Singer/Songwriter
England
Ben Howard
Latest Release
About Ben Howard
Hometown
Richmond, London, England
Born
April 24, 1987
Genre
Singer/Songwriter
If thereâs anything that pulls at the heartstrings more vigorously than Ben Howardâs deft guitar workâa style that combines graceful fluidity with percussive powerâitâs his soft, supple voice delicately spinning haunting, intimate tales. Growing up in Totnes, South Devon, England, Howard (born in 1987) was raised on a steady diet of John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, and Donovanâand it shows. His taste for British and Laurel Canyon folk laid the foundation for the singer/songwriterâs earliest creations and still infuses every one of his songs. After building a following in Cornwall, where he attended university (and dropped out six months before graduation), Howard began scoring gigs alongside Xavier Rudd and Brett Dennen and eventually signed with Island Records. With wistful love songs like âOnly Love,â his 2011 debut album, Every Kingdom, garnered comparisons to fellow singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, who released his own debut just three weeks prior. But digging deeper, Howardâs dreamy, atmospheric folkâgently embellished with cello, keyboards, and bassâfell more in line with pensive indie troubadours like Bon Iver and Damien Rice, and it earned him a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Prize. His evolution since has been as deliberate and slow-burning as his most moving melodies. On 2014âs I Forget Where We Were, he weaves more intricate, harmonics-glistening folk, while on 2018âs psychedelia-tinged Noonday Dream, he cushions it all in lush electronic textures. By 2021âs expansive Collections From The Whiteout, Howard brought in producer Aaron Dessner (The National), string arranger Rob Moose, and a large cast of musicians for a vibrant mix of acoustic folk, experimental pop, ambient, and minimal musicâpushing his vintage-inspired sound further into the future.
Ben Howard has also released music as a member of A Blaze of Feather.
Influenced by Ben HowardBen Howard has influenced the music of Ziggy Alberts, Adam Wendler, Jackson Wooten and more.
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