Truly a man and an artist of the world, Ben Provest’s creative journey to date has leapt from him producing records for local Melbourne artists Nikolas Lee, Noaksey and Amber Scates, through to working in Los Angeles under the mentorship of acclaimed Hollywood film composer Christopher Young, writing music for film and television. Ben now steps out of the darkness and shines a light on himself, with his new single ‘Trying To Be Brave’, which is A stirring blend of atmospheric folk textures, heartfelt lyricism and glowing charm. Ben dropped by to do a quick Q + A.
Hi, thanks for taking the time to chat with Hear 2 Zen, what have you been up to today?
I’ve been hiking part of the Appalachian trail with a couple of friends that are currently visiting me. We’re about 4 hours east of Nashville, TN.
Tell us about yourself, how long have you been performing/creating music for?
I started playing music from the time I was 8 (initially violin then switched to guitar in High School) and have been performing and creating music since, about 23 years now!
Who are your greatest inspirations? Why?
My family, friends, people in my immediate community and the world around me. They inspire me every day.
How do you create music? Are you lyrics/story driven, or does the music/melody come first? Explain your process.
Usually the music comes first and I have to piece together what I’m trying to say, or step away from the music and write down my thoughts to help work out exactly how I’m feeling. Sometimes a particular situation or event I’ve experienced or observed inspires a song.
What has been your greatest challenge so far in performing/creating music?
The greatest challenge is knowing when a song is complete……when it’s time to let it spread its wings and fly.
Tell us about your new release, Trying To Be Brave, how did it come about?
I wrote and recorded this song during an artist residency in Iceland last year. Each day I would take a walk from the house down to the recording studio and soak up the fjord, listening to music, getting inspired. This song came out in one sitting, and I recorded and mixed it in the following days. At its heart, the song was inspired by someone I was close to. I wrote this with her in mind, but more broadly, it became about letting go of fear – being brave enough to trust again, to follow your instincts, and to live an authentic life.
What advice do you have to artists who are just starting out?
Create music you enjoy, play music with other people, and go see live gigs.
Tell us your favourite Zen practice.
The ocean. Diving in for a swim at any of the ocean pools around Sydney, or even the Fitzroy pool in Melbourne.
MORE ABOUT BEN PROVEST
Absorbed with artists like Garrett Kato, Harrison Storm and Woodlock during the writing phase for Trying To Be Brave, Ben’s brand new single serenely dazzles with a sense of wonder and freedom, anchored by authentic delivery and luminous folk textures, with the latter also reflecting both some real-world experiences as well as the Icelandic landscape that physically surrounded Ben during the song’s creation. “I
actually made the song completely by myself while living at The Fish Factory artist residency in Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland,” Ben explains. “I recorded it in Studio Silo, an incredible space built as a labour of love and filled with restored vintage gear. The upright piano was recorded with a pair of Coles 4038 ribbon microphones, and the acoustic guitar and lead vocal with a U67-style condenser. The instruments include my Martin 000-18M acoustic guitar, a Roland Juno 106, the cheap banjo that was laying around the studio, a Fender Precision Bass, and programmed drums. I recorded, mixed, and mastered everything myself in Logic Pro X.”
“At its heart, the song was inspired by someone I was close to, Amelia,” adds Ben. “We broke up after living together in Melbourne during COVID, and I wrote this with her in mind. But more broadly, it became about letting go of fear – being brave enough to trust again, to follow your instincts, and to live an authentic life.”
Composing the single during his month-long residency in the tiny fishing Icelandic village, surrounded by dramatic fjords and vast volcanic landscapes, Ben also fittingly found inspiration for the accompanying music video for Trying To Be Brave while immersed in the spectacular backdrops provided by Iceland’s isolated but opulently beautiful great outdoors. “The video was a simple, spontaneous idea,” shares Ben, “just me walking and singing the song live in one take in the wilderness of the eastern fjords of Iceland. I wanted it to feel free, unpolished, and honest. One of the visual artists at the residency, Chi Chai, helped me capture some of the footage. It was really just about flow, letting the environment and the song breathe together.”
Truly a man and an artist of the world, Ben’s creative journey to date has leapt from him producing records for local Melbourne artists Nikolas Lee, Noaksey and Amber Scates, through to working in Los Angeles under the mentorship of acclaimed Hollywood film composer Christopher Young, writing music for film and television, “which has been an incredible experience,” shares Ben. A gifted singer-songwriter, multi-
instrumentalist and producer, Ben’s ability to blend cinematic folk with ambient storytelling results in creations that are simultaneously intimate and immersive, drawing you in with endless warmth and emotional depth; a fact that has only amplified following his 2024 artist residency at The Fish Factory in Stöðvarfjörður, Iceland. Offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience both creatively and personally for Ben, it
would be this very residency that would also spark his latest solo sonic chapter, living alongside a small community of international artists against the stark beauty of the Icelandic landscape, and ultimately setting the wheels in motion for the writing and recording of Trying To Be Brave.
A graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and Berklee College of Music, Ben has also ticked off performances along the way with the likes of BABBA, the internationally-acclaimed ABBA tribute act, and also recently formed a new collaborative band project Brotherly with Johnny Cattini, Max Challis, Armando Baeza, and Connor Frawley, with the project set to release new music in early 2026. But in the meantime
with the release today of Trying To Be Brave, Ben’s authentic intimacy and piercing sensibilities for sweeping folk under a modern lens takes full flight, offering a heartfelt sonic port in the storm for troubling times along with genuine connection.
“Music has always been my sanctuary,” Ben concludes, “the place I turn to no matter what’s happening in life. It’s how I express things that can’t be put into words. I started writing songs young, and over the years it’s become a way to explore emotion and connection.” “Trying To Be Brave is really about that: letting go of self-consciousness, following your heart, and trusting where the journey leads.” Trying To Be Brave is out today
