Toronto singer-songwriter Benja has announced his debut EP, previewed today by new single "Slacker."
Ivy covers us on March 24 via Good People Record Co. Though it's his debut release, Benja is hardly new on the scene — he's backed by BADBADNOTGOOD and Jonah Yano, and is doing production on the forthcoming K'naan album, as well as a project with Odd Future's Hodgy.
"In exploring all the facets of myself I drew from a diverse well of musical influences," the artist said of the EP. "I took inspiration from the deep, soulful and intricate tradition of soul, blues and jazz; from reckless, unapologetically young indie of the 2000s; from Ghanian highlife music of my father's homeland, and from contemporaries such as Steve Lacey, Daniel Caesar and Blood Orange."
Of the easygoing latest single, he added, "'Slacker' was about me trying to not take myself or a song too seriously. I just wrote this and tried to have as much fun as possible. If a lyric came to me and made me laugh, I would use it! I just wanted to let myself breathe and make something that felt fun, but still explore real things that I feel. I really felt like a kid again when creating this song."
Watch the video for "Slacker" below, where you'll also find the EP tracklist.
Ivy:
1. Gone
2. I'm not waiting
3. Slacker
4. Tokyo
5. Ivy
6. Family tree
Ivy covers us on March 24 via Good People Record Co. Though it's his debut release, Benja is hardly new on the scene — he's backed by BADBADNOTGOOD and Jonah Yano, and is doing production on the forthcoming K'naan album, as well as a project with Odd Future's Hodgy.
"In exploring all the facets of myself I drew from a diverse well of musical influences," the artist said of the EP. "I took inspiration from the deep, soulful and intricate tradition of soul, blues and jazz; from reckless, unapologetically young indie of the 2000s; from Ghanian highlife music of my father's homeland, and from contemporaries such as Steve Lacey, Daniel Caesar and Blood Orange."
Of the easygoing latest single, he added, "'Slacker' was about me trying to not take myself or a song too seriously. I just wrote this and tried to have as much fun as possible. If a lyric came to me and made me laugh, I would use it! I just wanted to let myself breathe and make something that felt fun, but still explore real things that I feel. I really felt like a kid again when creating this song."
Watch the video for "Slacker" below, where you'll also find the EP tracklist.
Ivy:
1. Gone
2. I'm not waiting
3. Slacker
4. Tokyo
5. Ivy
6. Family tree
