“I think for me the greatest musical artists that ever lived never sang but spoke. This is my opinion about people like Bob Dylan, or Léo Ferré, or Johnny Cash. They are not singers like Pavarotti. I’m striving to be one of them. (…) Their music spoke. That is the difference”. (B. Clementine – Alain Elkann Interviews – March 13, 2016).
Unconventional, unbelievable, unpredictable. Traditional and contemporary. Absurd, gentle, rough, nice, hilarious.
Who is Benjamin Clementine? Can we define him as an artist? Even today, after three albums, he is still a mystery to many people.
David Byrne, in his article – “Unlocking the Mystery of Benjamin Clementine” – published on The New York Times Style Magazine on March 2, 2016, wrote: “His stirring, impassioned tenor sounds like it’s from another world, but it’s the singer’s questioning of the one we live in that sets his music apart”.
Music is only one part of Benjamin Clementine’s artistic world. Not only is hea pianist, singer, and songwriter, but he is also a poet and an actor, with his debut acting role as Herald of the Change in Denis Villeneuve’s multiple Oscar-winning film Dune. He is also the winner of the 2015 Mercury Prize, a prize whose aim is to promote “the best of UK and Irish music and the artists who produce it. This is done through the celebration of the 12 ‘Albums of the Year’, recognizing artistic achievement across a range of contemporary music genres. The main objectives of the Prize are to recognize and celebrate artistic achievement, provide a snapshot of the year in music and to help introduce new albums from a range of music genres to a wider audience”. (Mercury Prize Official website).
Going back to David Byrne and to his experience at one of Clementine’s concerts, he writes: “It was like if he were singing directly to each person in that room”.
This is what happened at the Philarmonie here in Luxembourg. Benjamin Clementine is one of those artists who could be on a stage without even singing, playing, or talking and he would resonate with the audience the same way. He is charismatic. He is a chameleon. Even the way he plays the piano is extremely peculiar.
Classical pianists would argue that he is not seated properly because the height of the chair is not appropriate, or that he does not have his arms positioned like a “real” pianist would, and even that his hands on the keyboards are not positioned well.
Benjamin Clementine is not a trained classical pianist. He used to be a busker in Paris, and this is how he was discovered. His performance is a mix of singing, acting, and poetry.
He interacts with the audience. When he performs I won’t complain (you will find the official video below) – a song about resilience and hope despite having to face adversities- he asks the people in the room to join him singing.
In this tour, he is accompanied on stage by Natalia Dudynska and Alexei Dolouv on violin, Luicelis Vasquez Montilla on viola, King Sadzinska on cello, Matteo Bussotti on drums and by the amazing Seye Adelekan on bass. Just a few more information on Seye Adelekan, a Nigerian-born bass player who is a member of the current Gorillaz lineup and also played and produced for many artists including Damon Albarn/Africa Express, Paloma Faith, Mumford and Sons, KT Tunstall, Ellie Goulding and more.
Benjamin Clementine’s most recent album – And I have been – touches the big themes of love, loss, marriage, children, and depression. About this album he said: “’And I have been’ was conceived during Covid. Like everyone, I was also confronted with a lot of lessons, complications, and epiphanies to do with sharing my path with someone special. ‘Part One’ is just setting the scene, it’s the tip of the iceberg which sets the scene for ‘Part Two’ which goes deeper”.
To some people, Benjamin Clementine is not a singer. They are even disturbed by his transcendental and eclectic way of performing. He does not make sense. But sometimes, especially as far as art is concerned, the only way is really “Stop Making Sense”.
Benjamin Clementine – Philarmonie Luxembourg, Grand Auditorium
29.09.2023
Benjamin Clementine piano, vocals
Natalia Dudynska, Alexei Dolouv violin
Luicelis Vasquez Montilla viola
Kinga Sadzinska cello
Seye Adelekan bass
Matteo Bussotti drums
