A Quick Chat with Ben Provest
Can you tell us a bit about your inspiration for your single ‘Trying To Be Brave’?
I was living in a small fishing town in the far east of Iceland for a month, and each day would take a walk and listen to a lot of Australian folk music. The music reminded me of home and at the same time, enhanced the beauty of the majestic Icelandic fjord around me. I wrote this song one day whilst sitting on my bed because I was trying to stay still until I could capture the same feeling I would get from listening to music while on those walks. I wanted to convey the emotion I was feeling at the time with music.
What are your influences and how do they affect your songwriting?
Where do I start, there have been so many over the years! More recently classic songwriters like Joni Mitchell and James Taylor have influenced my music over the last few years, as well as more contemporary artists like Leif Vollebekk and Angie McMahon.
What’s the creative process like for you?
Nothing compares with simply being immersed in nature. An ultimate luxury in the world we live in with constant external human made stimulation that rarely shuts down. It takes time and effort to change gears, switch off and reach a place where thoughts can roam freely in the mountains, valleys, oceans of the mind.
It’s not only having the time, it’s also finding the space of stillness, solitude, majesty of being in the natural world where magic happens.
Simply creating the space is the first step in the process of allowing the room for something to flow in.
I usually start with a few chords on my guitar, and then I sing a few lines. At this point I close my eyes and try to picture a scene from a movie, or a memory from my life. Then I try to find a phrase that can be the north star, the meaning of my song.
If you could change something about the Australian music industry what would it be?
This is a hard one because I think we have one of the best music scenes in the world (if not the best!). However, it is a small industry and so that means a lot of artists end up moving to bigger countries to pursue their careers. In order to keep the Australian industry thriving, local venues need more funding to keep their doors open and champion independent artists. We wouldn’t have Missy Higgins, Bernard Fanning or Pete Murray without these local venues.
What do you think life would be like for you if you didn’t have music as an outlet?
Life would be so sad if I did not have music. Music gives me so much. It has been an outlet since I first started playing violin at 7 years old! Music is an infinite source of inspiration and connection with other humans. All my closest friends are musicians.
Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with? Why?
George Harrison. What a fun time it would be to be on the planet at the same time as him and share in his journey! He was inspiring, always passionate, constantly seeking and evolving.
What’s your advice to young people who want to make a career for themselves in the industry?
Keep an open mind to opportunities that you may not have considered when you first started making music. Whether it is collaborations or performance opportunities. The music industry has so many roles and you can learn something from all of them.
Who’s the most interesting person you’ve worked with/met?
I remember opening up for the iconic Melbourne band The Bamboos with my band in 2013 and talking to Ross Irwin and Lance Ferguson in the green room. They were really sweet and supportive guys. I also remember playing a gig with The Fabric, which was a band that Angie McMahon was in and thinking how incredible she was. This is a tough question because equally, working with a diverse range of musicians from all corners of the globe, all bringing with them their own personal journey and enlightening perspective has been most interesting!
Any plans for a tour on the cards?
No plans for a tour atm, but that's always a work in progress as further music and collaborations unfold.