Benjamin Francis Leftwich
{{Short description|English singer-songwriter}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Benjamin Francis Leftwich
| image = Benjamin Francis Leftwich.jpg
| image_size =
| landscape =
| alt =
| caption = Performing at Jersey Live in 2011.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1989|9|04}}
| origin = York, England
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, piano
| genre = Indie folk, acoustic
| occupation = Singer, songwriter
| years_active = 2006–present
| label = Dirty Hit
| website = {{url|benjaminfrancisleftwich.com}}
}}
Benjamin Francis Leftwich (born 4 September 1989) is an English singer-songwriter from Heworth, York.
His father was Adrian Leftwich. He attended Hempland Primary School and Bootham School in York.
Leftwich released his first album Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm in 2011 which peaked at #35 on the UK charts. He has released four further albums since, the most recent in February 2024. Leftwich has also co-written with other artists, including The 1975, Holly Humberstone and CMAT.
Early life
Leftwich began playing at the age of ten and grew up listening to the Rolling Stones and Nina Simone; later discovering Nick Drake, Bob Dylan, and Elliott Smith. He cites Cher,{{cite journal|newspaper=Worthing Herald|title=Singer Benjamin Francis Leftwich talks touring and being influenced by Cher|first=Charlotte|last=Harding|url=https://www.worthingherald.co.uk/lifestyle/singer-benjamin-francis-leftwich-talks-touring-and-being-influenced-cher-82303|date=11 March 2019|accessdate=23 August 2020|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727204304/https://www.worthingherald.co.uk/lifestyle/singer-benjamin-francis-leftwich-talks-touring-and-being-influenced-cher-82303|archivedate=27 July 2020}} Arcade Fire, Ryan Adams, and Bruce Springsteen as inspirations."[http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13967267 Benjamin Francis Leftwich reveals album inspirations]", BBC, 30 June 2011, retrieved 2011-07-06
Education
Leftwich was educated at Hempland Primary School, and then at Bootham School.
Life and career
Leftwich's debut album, the Ian Grimble-produced Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm, was released in July 2011. The Fly called it "a majestic debut"{{Cite web |url=http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/reviews/album-reviews/10217/album-review:-benjamin-francis-leftwich |title=The domain www.the-fly.co.uk is registered by NetNames |access-date=11 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013220753/http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/reviews/album-reviews/10217/album-review:-benjamin-francis-leftwich |archive-date=13 October 2016 |url-status=dead }} The Skinny,Buckle, Chris (2011) "[http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/102371-benjamin-francis-leftwich-last-smoke-before-the-snowstorm Benjamin Francis Leftwich – Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm]", The Skinny, 27 June 2011, retrieved 2011-07-06 while the Sunday Express called it "lovely".Heathcote, Charlotte (2011) "[http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/256419/Album-review-Benjamin-Francis-Leftwich-Last-Smoke-Before-The-Snow-Storm-Dirty-Hit- ALBUM REVIEW – BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH: LAST SMOKE BEFORE THE SNOW STORM (DIRTY HIT)]", Sunday Express, 3 July 2011, retrieved 2011-07-06 Hazel Sheffield, writing in The Guardian, gave it a 3/5 rating,Sheffield, Hazel (2011) "[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/30/benjamin-francis-leftwich-snowstorm-review Benjamin Francis Leftwich: Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm – review]", The Guardian, 30 June 2011, retrieved 2011-07-06 as did David Pollock, writing for The Scotsman, who drew comparisons to Damien Rice and José González.Pollock, David (2011) "[http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/Album-review-Benjamin-Francis-Leftwich.6795272.jp Album review: Benjamin Francis Leftwich: Last smoke before the snowstorm]", The Scotsman, 5 July 2011, retrieved 2011-07-07 Leftwich's "Shine" was named Spotify's most addictive track of 2014,{{Cite web|title = Spotify Year in Music|url = https://www.spotify-yearinmusic.com/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141205215438/https://www.spotify-yearinmusic.com/|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2014-12-05|website = spotify-yearinmusic.com|accessdate = 2015-08-21}} the most repeat-played song of the year. Leftwich sold more than 100,000 copies of Last Smoke and received over 150 million global Spotify plays.{{Cite web|url=http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/14694187.CD_review__Benjamin_Francis_Leftwich__After_The_Rain__Dirty_Hit_Records______/|title=CD review: Benjamin Francis Leftwich, After The Rain (Dirty Hit Records) ****|website=York Press|date=19 August 2016|access-date=2018-03-23}} "Atlas Hands" was featured in Zillow's TV Commercial 'Lake House' in 2015{{cite web|url=https://www.zillow.com|title=Zillow: Real Estate, Apartments, Mortgages & Home Values|website=Zillow|access-date=2018-03-23}} In this same year, Benjamin Francis Leftwich co-wrote "Grow" with British artist Frances which featured in the Amazon UK TV advert.{{cite web | url=http://www.tvadmusic.co.uk/2015/07/amazon-prime-nursery/ | title=Amazon Prime – Nursery| date=2015-07-28}}
His second album After the Rain was released in August 2016. Performing songs off this album and his former, he toured extensively from April 2016 to August 2017, covering the UK, Canada, USA, China, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, and throughout Asia (e.g., Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia).{{Cite web|url=http://www.benjaminfrancisleftwich.com|title=Benjamin Francis Leftwich|website=benjaminfrancisleftwich.com|access-date=2018-03-23}}
Albums Gratitude, To Carry A Whale and Some Things Break followed in 2019, 2021 and 2024 respectively. As of 2024, Leftwich has more than 749,000 monthly listeners and more than 312,000 followers on Spotify.{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/7D5oTJSXSHf51auG0106CQ|title=Benjamin Francis Leftwich|website=Spotify|access-date=2018-03-23}}
As well as writing and recording his own music, Leftwich co-writes with other artists and has collaborated with The 1975, Holly Humberstone and CMAT amongst others.{{Cite web |last=Interviews |first=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & |last2=ClashMusic |date=2024-02-08 |title=In Conversation: Benjamin Francis Leftwich {{!}} Features |url=https://www.clashmusic.com/features/in-conversation-benjamin-francis-leftwich/ |access-date=2024-03-10 |website=Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews}}
Personal life
Discography
=Albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Details ! scope="col"| Chart positions |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:20px;"|UK |
| scope="row" | Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 35 |
| scope="row" | After the Rain
|
| style="text-align:center;"| 53 |
| scope="row" | Gratitude
|
| style="text-align:center;"| - |
| scope="row" | To Carry a Whale
|
| style="text-align:center;"| - |
| scope="row" | Some Things Break
|
| - |
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Title
! scope="col"| Details |
|---|
| scope="row" | A Million Miles Out
|
|
| scope="row" | Pictures
|
|
| scope="row" | In the Open
|
|
| scope="row" | Elephant
|
|
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Year
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Single ! scope="col"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK {{cite web|url=http://www.zobbel.de/cluk/110702cluk.txt|format=TXT|title=Chart|website=Zobbel.de|accessdate=2020-03-18}} |
| rowspan="2"| 2011
! scope="row"| "Box of Stones" | 195 | rowspan="4"| Last Smoke Before |
| scope="row"| "Atlas Hands"
| — |
| 2012
! scope="row"| "Pictures" | — |
| 2014
! scope="row"| "Shine" | — |
| rowspan="4"| 2016
! scope="row"| "Tilikum" | — | rowspan="4"| After the Rain |
| scope="row"| "Mayflies"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Summer"
| — |
| scope="row"| "Groves"
| — |
| 2017
|"Pure Morning" cover |— | |
| |"Rebellion (Lies)" cover
|— | |
| |"When You Were Young" cover
|— | |
| |"Because of Toledo" cover
|— | |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leftwich, Benjamin Francis}}
Category:English male singer-songwriters
Category:English singer-songwriters
Category:People educated at Bootham School
Category:Vagrant Records artists