Q&A
Ben Noble BY TOSIN FASEEMO Ben Noble is a Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter. His music explores themes of reflection and growth. Read on to find out about his new album, “Where The Light Comes In.” Ben Noble will be opening for Alina Maira at 7th Street Entry on March 16.
: Are you originally from Minneapolis? Benjamin: Originally, I’m from Denver, Colorado. I moved here 10 years ago.
: Did you move here specifically to join the music scene? B: Honestly, I moved here to go to college, and then I kind of got stuck here after that. I went up to college then through that I met some of my musician friends. I just really like the music scene, so I stuck around.
: Did you find that the music scene in Minneapolis is something that you didn’t find in Colorado? B: My time in Colorado was before I turned 18, so I didn’t get much of a feel of it. But I do think that there’s a pretty special community in Minnesota, specifically in Minneapolis/St. Paul. I feel like there’s probably more of a music scene than in
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Denver, but it’s not so saturated, like in the big music cities, like Nashville, LA, or New York. I feel like it’s a happy in-between, because there are opportunities and there are a lot of people here that care about music and original art. I feel like Nashville is so country, and LA and New York are so pop-y. Maybe it has to do with the weather and climate we’re inside for half the year...maybe it changes our personalities to where we aren’t really in the mood for pop.
: On the topic of genre, how would you categorize yourself? B: I would say indie-folk with electronic elements, with an emphasis on soundscapes and textures. Obviously, most artists don’t want to put themselves in a box, but it helps people understand you better. One person told me that my music is like if Radiohead, Bon Iver, and Sufjan Stevens made a baby together.
: Would you say those are your biggest artistic inspirations?
MAR 2 - 23