Ben DeHan is a musical beast! He writes at least one song a day! He has incredible disciple and it shows! Let’s see what he has to say!
First off, What’s up with your name? Is there a story behind it?
It’s just my name. I’ve gone under several different monikers over the years but I think that changing even one member changes the whole vibe so I wanted something I couldn’t stray from.
How would you describe your sound?
2000’s Pop-Punk meets Indie Electronica. It’s Blink before their self titled mixed with The 1975 and a sprinkle of Dashboard.
Which artists have the biggest influence on your sound?
Blink-182, Nirvana, The Cure
What’s the last song you listened to?
BLACKOUT (Turnstile)
What’s your source for hearing new music?
Either recommendations from friends and other bands or someone popping up so much that I have to see what’s up. Alternatively, Spotify.
Who is your dream producer?
Rob Cavallo
If you could collaborate with anyone, who would it be?
I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with many talented people but if I had to narrow it down to someone I haven’t written with yet it’d be Rivers Cuomo or Gerard Way. I feel that we’d work well together.
What led you to music, and what motivates you to keep making it?
For my 11th birthday, I got enema of the state, a sears pro model guitar, and a skateboard. I keep making it because it’s the only thing that makes me feel alive and connected and I don’t really think I have a choice to do anything else. At least I’ve been nudged by the universe that it’s so (many times).
Tell us about the songwriting process. How does it all come together?
Songwriting is my favorite part of all of this (performing is a razor thin second).
I write a song a day. It doesn’t have to be good, just finished. I start by listening through my voice memos and finding something that resonates. Then I set an alarm for 90 minutes and usually take a shower to hone in on whatever emotion I’m feeling during which I’ll record a few more voice memos to develop the melody and lyrics. In the last 5-10 minutes I’ll record a rough memo of the full song.
Thus, I have my 10,000th song but when I’m going to record it’s an entirely different process of going through memos. Creating reference track and distilling down into my very favorite songs and elements.
How do you connect with your audience? What is the easiest way for them to connect with you?
My favorite way to connect is in person or at a show in performing but aside from that we usually connect through TikTok or Instagram:
Spotify
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok
FaceBook
Twitter
LinkTree
What’s next for you?
Releasing Blank Check EP then back in the studio and a national tour to follow!
Bio:
Ben DeHan creates a unique sound somewhere between Machine Gun Kelly and Angels & Airwaves, with an authenticity that can only be earned as a kid who saw the country through the window of a 15 passenger van and the urgency of a man who has seen the inside of a cubicle…
His meticulously programmed beats, LoFi keyboards, and singalong choruses have drawn comparisons to Alt/ Indie artists like This Wild Life and The Band Camino, while the use of acoustic guitars and a “wear your heart on your sleeve” vocal performance feels right at home for fans of 2000’s Pop-Punk and Emo in the vane of Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World.
With the same cautious optimism as a child who has burned their hand on the stove, Ben approaches songwriting with a familiar yet new and weathered curiosity. The distorted guitars of his pop punk influences have been traded for atmospheric string arrangements. The intentional space left in the production is filled with a vocal performance oozing with pop sensibility. There is a warm sincerity in Ben’s voice, but he delivers his lyrics with an urgency that begs to be believed. His debut EP, New Nostalgia, is a set of songs that could easily be played with an acoustic guitar, but have been reconstructed and given a digital pulse.
As a member of the Baltimore based pop punk band American Diary, Ben cut his teeth playing the 2008 Warped Tour. Feeling despondent in a broken scene, line up changes and upside down record deals, Ben took a hiatus from the music business before re-emerging as a solo artist. Equipped with a DIY work ethic and a decade more of life experiences, Ben came out the other side with a greater appreciation and love for the records he grew up with and the process it took to make them. What had started with an acoustic guitar and hundreds of voice memos became fleshed out arrangements with the help of girlfriend/collaborator/cellist Lauren White. Together they enlisted the help of producer Sam Pura (The Dangerous Summer, The Story So Far) to help find the sound that would bring their ideas to life. Littered with Catharsis, Joy, and Introspection, his songs connect on an emotional level. Something nostalgic but new, his music becomes a life soundtrack.
