Ben Howard

Ben Howard grew up in a distinctly musical environment. His parents introduced him early on to the timeless music of Simon & Garfunkel, John Martyn, Joni Mitchell, and Van Morrison, among others. This had a lasting influence on him. By the time he started making music himself, the influence of British folk music from the 1960s and 1970s was particularly evident in his songs. He even signed with the renowned Island label because of his past collaborations with folk legends like Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and John Martyn.

Before signing that contract, he had already performed numerous shows. The public was also introduced to his music through several EPs. Several of these songs appear on his debut album, Every Kingdom (2011). This album, full of warm-blooded folk songs, was enthusiastically received. In his own country, Ben Howard was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Prize music award. The debut reached the top 10 in several countries, even reaching number ^two in the Netherlands. Ben Howard matched that success with his important second album, I Forget Where We Were (2014). He also demonstrated his further artistic development, including his lyrical skills.

It's a development he continues on the albums that follow: Noonday Dream (2018), The National's Aaron Dressner-produced Collections From The Whiteout (2021), and Is It? (2023). Ben Howard created this most recent album after two consecutive strokes (TIAs), which initially took a heavy toll on his speech and memory. However, he returns with a glorious album, on which he reveals a broader sound than ever before, thanks in part to the use of electronics.