Ben Harper, new album is ‘Wide Open Light’: “We have to step out of our plans to overcome racism”

Afterwards blood line maintenanceAmerican singer-songwriter, album released last July 2022 ben harper returns on June 2 with his new wide open light, single will also be on disc yard saleComposed in artistic collaboration with his Hawaiian friend jack johnson, The 53-year-old artist, who will be on tour in Italy in July (11th in Milan, 12th in Villafranca di Verona, 13th in Perugia, 15th in Tarvisio, 16th in Sarzana) told us about his work in an interview via zoom. ‘Virtual guests’ of his home in California, we caught up with Ben Harper to discuss many of the hottest topics for him: albums, career, life and passion.

Wide Open Light is the name of their new album, which will be released on June 2. Why did you decide to title your work as such? What inspired the choice of name? It almost feels like it wants to signal hope. Is this really the message?
“It’s an album that tried to sum up everything I felt: my mood, creative and personal, my feelings, my situation. I wanted to go back to my roots, rewind the tape of my story. Wanted to: go back to the past rewrite the present. Today I feel really inspired: that’s why I’m writing more and at a faster pace. Songwriting has always inspired me, even more so now . I have many things to say: Music is the means to do it. It can take many different readings. A message of hope? Why not.”

What is the specialty of this album, how is it different from the ones composed earlier?

“Definitely, its multifaceted nature. I mean, it’s an album that follows different tracks: from rock, to reggae, to funk, to soul. It has a specific but versatile structure. It’s like some of my previous songs. follows the traditional style, embracing a purely new one. It is a diverse album: based firmly on what I have done in the past and what I will do in the future. Most of the songs that I have written over time but only today I felt ready to release them. There was never a right opportunity until now: they didn’t fit my previous records. Today is different, it’s time. After my last blood line maintenanceI wanted to go back to the essence of traditional songwriting and thanks to this new album, I think I’ve succeeded.”

“A true family of songs, where each track is a close relative of the other”. This is how he chose to define his new album. how come?
“This album is the result of a great commitment: the result of a long work, which I have been doing all my life. It took me a long time to prepare to make the album: it is something extremely rich and diverse. create, collect and tell the many different parts of my life. They intertwine, bind, embrace, merge. It is a chain, the red thread of my story, memories of the past The reunion and encounter between and the beauty of the present”.

How does this differ with the Ben Harper of the past? speaking humanly and artistically,
“Certainly many, but I do not like to talk about what has happened, with my art I want to aim for the future. I am beyond my past, I do not look behind me. The heart is in the present, I think about what will come”.

Today we are experiencing a dramatic international context, starting with the war in Ukraine. The situation in the United States is also complicated: the climate in post-Trump America is very politically charged. How are you experiencing this moment? both artistically and personally.
“Yeah, it’s true: there’s a lot of noise, a lot of ‘drum roll’, a lot of turmoil. Trumpism? I think it’s important to have a broad view, a common vision. Whether it’s about climate, political It is always better and smarter to talk about it culturally, globally and not focus on single scenarios. However, I agree that when you address certain issues like racism, politics or gun control, The post-Trumpian era comes to an end. The lens of “magnification”: shoot it scope, burst the bubble. I grew up during the Vietnam War, I’m a product of the post-Vietnam era. And it’s hard to grow up America has never had an easy time, simply because it is not easy to do after Nazism, Fascism or the atomic bomb. Because it is like this: every era has its challenges, every era has its problems. Today’s challenge is called ‘Trumpism’. ‘ Trump is certainly an obstacle for our generation, but it is an obstacle that can be circumvented: we just have to be able to cross it”.

He talked about ‘racism’. What is your opinion about it? Why do you think it is so widespread in your country?
“Racism is everywhere, not just in America. The problem is in the ways we deal with it, in the walls that go up, in the barriers that are imposed. It’s parochialism, our worst enemy. Name my disk just like: wide open light, We have to spread light, break boundaries, open ourselves to the different. As far as I am concerned, traveling the world has helped me the most: traveling places, crossing borders, visiting countries. All this has allowed me to develop a strong sense of empathy and, above all, a great capacity for interpretation and decentralization. I was able to understand the message of what the world was offering me: this is what everyone should learn to do. Welcoming the differences, getting out of your own plans. In the constant and daily fight against racism, the ability to ‘get out of us’ and project ourselves into the other, his way of life, his feelings, is essential. And maybe that’s what’s missing in America: that sensitivity is missing”.

Which of your most recent collaborations has satisfied you the most?
“There’s no doubt about it: The one with Harry Styles. It’s not often that I get emotional, but this happened to him. He’s always been very helpful and his band is fantastic. It’s a union that Enriched me greatly both humanly and artistically: a very rewarding job creatively. Would I work there again? Absolutely yes: I still collaborate with Harry every day and every moment and will for as long as I can It will remain so. Harry was a great discovery for me and working with him brought me joy”.

During his career he has visited Italy several times: for example in 2008, when he participated as a guest at the Sanremo Festival with Jovanotti. Also this year the summer tour will be in Italy. What does our country represent to you?
“I’ve been coming to Italy since I was eighteen: bag over shoulder, guitar in hand and off we go. Venice, Rome, Milan. It’s always been one of my favorite places, among those few One where I feel like home.” With this tour I want to bring some new Ben Harper to Italy: that’s why, every night, I will perform at least three songs from my latest album. I like to work in places where I feel good and here I feel great and again, the food, the sun and the sea. I don’t take vacations often, but the ones I do are always in Sardinia. Best Pizza in the world? I ate it at Canobio!”.