Ben Howard is a British vocalist and songwriter who rose to prominence with the release of the LP Every Kingdom (2011).
His soulful work originally drew inspiration from the British folk scene of the 1970s. But later works like I Forget Where We Were (2014) and Noon day Dream (2018) used more contemporary pop elements.
Childhood and youth Ben Howard
Howard was born in London in 1987. He grew up in South Devon. There, her mother's collection of folk music records fostered a love for Joni Mitchell, Donovan, and Richie Havens. As a child, he played the guitar and other instruments, and began writing songs at the age of 11.
Ben got his first acoustic guitar when he was only 8 years old. And electric when he was 12 years old. However, he preferred acoustics. He now plays left-handed guitar and is known for his distinctive drumming style.
Ben Howard is an introverted musician who tries to keep his personal life under wraps. Most of his songs are deep, soulful and personal. Although he started out as a local musician, his popularity quickly spread throughout the world.
Ben Howard: first musical steps
Howard also developed an interest in surfing, moving briefly to Newquay, the UK's surfing capital. There he received the highest score for his work in the field of surfing. His duties included working with magazines and newspapers, as well as writing news.
John Howard studied at the community college. King Edward VI and Torquay Boys Grammar School. Then he began to study journalism at Falmouth University College (Cornwall).
Howard quit his job six months after graduation. He was struck by the enthusiastic response from the surf community to his music, which, despite its acoustic folk sound and beach vibe, sounded more like John Martin than Jack Johnson. Therefore, on the recommendation of the staff, he had to leave the news department and focus on songwriting.
The surfing community proved to be a significant achievement for Howard. He found himself playing to crowded audiences long before the music spread beyond the UK's beaches. Through a European tour with Xavier Rudd, he garnered a wider audience in late 2008. As well as releasing EPs like These Waters and Old Pine.
When Howard finished recording Every Kingdom (2011), he signed with Island Records. It achieved headlining status thanks to an increasing fan base in England, Germany, France and Holland.
Every Kingdom proved to be a "breakthrough" release in the UK. Thanks to him, he was nominated for the Mercury Award and two BRIT awards in the British Breakthrough category. As a result, the album went platinum.
I Forget Where We Were and the first big success
For the long-awaited second LP, I Forget Where We Were, he took a more "electronic" approach. The singer was rewarded with commendable reviews from music critics, their reviews and good sales. The album reached number 1 on the UK charts.
In 2017, Howard took part in a project with artists including Mickey Smith and India Bourne. The enigmatic sextet A Blaze of Feather appeared at high-profile UK festivals throughout the year. Later, the musicians released a full-length film of the same name.
2018 began with the announcement of Howard's third LP. The artist presented it with the dreamy seven-minute single A Boat to an Island on the Wall. He posted the tracklist for the new Noonday Dream album on his website. The track list included songs: Nica Libres At Dusk, There's Your Man, Someone in the Doorway. Also: Towing the Line, Murmurations, A Boat to an Island, Part II' and The Defeat.
Ben Howard: Key Achievements
Ben Howard was nominated for the BRIT Awards 2013. He won both British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough.
At that time, little was known about the artist. It was nominated for Album of the Year at the Mercury Awards in 2012. It was also nominated for the 2013 Ivor Novello Award in the Album of the Year category.
