motel void

Born and raised in Birmingham, England. Benny Boy is a passion project created by Multi instrumentalist Benjamin Mills.

MOTEL VOID: You’re from Birmingham, England. How would you describe the current music scene there? Do you feel like a part of it?

Benny Boy: The music scene is very small in Birmingham compared to cities similar to our size. It has its little pockets of scenes whether that be Drum and bass, hardcore music or jazz and that list goes on. Everyone plays in the same places so naturally you see everything and are exposed so much raw stuff and different creative views.

For me I feel like I’m only just dipping my toes in the scene at least under the name Benny Boy. It would be tough for me to say I am part of it at the moment cause I know It would be a disservice to all the other artists who have been there and are still doing it but for me, that journey has just begun.

MOTEL VOID: Could you recommend your favorite local artists and venues?

Benny Boy: Got to shout out my friends Czafari and Dulcet Days who I work with who are great people as well as artists. Myles Newman and Ocean Ivy are definitely ones I’d recommend to go listen to as well as listen live! Venue wise I’d say Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath and The Night Owl in Digbeth!

MOTEL VOID: You released your first single ‘Gloomy’ already in 2018, but you put out most of your material quite recently, last year and this year. What was the reason for you to come back to your solo project?

Benny Boy: I was quite shy with my music back then and never had any confidence in the things I did musically, but that was my first song I’d ever fully wrote out with my vocals on it so that alone was terrifying. Initially I just released it on Soundcloud and never backed it nor told anyone, fast forward to 2022 after years of recording and writing with other projects as well my own stuff I wanted to try and challenge myself and publicly release stuff I think more for my own personal benefit not for some career. I like having Gloomy there although it may completely differ from what I sound like now , it’s a snapshot of a time in my life and humbling to say the least.

MOTEL VOID: I liked your last single ‘Last Calls’ a lot, loved the melancholic atmosphere. Will it be a part of your new/first album?

Benny Boy: Yes it will be releasing with my little Ep (out now)! Would be a shame not to include it 😉

MOTEL VOID: Could you tell us more about the recording and writing process of the album?

Benny Boy: My process for a track can be very random and sometimes lyrics could come first before I even think of music and vice versa. I do write, record and produce all by myself so that alone allows me no restrictions really so that can be liberating because I can go wherever I want.

What I write about is very open, for example Last Calls was about my fascination with pub culture and basically people watching at my local really. Most of my first tracks I’d written were about my lacking of self confidence and all the cheery things that come with being a reserved little boy which still seeps in from time to time but I know that’s not all I can talk about.

MOTEL VOID: Your biggest influences right now?

Benny Boy: Family and friends x