French /Australian music artist, producer, poet and video creator talks to us about his new track, “Only Sixteen”.
Can you describe your musical style and the influences that have shaped your sound?
I’d describe my musical style as “the style that is not one.” What I share with my influences is not a sound but an attitude. There was an incredibly rich tradition of witty songwriting in the Anglo world with Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Lorenz Hart, and Tin Pan Alley. That was reprised by Gainsbourg and songwriters following him in France, like Vincent Delerm and Carla Bruni. In the Anglo world, we had Prince of course, some of the BritPop artists, and a lot of Max Martin is witty, as well as rappers like Lil Wayne, Eminem, and Nicki Minaj, and more recent acts like Die Antwoord, Tommy Cash and Baby Queen….
What was the inspiration behind your latest single?
The pain and misery that were almost synonymous with love when I was a teenager.
Do you have a favourite venue / country that you have played live, that holds a special place in your heart and why?
I’m proud to be the only artist to have played at both Burning Man and Bohemian Grove – both acoustic sets which ended in rousing sing-alongs to my cover of the Wayne County and the Electric Chairs’ seminal “If You Don’t Want to Fuck Me, Fuck Off.” Magic moments.
The music industry is a notoriously tough industry, to help any up-and-coming artists out there could you tell them some of the challenges you have faced and how have you overcome them?
Yes the industry is tough, but I humbly believe I am an inspiration to many, as I have achieved a certain success despite being an entitled and privileged older white male CIS-gen hetero one-percenter. For the “swim in your own lane” crowd that puts me in the most competitive category in music – up against The Rolling Stones, Springsteen, Bob Dylan, U2, Metallica, The Beatles, Elvis, Sinatra – even Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. So I celebrate the fact that I get any streams at all as a minor miracle.
Are there any artists, past or present, that you would love to work with in the future?
Marylin Monroe is probably my all-time favourite singer. A collaboration with her may seem impossible, but French artist Benjamin Biolay was able to achieve it in his superb song “Les Cerfs Volants,” which samples her singing the theme song of the movie, River of No Return.
How do you connect with fans, and what do you appreciate most about your fanbase?
Between being banned from most social media platforms and my suspicions that most followers are actually AI-powered bots and troll farms, I don’t connect at all with most of my so-called fanbase. I’m all about IRL connections with people who take the initiative and are old and crazy enough to attend my personal appearances at clubs, crash the afterparties, stow away in my jet….
Can you tell us about any upcoming releases, tours and other exciting things we can look forward to?
I’ve got a massive gig lined up in the metaverse – a Bob Hope style USO concert in Call of Duty, on a purpose-built mega-stage in Urzikstan. My avatar has a metallic mask and a Tom of Finland body. Apologies in advance for the nudity – I spent a fortune on digital fashions on DressX, but they’re all still being altered to fit my bulging physique.
Benedict Sinister’s new single ‘Only Sixteen’ via the Music For Sapiosexuals label is out now. Listen here now: Only Sixteen
https://www.benedictsinister.com
