CMW: Benjamin Francis Leftwich

For many of the artists in Canadian Music Week 2012, it was not only their first time in the festival, but also their first time on Canadian soil. And for U.K. singer-songwriter Benjamin Francis Leftwich, he was excited to start a tour that will take him all across North America.

Originally unaware that his shows were during Canadian Music Week, he’s glad that the timing worked out. He performed shows at venues throughout the city, including the Cameron House and Supermarket. Other Canadian tour stops include Montreal, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Whistler.

I first came across his YouTube videos a couple weeks ago and honestly was drawn into his music from there. They are so beautifully shot and put together, so I definitely recommend checking them out. Here is the video for Atlas Hands:

He shared his point of view on the music industry:

“As weird as this sounds, I think the word music and the word industry should never be attached in any way because industry is a business and music is kind of spiritual. People listen to music and fall in love with it and there is nothing emotional about industry. So I find it a bit scene-y. The thing is, because of the way the internet works now, independent labels can put stuff out and their artists can tour and people can hear about, so it can be done that way."

What are you most looking forward to for your North American tour?

"I’m looking forward to getting to New York in a couple of weeks. That’s the city I’ve always wanted to go to. You know that one place that you’ve always wanted to visit? So to actually be able to go there and play music as well is going to be pretty sweet."

Since his last album, Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm, he’s been writing a lot of new songs that he’s very proud of and is excited to work on a new album.

His North American tour will go on until May and he will be busy with festivals in the U.K in the summer, as well as other European festivals and stops in Australia. He'll actually be back in Toronto on April 18 for a show at the Mod Club.

In the meantime, visit his website: http://www.benjaminfrancisleftwich.com/

And here is another one of my favourite videos:

And on a side note:

As a first-timer to Canada, there was one thing Benjamin Francis Leftwich was eager to try.

“Where can I get pho? Something spelled p-h-o.”

And being used to the typical tourists asking about poutine and beaver tails, this was something I didn’t hear very often.

Anyways, I hope you found pho! Thanks again for the interview -- it was great to meet you!

- Christina

Follow my adventures on Twitter: @christinaaa28