We recently had the chance to connect with Benjamin Fortin and have shared our conversation below.
Good morning Benjamin, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
Well first have to make my french press coffee before I do anything! Sometimes I’ll even just take a mug with me in the car.
During the weekdays I work in a music academy in the afternoons. That is about the only sense of normal I get. After that I’m either gigging, writing, rehearsing, recording, or mixing/mastering my session work. I’m actually able to do a lot of writing and recording in my lockout studio, and I’ll usually work through the whole night into the early morning.
In between all of that I have to drive everywhere all the time. I spend quiet a lot of time in my car during week days!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Benjamin Fortin and I am an L.A based musician. I have been working in the LA music industry for almost a decade. Here is a little bit about me and my time as a musician!
When I was 18, I moved from my home state of New Hampshire to Los Angeles to attend the GIT program at Musicians Institute. After graduating with honors at the age of 20 in 2017, I immediately got to work building a career in the music industry. I knew right away I wanted to try and actually use my Guitar Performance degree, but I also knew it would be serious challenge to actually do it.
In 2017 I started my professional career by mainly doing freelance work for local artists, especially singer songwriters. There were many times I was working 2-3 jobs at once, because I just had such a hard time figuring out how to get the gigs that actually paid money! A year later, I got an opportunity to play in the local cover band scene. That’s when things started to really pick up for me.
The local cover band gigs kept me busy up until the pandemic. When the pandemic happened, I thought my time in L.A was going to be cut short and that I’d have to move back. As it turns out, luck was on my side and I was able to stay in L.A. I continued my day jobs online, but all the gigs disappeared for about 2 whole years. So just like so many others, I started over after the pandemic.
I have been working in the music field full time since 2022. I have played with some really amazing musicians, and worked with some wonderful people. I collaborate and record with songwriters, I gig in Tributes/Cover bands, I write and record my own music, and I also teach music to many wonderful students. My work has taken me to different states, stages, countries, and pretty much every part of SoCal!
Currently, I am very excited to be releasing my own music that I have written and recorded! On my most recent songs, I play everything except the drums. On top of the writing and recording, I also mix and master the songs by myself!
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I’m going to have to say the time I got my first electric guitar. I still have it in pieces at my parents house! A close second would be every time I would gig with my first High School band.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Take the time to learn how to forgive yourself.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Well first, I hope they know how much they matter to me! I am so grateful for my friends and for all of their continued help and support. I’d like to think they would say my dedication and passion for both my career and my music is everything to me. They also know that the very little time I can actually spend with my family matters a lot to me these days. Lastly, they would probably say that I thrive on coffee and pizza.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Absolutely! I honestly don’t need any praise for any performance or any song I ever write. That is not at all why I pursue creating art within music. I actually find it really distracting at times. I do it because it gives me a sense of purpose, and music is something that’s always been there for me. I think music is the most powerful vessel for artistic expression that has ever existed. The fact that I have the ability to create music every time I pick up my guitar is all the self- praise I ever need. If I forever had 4 listeners on Spotify, or 2 audience members in the crowd, I would be okay with it. That’s because whenever I am performing or writing, I’m always giving it my best so that those few listeners can connect with my world for those few minutes. I pick up my instrument because I want to make myself feel something, so others can have the chance to feel something too.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benfortin_/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@benjaminfortin
- Other: Bandcamp: https://benjaminfortin.bandcamp.com/
Image Credits
Clay Zimmerman
