
A: My goal for the near and distant future is to stick around Minneapolis, because there is a lot going on here. But with the Internet, it’s great. Streaming has opened a lot of doors. People can listen to you all over the world. You can get your music out that way, or from licensing it. I think my ultimate goal would be to have a studio and produce for other artists. I do a lot of producing, so it would be fun to build on that. I feel like, as an artist, there are a lot of different hats you have to wear. You have to be a songwriter, you have to be a visionary artist, you have to do social media stuff, you have to do business, booking, and emailing. The list goes on forever and ever. Of all the hats, I would just love to wear the ones that involve making music more than all the other ones. Whatever that does for me, it is what it is. I just want to keep making music.
Ben Noble will be opening for Alina Maira at 7th Street Entry on March 16.