Ben E. Davis Discusses His “Hometown” Release

2 weeks ago 4

Since the dawn of his solo career, Ben E. Davis has been hailed as a connoisseur of uplifting messages and positive affirmations, an artist on a perpetual journey to bring inner peace to himself and his listeners through catchy, vibrant, and hard-hitting tracks. That mission hasn’t ended, just shifted course. After spending the past decade hopping between London and LA, working tirelessly to propel his career as an “American Boy in London,” Davis found himself derailed by turbulence in his personal life. Trying to push through a difficult summer, he turned inward and focused on healing, a process that unearthed a treasure trove of vulnerable narratives and striking melodies nestled deep within the soul.

Using music as a vessel for catharsis, pulling inspiration from both gruelling and tender moments in his real life, has become a boundless source of inspiration and excitement for Davis, empowering him to craft spellbinding tracks that speak directly to the uniquely human trials everyone faces, straight from someone who has lived through them. With a dazzling new record set for release in the coming months, listeners should prepare to witness a brand-new Ben E. Davis rise from the rubble, an artist unafraid to tear down his walls and reveal what he’s truly made of.

There are millions, if not billions, of songs that chronicle the tornadic spiral of a friendship ending, those inevitable fractures that tear the heart to shreds and bury entanglements deep underground. But the human experience is far more nuanced than interpersonal dissolution alone. It weaves a tapestry of relationships that defy labels like “friend” or “family”, yet leave an indelible imprint nonetheless, a thumbprint on the soul that cannot be undone. On his latest single, “Hometown,” Davis turns his attention to one such connection, reflecting on a crumbling camaraderie and the lingering feelings of abandonment and confusion that followed after a close friend’s good fortune changed the dynamic and severed their bond entirely.

The soft instrumental undercurrent, mellow harmonies, passionate refrains, and lush strings grounded by a steady groove radiate with longing, carrying the deeply human weight of his pain. Left broken, bewildered, disappointed, yet still hopeful, Davis stepped up to speak his truth. But rather than unleash a torrent of hurt, he wishes only to rekindle the flame with the one he once hoped would “share the dream” beside him. If they can just find their way through this maze of “beasts and games,” perhaps things could return to normal, but reconciliation is a two-way street. As Davis concedes, “I might’ve been blind, but the fault wasn’t all mine.”

No matter how far a person travels in their lifetime (and Davis has traveled across the globe as a professional singer), they will always come from their “Hometown.” Big or small, these places tend to pull harder the further one drifts from them—and just as people change, once-familiar streets can become unrecognizable, as “rough blocks” transform into “posh coffee shops”. In the “Hometown” music video, filmed in collaboration with Oliver Wang at Emerium Studio, Davis wanders the streets of a quaint California suburban haven, a mirror of millions of neighborhoods scattered across the country. Those nostalgic tastes of home are exactly what he needs to clear his head and process the relatable, devastating heartbreak of losing a dear friend.

The serene backdrop becomes the perfect stage for this relationship’s emotional finale, as Davis lays everything out on the table in search of clarity. From start to finish, the weight of this moment is palpable: even if the friendship is beyond repair, Davis finds solace in the memories; each familiar corner is a reminder that change is inevitable. “The rise” may have torn them apart, but Davis prevails. The end of this story has sparked the beginning of another, and viewers will just have to wait patiently to find out what comes next.

What changed in your life that led you to open up in a more vulnerable way this time around?

One word: Pain. Losing my friend and the way I was discarded cut deep. Something inside me broke, and once that happened, the vulnerability wasn’t a choice anymore.

You’ve spent years moving between London and LA chasing your dream. How did that chapter shape you, and did that lifestyle play into the personal struggles you went through?

First of all, I would say living my dream, not chasing it. I moved to London in 2014 and had to start my life over in a new city and a new country. I found myself singing at weddings and other parties as I had done in LA, but I was also building an entirely new community of musician friends there.

London is an expensive city, and to support myself in addition to singing gigs, I worked a plethora of jobs: everything from fast food restaurants and pubs to, at one point, a dog food factory. The grit of London taught me a humility that the comforts of LA (including the sun and great weather) never could.

When you decided to focus on healing during that tough summer, what did writing look like for you?

I actually started hearing music in my head during the spring before I left for London last summer. Once I got to the UK, my producer put together basic structures for each song, and I recorded vocals on top. I initially thought I might write a song or two, but once we started the process, we quickly realized we were actually working on an album.

“Hometown” centers on a friendship falling apart. What drew you to tell that story instead of writing about a romantic breakup?

Great question. If you think about romantic relationships, especially marriage, people often say their spouse is their “best friend.” In my case, the friendship I had was incredibly intimate. We spoke multiple times a day and sent texts and video notes back and forth constantly.

The emotional bond was very strong. He was my best friend, and I’m not sure he’ll ever admit it, but during that time, I was his, too. I’ve got the receipts to prove it. I couldn’t have written this song if it weren’t true.

The production feels warm and reflective. How involved were you in shaping the sound to match what you were feeling?

Interestingly enough, my producer Joe Rodwell, who is based in Guildford, UK, actually sped the original recording up a bit and aimed to make the verses and chorus more “bouncy” to keep the song from feeling too sad or depressive.

I remember when I first heard the new version, I yelled, “What did you do to my pain?” because the music gives the song a more upbeat and hopeful feel. But that’s actually the beauty of the track, it’s about transforming and elevating that pain and moving forward.

You worked with Oliver Wang at Emerium Studio on the video. What was it like filming in that quiet neighborhood setting while revisiting those memories?

The shoot was super simple and filmed really guerrilla-style. We were permitted to film at the pizza parlor, for example, but I think Oliver actually jumped behind the counter when the girl wasn’t looking, just to capture that shot of me ordering pizza.

Those are the moments that end up being the most fun, you feel like a kid breaking the rules. Hopefully they don’t read this, but if they do, thank you… And we left a big tip!

The song touches on how places and people change over time. When you think about your own hometown now, what comes up for you?

I was born in North Hollywood, California, but moved to Phoenix, Arizona, when I was 11. I feel like an LA boy at heart, but I spent my formative years in Phoenix. We moved to a neighborhood close to Scottsdale, and at the time, it wasn’t very diverse.

It was a mostly conservative, Caucasian community, and I experienced both prejudice for being gay and racism for being Black and mixed race. I come from a military family, and I’m very proud to be American, but Phoenix was my first exposure to what “middle America” felt like, and that experience shaped who I am today.

With a new record on the way, what do you hope listeners take from this more personal side of your music?

I hope listeners feel that they are not alone. The pain of a friend or lover leveling up and leaving you behind is, unfortunately, a very common story.

The bigger message of the album is that betrayal and pain are often catalysts. They push us to reconnect with ourselves, with God, and with our higher purpose. As much as this situation happened to me, I know it also happened to me.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with fans about this next chapter?

The overall vibe of the album is pop, but as a genre-fluid artist, I incorporate dance and even rock elements. I wanted to create the kind of album I grew up with, one that gives you many different flavors.