Alternative R&B crooner Ben Kelly burst onto the scene in January 2023 after years of dreaming about pursuing music but never putting pen to paper. Throughout the month, he dropped a flurry of singles: You & Me, With Me, and Change. In February, he added All You Wanted and Clingy to his catalog, followed by Senses and Back to You in March. In April, he dropped the electric throwback jam In My Life. An east coast boy through and through, he hails from Connecticut but is currently based in Washington, DC. Ben’s music reflects his eclectic tastes but typically features a unique mix of contemporary alternative R&B and older soul sounds.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Ben Kelly, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
So great to talk to you, Kamil! I've been into music my whole life - going back to being in choirs in elementary school. What got me back into it this time around was just the realization that I was getting older and never really chasing my dream of making music professionally. So I started doing that this year!
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
I'd love to collaborate with Tyler, the Creator. I'm a huge fan of his production style and I think we could make a great song together.
Your latest song is 'Senses'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
I made "Senses" the same way I make most of my songs - I found the beat first (it was made by a producer friend of mine, Jay Naundros) and then made the melody and lyrics to go with the beat. Nothing too unusual happened while I made the song!
What are you focussing on right now?
Right now, I'm focusing on promoting my new song, In My Life! It's my favorite one I've made so I want to make sure I'm pushing it hard.
What are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of taking the jump and putting my music out for the world. Looking back, that was a big leap and I'm proud of myself for having the courage to do it.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
I would say that feeling under-appreciated and the sheer difficulty of getting your music out there when there's so many other musicians doing the exact same thing are the biggest challenges for me.
How do you structure your day?
I try to stay as structured as possible and make time for music along with working, exercising, and having some semblance of a social life. It's a balancing act, but I'm always able to work on music!
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I'm definitely an outdoorsy guy - I love hiking, camping, and backpacking. I've used some of my nature photos in my cover art so I've blended the two interests a bit!
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Oh yes, I definitely sing in the shower. Usually just bits and pieces of whatever I've been listening to most, whether that's a song I've been working on or a new release from an artist I love.
What are your plans for the future?
My plans right now are to stay focused and continue building my music career! Every month I'm gaining new fans and building new connections so I'm just going to try to keep at it and keep pushing towards doing music full time. I think I can do it!