A message of hope in music from Norfolk creative
After losing his twin brother Dan to cancer, Ben Lawrence gave up music for a while. During the pandemic as his song returned to him, he realised that other people might need it too. So, after years of writing, crowdsourcing, recording, and production, he released his debut album – O Wide World. Peter Bending reports.
Growing up, Ben and Dan were a creative double act, spending their formative years together, writing songs, playing in bands, and making films. Dan died in 2016, aged 25, almost two years after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
“To be honest, after Dan died, I kind of wanted to leave a lot of things behind. We grew up making music together and playing in bands, and it hurt to pick up a guitar or play music with friends without him,” said Ben.
“About a year after his death, I realised I hadn't been taking good care of my mental health and I needed to step away from some things. Music was something that I put to one side for a time, until it felt right to start writing songs again.”
That time came when the world ground to a standstill. “I had experienced this tragic loss, and then the pandemic hit,” said Ben. “It seemed like lots of people were experiencing grief and loss in a way we hadn’t felt before. It was as though these songs now meant something to other people too, so I felt like I needed to make this record.”
Ben began developing his sound at his home studio in Norwich crafting nine full length songs and three instrumentals. It became clear that this was the moment to do this and do it properly.
“My home demos sounded great, but they would have lacked that extra excellence to take these songs as far as they can go. I always wanted this project to help people going through loss and mental health struggles, so I had to do whatever I could to make sure they were able to reach as many ears as possible,” he said.
“Over the years I've made a lot of 'budget' projects, from EPs recorded at home when Dan and I were teenagers, to film projects with almost no budget. As this project developed and grew, I started to feel like it might be too much for me to see through on my own.”
So, he asked for help. Ben ran a successful crowdfunding campaign, that ultimately raised over £10,000, and started to connect with Iain Hutchison, a producer based in Glasgow.
In 2022, Ben and his band travelled to Glasgow four times, spending over a month in the studio with Iain, crafting the sound and shape of the album. Iain also travelled to Norwich, where they recorded a full string section. Additional strings were recorded in Billericay, along with additional tracking sessions in Norwich and collaborations from musicians as far as Redding, California.
In 2023, Ben and Iain worked tirelessly to mix each track, spending countless hours and late nights fine tuning each song and the album was released on November 24.
Cautious of being pigeonholed as a Christian musician, Ben approaches music with the same care and consideration he applies in his life and faith.
“My aim with music has always been to write songs that sound as good as mainstream music and talk about my experience of life, which happens to include my faith. I want my music to reach new people with hope and talk about my experiences authentically.
“I think those of us who knew Dan have been through a life changing experience since 2016. He was such an influential person, especially in his work with Youth for Christ and other projects we'd led over the years. This album has, in some ways, given people an excuse to talk about him, about life and about death. Sometimes we're a bit scared to say the things that actually matter most, so I hope these songs have given the people I love an excuse to talk, to listen and to be honest.
“The phrase ‘keep on moving’, has been something I've said a lot since Dan's death. My song 'Moving' was one of the first that I wrote after he passed away, it's an anthem for pursuing life in the face of loss. The phrase has slotted itself into a bit of 'who I am' and what I want people to take away from my music, my writing and my films.”
Ben isn’t searching for fame or looking to quit the day job – which happens to be making films for the Methodist Church of Great Britain. “Creating this album 'O Wide World' has been a journey of faith. Making this record was like stepping into something I know God has been calling me to do for a long time, but it wasn't easy, and it definitely taught me to trust God more.
“My hope is that this album connects deeply with those who have suffered bereavement, but also that it becomes a soundtrack of hope to people’s everyday lives. This album has been an incredibly life affirming project for me.”
O Wide World is available to download and stream now.
Ben lives in Norwich with his wife Mel and their two cats Misty and Moon.
benlawrence.co.uk