Ben Heyworth Connects with Fans Through His Raw New Release "Tell Me, What Is Love?" and Reveals the Heart Behind It
- STAFF
- 54 minutes ago
- 6 min read
By: Staff
“Tell Me, What Is Love?” is a breathtaking exploration of vulnerability and raw emotion, showcasing Ben Heyworth's powerful return to music.
In the quiet aftermath of a decade-long hiatus, an artist whose sound once blended intricate electronic layers with bold experimentation has returned, stripped back, raw, and ready to reveal a new chapter. Ben Heyworth, the creative force behind "Tell Me, What Is Love?" has crafted a stunning, emotionally charged track that challenges everything you thought you knew about him. With a voice that effortlessly shifts from delicate whispers to powerful crescendos, this song takes listeners on an introspective journey through love, loss, and vulnerability.
We spoke with Ben about this powerful return to music, where the acoustic simplicity of his latest work contrasts sharply with his former electronic productions. He shares the personal evolution that led to this shift, revealing how stepping away from the complexities of production allowed him to reconnect with his songwriting roots. But it’s not just the music that has changed; Ben’s artistic identity has transformed, as he embraces a new era of self-expression, one where his face, his name, and his truth take center stage.
As he reflects on the process of capturing raw, live energy and the deeply human side of performing, we gain insight into the power of vulnerability in music, the shifting landscape of the industry, and what’s next for this ever-evolving artist. Intrigued? You should be. Read on for a conversation that pulls back the curtain on Ben Heyworth’s creative journey.
Begin Interview:
Hello Ben Heyworth, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
Q. We loved ‘Tell Me, What Is Love?’ Your gentle soft words were beautiful. Your vocal display turned angelic and became so powerfully emotional. When did you first discover your voice, and what moment in your life shifted it from being something personal and intimate to recording with the intention of sharing it with a worldwide audience?
A. I think it was singing along to ABBA in the shower that really got me going, when I was a kid, pretending the showerhead was a microphone. Everything since that moment has just been noise.
Q. We truly love this acoustic style! Your sound is unique, and it’s clear you’ve cultivated something distinct. Was this particular musical style something you’ve always wanted to explore or was there a moment or feeling that brought this on?
A. Possibly a bit generous to call my sound “unique” but there’s certainly something that sounds very English about it, and northern. I just wanted to escape from making complicated electronic productions which I was known for when I called myself “This Morning Call”.
Q. Can you tell us how you landed on the title of ‘Tell Me, What Is Love?’ and was it your first choice or was it an evolution?
A. It’s the opening line of the song and tells the listener exactly what to expect – the song explores the meaning of love and loss in a simple, direct way.
Q. "Tell Me, What Is Love?" explores deep emotions of love and loss, how did writing this song help you process those feelings, if at all?
A. It’s not a song about my personal experiences so I’m not singing about myself, I’m taking on a character who is telling us about his experiences of being with another person and all the doubts that they might have, and what they might need to do to deal with them, or even if they can deal with them.
Q. What was the most unexpected aspect of returning to music after a decade-long hiatus? Was there something about the process or your approach that surprised you?
A. I’ve really focused almost exclusively on the songwriting particularly trying to improve the lyrics, and let others help with the recording and the production.
Q. The live recording aspect of this track really captures its raw energy, do you feel that live performance is an integral part of how you connect with your audience?
A. Yes, this is absolutely critical for me and any other artist. If you are not playing live, I think that’s problematic – audiences want to hear you play. Also capturing that performance on a record can mean a much better response from listeners who might more readily connect with a song or the person. I think this will become even more important as we move into a era of AI-generated music fronted by AI-generated artists.
Q. What made you choose Blueprint Studios for this project? Was there a particular atmosphere there that helped you create this new sound?
A. It’s a professional operation where I feel comfortable, and I didn’t want to do the recordings at home all by myself because I’m so sick of sitting in front of laptops.
Q. In terms of the songwriting process, is there a change to your approach that evolved from the time of your "Organs of the State" album to now?
A. 50% of Organs of the State is experimental music, so I guess the main switcheroo is getting back to basics with songwriting and especially finding new and interesting approaches to lyric writing. There is nowhere to hide if it’s just you and an acoustic guitar.
Q. This track marks a shift from electronic to a more acoustic style, how did you feel stepping into this stripped-back sound? Was it freeing, challenging, or something else?
A. It’s quite a vulnerable place to suddenly be a “singer songwriter” when before you were largely involved in electronic production – but vulnerable spaces are where you grow as an artist and that’s very much what I wanted to do.
Q. Having been both "This Morning Call" and Ben Heyworth, how do you feel about the different artistic personas you've adopted over the years? Do you see them as one and the same, or do they represent different sides of your artistry? Do you plan to keep both, or even possibly more active?
A. They are absolutely not the same. It’s a huge difference when it’s your name and your face front and centre. If you look at the “This Morning Call” artwork you’ll notice I usually have a random image, or the back of my head, as the artwork – so it was all about taking myself out of the frame in some way – whereas as Ben Heyworth you’ll see that my face is very much present and that is the only artwork – so it’s the total opposite. We shall see how that works out. I have come to the conclusion that I need to represent myself more fully and be less shy about it.
Q. You’ve been back in the music scene for a short time now. How do you see the industry, and your place within it, has changed in the past decade? Is it for the better or worse or neither?
A. I don’t see myself as being part of the music industry at all to be honest. But I suppose that could change.
Q. Is there a particular lyric or line from "Tell Me, What Is Love?" that resonates with you the most?
A. The bit about “going down south” – which is why I repeated that lyric in both verses - that was a moment of inspiration.
Q. The song's release event at Oxygen Tower invites fans to bring wine! Sounds wonderful. After performing do you spend time talking to fans?
A. I spent quite a lot of time drinking their wine which was lovely.
Q. We can't thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what's next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We'd love to be the first to share the news!
A. We have an EP from my current band, Minorplanet, which we are just mastering and then after that we have another four EPs as Ben Heyworth which are written but not yet recorded – the sessions start in September and will run through intermittently until March, with the releases staggered between December through to June 2025. There’s loads coming up.
Ben Heyworth, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview
We’re happy to have shared Ben Heyworth’s exciting journey with you and uncovered such inspiring insights about their creative process.