ISLE of Wight singer-songwriter, Ben Stubbs, is set to release his debut album this Friday.
The Island musician hit the studio back in February of this year following a successful Kickstarter campaign which raised more than £7,000.
Off the back of that fundraiser, Ben and his band were able to book studio time with Empire Sound in Newport.
Years of application to his craft has finally come to fruition, and the album, entitled Light of My Life, is a ten-track anthology of life experiences and self-reflection.
"There are several different themes, but generally it touches on escapism, coming to terms with my past, getting older and learning to be ok with myself and life,” said Ben.
Mastered by Tim Debney in London, the album is complete with breezy, country-flavoured tracks and bluesy cinematic pieces; products of Ben’s signature blend of pop, rock and country.
Born on the Island, Ben was schooled at Medina High School and studied performing arts to learn guitar.
He later spent a short stint in Poitiers, France, in 2011, performing in bars and restaurants and honing his craft.
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- Kickstarter campaign to help Isle of Wight musician fund debut album
- Isle of Wight musician Ben Stubbs prepares to record debut album
It was during this time that he penned most of his first EP, Songs from Cherry Trees, which contained his first single, Up in the Clouds.
By 2014, he had released acoustic project Sea View Sessions, and took a break to concentrate on performing.
A year later, he was gigging in Thailand, where he landed a job as a regular performer, but this ended following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and subsequent prohibition on live performances.
Moving back to his hometown, Ben returned to song writing in 2019.
Among those to influence his work are Neil Young, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen.
“This is by far the most ambitious project I have ever taken on," said Ben previously.
"And the incredible encouragement I received really kept me going.”
The album will be available on all major streaming services.
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