British singer-songwriter Ben Howard emerged onto the scene in the early 2010s with his debut album, Every Kingdom, and has since paved the way for a contemporary folk renaissance.
An ever-evolving artist, Ben Howard continues to push the boundaries of the traditional folk genre. As a left-handed guitarist, he’s known to play right-handed guitars upside down, making use of alternate and unexpected tunings, or using the percussive ‘pick and go’ strumming style. When paired with his introspective lyricism and elements of ambient music, he makes for a captivating and atmospheric live performance.
Born in Richmond in 1987 and raised in Totnes on a diet of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and John Martyn, Howard was deeply influenced by his parents’ musical choices when it came to writing his own material. Raw vocals, personal lyrics that grapple with themes of love and loss, and intricate acoustic guitar picking are at the forefront of his debut album, Every Kingdom, which catapulted him to notoriety in 2011. Featuring hit singles such as 'The Wolves' and 'Keep Your Head Up', the album was released off the back of a stint supporting Angus & Julia Stone’s European tour. It reached No.4 on the UK Albums Chart and certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), whilst also earning him an impressive two Brit Awards for British Breakthrough Act and British Solo Male Artist.
Shortly after the success of Every Kingdom, Howard had the opportunity to play Glastonbury’s revered Pyramid Stage in 2013, drawing "one of the weekend’s biggest crowds" according to NME, and further solidifying him as one of the most compelling new voices in the folk scene at the time. The landmark performance primed his growing following for his 2014 sophomore album, I Forget Where We Were, marking a deepening of his sound into something darker and more expansive. Not at the expense of Howard’s continued success, the album’s grittier lyrics resonated with his listeners, earning him a No.1 spot in the UK, as well as three sell-out shows at London’s Alexandra Palace.
Howard’s third album, Noonday Dream (2018), came with a confidence to take his evolution into experimentalism even further. Confirming a deliberate departure from his earlier campfire acoustic sound and warm melodies, the album prioritises electronic textures, sprawling soundscapes and abstract lyrics. Similarly, his 2021 effort, Collections from the Whiteout (co-produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner), echoed this approach to production, drawing on unconventional influences ranging from electronic music to avant-garde pop. The album earned Howard another No.1 on the UK album charts.
In 2022, Ben Howard experienced two mini-strokes whilst working on his fifth studio album, Is It? (released via Island Records). In conversation with the Guardian, he said “There was a fear I wouldn’t be able to write songs any more. I was struggling with memory in the fallout of the TIAs, struggling with words, and I was quite tired. But the songs came, and when they did, it was clear that this experience was preoccupying me constantly.” The culmination was a brighter, more melodic album than his previous offerings, featuring the gently optimistic 'Days Of Lantana'.
