The winner of the 2014 British X-Factor chatted with us honestly
Ben Haenow has come a long way since winning the British talent show in 2014, and in the meantime, he proved a lot to himself as well. The singer-songwriter, who was mentored by Simon Cowell, covered OneRepublic‘s „Something I Need” as his winners’ single, and it became a huge success in his home country, topping iTunes charts for several weeks. This was later followed by his self-titled debut album in 2015, from which the lead single „Second Hand Heart” featuring Kelly Clarkson became one of the most popular hits in the UK already on the first week after its release.
The 35-year-old musician has been working as an independent artist since then, and even now, music is his refuge. He is famous for writing inspirational lyrics, and this was also shown on his latest album Alive. As a singer never stops, even in difficult times, in early June, Ben released his charity single „If You’re Lonely”, which provides support to those battling with mental health issues. He hopes that you’ll know that whenever you’re struggling with inner demons, you are not alone. The proceeds from the single will be donated to the mental health charity Mind.
As Ben put it, this is a cut-throat industry, so many musicians can suffer from mental health problems as well – we never know what’s behind the fame. We have also discussed this topic with the British talent, as well as we talked about his time at The X-Factor and his new song.
So many bad things are happening in the world. How are you coping with the current situation?
It’s very sad to see all the uncertainty and terrible things happening in the world at the moment. But I feel it is also a time where people are starting to realise what is important to them, and finding their voices to speak out about things which they believe in. It’s a time of change for everyone and aside from all the horrible things that have happened and are still happening, I feel that as a planet we are becoming more united in fighting for what is right so there are also many positives which come from the adversities that we face. It’s been a time of reflection and also a good time for me creatively as I’ve been spending more time writing music. So, I have been okay, thank you.
Your new single has such an important message, especially in this difficult time. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this special song?
I have suffered with my own mental health issues at certain times of my life, but had never really spoken out about them publicly. There is still a lot of stigma attached to mental health and many people still don’t understand or believe that it affects as many of us as it does. I felt quite alone when I was dealing with these things in my life too, and I think that people need to feel comfortable to be able to admit to having issues without the fear of being ridiculed or made to feel weak. I am fine now and wanted to put across a hopeful message to people who may also be suffering in silence with their own issues. I wanted to let them know they are not alone in hope that it may help them to deal with things or seek help in their own way. In these uncertain and unprecedented times, I think mental health issues are far more prevalent and it seemed like the right time to release this song with this sort of message.
What was the reaction for „If You’re Lonely”?
There has been such an incredible reaction from fans and even from people who had not heard my music before. I have received many messages saying how it has helped people to feel like they are not alone in dealing with their issues and anxieties, which has been quite overwhelming to hear. It seems to have gone down very well, which is great.
Why do you think it’s important to talk about this topic in your music and in general?
Being a musician, I think I have a great platform to be able to reach out to so many people. I think sometimes big artists can get very wrapped up in creating ‘hits’ for their own career, which of course is not a problem, we all need some good music in our lives, and also, people need to make a living/career, so I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. But also, we can use our platforms for good and for things that we believe in, so
I feel it was almost a duty to raise awareness of something which I feel strongly about and an issue that is still not spoken about enough.
Not all my songs are about these subjects, but this one, in particular, was written from the heart. I wanted to do something more than just release a song for myself, which is why I wanted to donate the proceeds to Mind, a charity who are doing great things for mental health sufferers.
Do you think that people start to speak out more about their issues now?
I do hope so. As a society, I feel like we are becoming more aware of mental health and how it can and does affect absolutely anybody. I feel like being more aware does help people to feel more comfortable about opening up about their own problems, so it’s definitely getting better. But just because there is help available, it doesn’t mean that everybody will go and seek help or advice. There is still lots of work to be done with tackling mental health as an overall issue.
With the track, you are spreading an uplifting message of hope and strength – but what is the one thing that makes you strong?
My family and friends are the people that help keep me strong. I am not always strong and I don’t always feel at my best, just like everyone else I have my bad days too which is normal with the pressures and stresses we all face in our lives. But I have such amazing friends and family who are always there to listen, help and support me in my life and my career. I owe so much to them and I think it’s important to have good people around you.
In your statement on Instagram, you said that you’ve never really spoken about your issues because as a man, you have to be strong. I am convinced that confessing our feelings make us really strong – we are strong enough to let the world know how we feel. Why do you think it’s so hard for all of us to speak about our feelings?
Yes, I very much agree with you. I think it’s stronger be able to say to the world that you are not feeling great at times when you are low. I think it’s natural for all of us to go through many different emotions regardless of age, gender or any other factor. But there are many people, particularly men, who feel that by showing emotion, it makes us seem weak or not as good as others. This comes from years of machismo and things we are told from a young age that men shouldn’t cry or men shouldn’t show weakness. That is what needs to change before people will feel comfortable enough to let their emotions out without the fear of feeling like it’s a negative thing.
I think that we are better as a society at changing the perception that all men have to be made of steel and not
show emotion.
But still, we need to make more progress.
What do you think is the best way to overcome mental health issues?
Maybe it’s different for everyone, but I think that from my experience people need to feel like they are being understood and listened to without judgement. Talking to someone helps, whether that’s a friend, a family member or even someone who you don’t know at all, like one of the many charities out there. Dealing with things on your own is when you start to shut off from everyone and you can start to feel like you are totally alone and that no one understands you or would want to understand and that can be dangerous. So, I think, that talking about things with someone is a great starting place towards overcoming anything.
From your new single, all proceeds will be donated to the mental health charity Mind. Why is this charity so close to your heart?
Friends of mine have had first-hand experience with the amazing help and support that the Mind charity offers, and it made such a huge difference to their lives and dealing with their issues. It gave them a change for the better, and it’s for that reason that I chose Mind as the charity that I want to support. It was after seeing how they helped my friends to overcome and cope with things so much better.
You have now also released a powerful music video, featuring loads of familiar faces. How did you come up with the idea?
It kind of all started with me posting uplifting messages on my Instagram, whilst we were all in lockdown and unable to get out and see friends and loved ones. From there, some fans started posting their own messages of hope. That’s where the idea for the video started from, so I asked fans to send in their messages to feature in the video, and it all snowballed from there. I asked some of my friends in the industry if they wanted to be involved, and it was something which lots of people felt strongly about. More and more people got on board and wanted to help raise awareness for the cause. The video was mostly shot on an iPhone by my wife, so I’m very proud of how it has all come together, and very grateful to everyone who has been involved.
And what about the concept of changing from black and white to colour?
It was something I just thought would be impactful and to me made a lot of sense. When you are feeling low or depressed, the world can seem like a dark place to be… it’s almost like seeing the world in black and white, if that makes sense. When you are feeling happy, it’s like colours are brighter and the world seems a much warmer and more colourful place, so I wanted to show that in the video with the concept.
You have tons of other inspirational tracks – „Getaway”, for instance, encourages people never to give up on their dreams. We have followed your journey, and it’s so great to see that you never gave up your dreams. What is your secret?
That’s very kind of you, thank you for the support! I don’t know if there is a secret but the support of people is the only reason I have been able to continue to live my dream. Without people listening to my music and wanting to hear more, I would not be able to do what I do. So I owe EVERYTHING to my fans and supporters for sure.
What is it that constantly motivates you the most to follow your dreams?
I think it’s the love and passion for what I do. I can’t imagine doing anything else, and I wouldn’t want to. I love to write and perform. I love the buzz that you get from having music as a career, and I think, that
if you love what you do, whatever that may be, then why would you not want to do everything in your power to continue with it for as long as you can?
Of course, in this world, you have to make a living and that’s not easy in this industry, but the passion outweighs the struggle. But don’t get me wrong, I think, that if I ever got to a point where I wasn’t enjoying it then I would be happy to walk away and look for something else. Happiness plays a huge part in everything I do and I think success is being happy.
Can you recall the moment you won The X Factor? We are sure that you were the happiest then!
It still seems like a dream, and probably the most surreal thing I’ve ever done in my life. And it’s a very special moment I’ll remember forever. I never thought I’d get that far in the competition, and I really never dreamed I could win.
How do you look back on your time there?
It was a really great time in my life! It was such a life-changing and incredible experience. It has given me so many opportunities and opened so many doors for me. I met some amazing people, worked with some of my musical heroes on the journey and made some lifelong friends, as well as getting to sing on stages all over the world. I really can’t tell you how grateful I am for the whole experience. I have so many fond memories from the show and the career it has given me to this day. I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world to have done what I have done and it’s all thanks to being on the show.
How do you think you’ve changed personally and professionally since then?
I honestly don’t feel that I have changed as a person much. I put that down to having my family and friends around me keeping me grounded. I also still feel very humbled by it all and don’t think I was the kind of person to lose myself to the “bright lights” which I am very proud of.
It’s a tough industry, which unfortunately can really change people, and I do see how it can.
Professionally, I think it’s made me want to get more knowledge about all aspects of the industry. Now, as an independent artist, it is very important to know more about every part of what I do, not just singing and writing songs but the business side of things too. As I said, it’s a very cut-throat industry and I think knowledge is power on that situation, as there are many people out there who will take advantage of you if you don’t know what you’re doing. So maybe I’d say I’m a bit more cautious overall.
What message would you share with those suffering from mental health issues?
I would say that you are not alone. Even though you may feel in a very lonely place or feel that you are the only one who feels like you do, I can promise that you are not the only one. I’d advise anyone to seek help or support and mainly to speak to someone about how they are feeling without feeling ashamed in any way. Emotions, both good and bad, are the most natural and human thing that any of us can feel so it’s not something that should be thought of as anything strange or unnatural. But not speaking about it or at least confronting and vocalising it can be even more detrimental. It’s okay not to be okay, and we ALL can agree with that.
And is there anything you’d like to say to your Hungarian fans?
I want to say a big hello and an even bigger thank you to my Hungarian fans and friends out there for the support and love that they give!! I would be honoured to be able to come and visit and meet them as I have never been lucky enough to have a show there but it’s something I really hope to do in the near future. I wish everyone all the best and want to send love and good vibes to all in these crazy times we are all going through. Stay safe and see you soon! And thank you so much for having me.
