Singer Rhian Benson Wipes Her 'Hands Clean'

Out of sight, out of mind, that’s the way it is supposed to be right? Not when it comes to Mobo award-winning singer-songwriter Rhian Benson. She stormed into our hearts eight years ago with her neo-soul/jazz debut effort Gold Coast. That was before the illness and ultimate loss of her mother led to her disappearance from the music scene for a number of years.

But Benson is back with second album Hands Clean which is very different from her first album, both lyrically and musically. Instead of the funky neo-soul sound, Hands Clean boasts a cool electronica sound which pushes her svelte voice right to the forefront of the album. We certainly love it and we caught up with the lady herself recently.

Afro Boudoir: Tell us about your new album 'Hands Clean'?

Rhian:  I would describe it as really personal and intimate body of work. It was written sporadically over a few years and charts my emotional journey over that period.

It’s my life in a nutshell, my ups, my downs and everything in between. Lyrically it is more direct than anything I have written before which was a challenge I set myself on this album.

I think it takes a lot of courage as an artist to wear your heart on your sleeve in that way all the way through an album. The sound is also very different from my first album. I went from classic soul to funky electronica.



AB: Why the new direction?

Rhian: I think that ‘Gold Coast’ for me was the first album I had always wanted to make, it is still a beautiful and timeless collection of songs made with a lot of love.

The musicianship was awesome; Pino Palladino, James Poyser, Omar Hakim, Roy Hargrove, the list goes on! I think once you’ve made an album of such sophistication the only way to follow it up is to go back to those same musicians and do it again!

I didn’t want to do that because it had already been done. I had already made that statement and I believed there was no point in putting out a second album unless I had something new to say.

My album co-producers, Jonas Rendbo and Daniel Fridell, and I talked at length about the various directions we could go in and agreed that if we were doing a stripped down electronic sound we had to throw out all the sounds of neo-soul and jazz, that meant no Rhodes and certainly no horns.

We referenced some of the classic electronic artists that Jonas, Daniel and I all love like Bjork and DJ Shadow. We wanted the production to be sparse so that the direct, emotional lyrics would stand out and sound almost lonely. (The only exception was ‘Rewind’ which was created shortly after a Shuggie Otis listening session!!)

AB: How has the album been received so far?

Rhian: I have been pleasantly surprised at how open-minded so many of my old fans are. I think they understand the artistic evolution that led to the creation of this album.

It’s also interesting that I have been blessed with new fans as well who were attracted to the sound of ‘Hands Clean’ and are now digging into the archives to hear ‘Gold Coast’ for the first time!

AB: Is there a song on Hands Clean that you think everyone must hear & why?

Rhian: I think everyone’s got to hear ‘BE featuring  Jonas’.  It is the second single from the new album. It's a very uplifting song about being happy in your own skin and learning to make everyday count.

The making of the video was the most exciting video project I have ever done, it's all a bit action-adventure, new terrain for me!

AB: Who are/were your biggest music idols & how have they influenced you?

Rhian: I always loved vocalists with unusual expressive styles because you can’t help but be pulled in to each word that is sung. Sade was always a great influence mainly for that reason, I also admire her songwriting and style.

I learned about the beauty of album-crafting from artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell. Dinah Washington, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston are still among my favourite ‘devil may care’ vocalists of all time!!

AB: What's the most unusual thing that has happened at one of your performances or concerts?

Rhian: There’ve been a few ‘special’ moments, that’s the great thing about performing live, it’s always a unique experience and you can never predict what will happen during a show.

I remember playing a gig with Raphael Saadiq in LA a few years ago. It was the first time I wore an in-ear monitor with the remote control attached to my belt. I turned my head sharply when I was singing and out flew the ear monitor and along with it the control from my belt. It was a bit of a mess as I had to leave the stage to get another attached!

AB:Describe your style?

Rhian: I think I’m definitely one for classic styles that are easy to wear. On an off day I love the jeans and T-shirt vibe, but when I need to dress up I love to do full on glamour.

At the recent performance I did at my alma mater, The London School of Economics, I found a beautiful Jonathan Saunders full length gown that felt very glamorous on stage. I love pieces that are built to last.

AB: How can we buy the new album, Hands Clean?

Rhian: The new album is available in the UK on Amazon. The ‘BE feat. Jonas’ EP single including exclusive remixes is available on iTunes. If you’re like me and prefer physical CDs to downloads you can order direct from my website www.rhianbenson.com.