After spending the last few years turning out a wealth of broad and driven delights, LA-based artist Brett Benowitz is back to his vibrant best once again as he offers up his euphoric new single 'Just Hold On'.
Bringing back more of that bold and anthemic alt-rock energy he is known for, 'Just Hold On' makes for an incredibly rich and immersive listen. With his soaring vocal performance layered across a swaggering guitar-driven groove from start to finish, he is returning to the fold with one of his most impactful efforts to date here.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with him to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most lately.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Guitar. I started with piano and it was cool but once I started playing guitar I was obsessed. Then later in my life I became obsessed with bass.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
90s rock and its still my favourite. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, Audioslave. Such a great decade for rock.
What was the first album you remember owning?
My first album was a Running With Scissors by Weird Al Yankovich haha, my friend got it for me for my 12th bday.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
None. I never thought about it. I’m proud of the songs I’ve actually written and would never wish I had written someone else’s.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Not really. I just let it come to me. I’ll just play guitar for an hour without trying to seek anything out, and just have fun and see what happens. The best songs come when you’re not trying to force them. For me, its all about just being open to inspiration. Reading, meditating, and having new experiences in life all feed that inspiration. Then you channel it and create something. Also melodies might just pop into my head and then I’ll build a song around it. Sometimes smoking a little weed helps too haha.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Turnstile, they rock so hard and I love their music. I recently discovered DeBarge and they’re super funky and fun, kind of like Sly and The Family Stone. I’ve really been digging boygenius as well, Queens of The Stone Age, and Andre 3000’s new flute album.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Red Hot Chili Peppers for sure. They’re my favourite band of all time and my music is very much influenced by them.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Just the ability to create something that someone really cherishes. To have your art make a major positive impact in someone’s life. Also playing a live show and blowing people away and making them dance is an incredible feeling.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Having to make content and self promote is pretty frustrating. Also the rejection. The amount of money you have to spend. The amount of people constantly trying to scam you. Working really hard on something and spending lots of money just for nobody to care about it haha.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
“Success if going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm” Basically the idea that all the greats failed time and time again so embrace it and learn from it and never give up.
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Brett Benowitz's new single 'Just Hold On' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.