Interview with Ben Labat | Singer Songwriter
I had the pleasure of talking with Ben Labat a singer songwriter based out of Louisiana and we talked about his new single called Rocket Heart, his creative process, writing process and so much more! We even got to hear a funny story involving the Stone Temple Pilots! Check out the interview below!
Ben Labat has released a new single, “Rocket Heart," (Labatique Music; stream/purchase HERE), his third and final track from a three-song collection that started earlier this year. The Louisiana-based songwriter has led an eventful existence, recorded with Greg Ladanyi, sang a duet with Jackson Browne, and the new series of singles reflects the influence of the journey. In fact, Ben is a huge Jackson Browne fan, and often uses conversational questions about Browne’s music catalogue to gauge an individual’s musical prowess. In the second verse of “Rocket Heart,” there is a cheeky reference to Jackson Browne’s 1976 album The Pretender: “We got lost on the way back, Cutting through Chinatown with your sister’s twin mattress. You and your Rocket Heart, Say you ain’t never heard The Pretender?”
Music has always proven to be the steadfast in Ben’s life, whether it be performing, recording, or writing new songs. Similar to most of the songs Ben has written in 2020, “Rocket Heart” is a rich and soulful Americana tune that started out on the piano as a few chords. Labat clarifies, “I don’t always like to write alone, but when I have no other choice, I prefer to sit down and write in the evening at the piano. The trouble is I also have three school-age children that want to be a part of the creative process. And that sometimes makes it slightly immensely difficult to finish a few lines, much less an entire song. The beauty of that trouble is that they are relentless, creative, and find in joy in everything. Got to love the little rocket hearts that keep me inspired.”
“It’s been an interesting road full of heartfelt greetings, cold goodbyes, successes, failures, falling and getting up. But I truly believe the ringing in the ears is worth a song in the heart.”
Interview with Ben Labat
Date - 11.28.20
Interviewer - Chris Sturk
Publication - www.f28live.com
www.chrissturk.com