Meet Ben

We recently connected with Ben and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

This is a very large question, I have come to believe that imposter syndrome is an enemy or villain that picks a battle with me every chance they get. In that sense I am not sure what overcoming would look like but I would at this point I have won more battles than I have lost.
There was a moment a few years ago when it looked like imposter syndrome was going to win the war, at the time I had lost my bearings, my drive, my enthusiasm and love for music. I had unfortunately started to buy into the idea that I was indeed way in over my head and that I was not good enough. The voices that always kept me steadily moving forward had been drowned out by the noise that comes with the music industry, ratings, reactions, posts, unhealthy competition that bred envy, jealously, unrealistic comparison and more.
On a trip to Nashville to write with a friend, I had committed that that year of music would be my last. After a few ours in the car with no music except the rubber on the road, I was able to hear that voice again. I was reminded of why I love music and a world without it wasn’t one that I wanted. I was reminded why I perform as well, the faces of people that felt seen and heard through the songs I sung. It got me back up on my feet to keep fighting.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a Ugandan born and raised singer song writer living in Kenosha, WI, USA. I sometimes still struggle to comprehend the series of events that led me here. I came to the USA, Washington DC Area, in 2009 with my family as my father came on a work contract. I will be honest, it was not something that I had wanted or expected would happen growing up. We had lived in a few different places because of my father’s job but it was all close to Uganda so I had friends, family and frankly everything that I did not want to live behind. I could play a little bit of guitar at the time, I learned some chords from my sister and youtube while attempting to impress a girl in school. While that didn’t work out, I fell in love with playing and singing.
I moved to Wisconsin for school at Carthage College in Kenosha, (I visited in the summer and got drawn in). I started playing guitar with a little more at some talent shows and eventually started to go out to the local open mics as left more confident. In 2019, I wrote my first song, then EP and started to play outside the city. I wrote and released my first full length album, Mr. Mulwana in 2021, toured a few times out-of-state and have opened for some of my favourite artists like Thee Sacred Souls and The Dip. It has been an amazing journey that I am hoping never ends.
I am working on my second album currently with a release date set for mid September. This album is called Mid-Western, I believe we are a sum of all the places and people with have been to and or with. I have lived in America now for over a decade and I have been influenced by so many places, people, stories and music. In this album I want to show how all of that sounds while still staying true to foundation, I am hoping for something that sounds like Afro, Soul Folk Rock. If you are reading this before then I would like your support to make the album happen. I have a full summer for festivals and shows that I would also love for you to experience.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

3 qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge.

First, patience. Nothing good comes from shortcuts, nothing rushed stands alone when tested. Unfortunately for this industry it feels like there is an expiration date on success. While it may feel that way I think there is value in taking your time and falling in love with the process.

Second, being content. The hunger for greater is not always a good thing. Thats also not to say do not try to be great. I believe being knowing when to be satisfied and content helps one not fall in the cycle or over extending, comparing and making mistakes.

Third, love. It sounds cliche but love what you do, fall in love with the process. It will help you to learn, to learn to adapt, to be original, to be humble, to work hard, and to enjoy the fruit of your labour without regret.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

“Fail, Until you dont” by Bobby Bones. One of the more inspiring and educational books about the industry and the process. It has a lot of points on how to dig yourself our of things like writers block or dry spells. The book is built around one general process, “Fight, Grind and Repeat”. One of the exercises that I just recently started practicing is writing every day, whether it is good or bad is not the point, write everyday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://benmulwana.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/benmulwana
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/benmulwana
• Twitter: @benmulwana
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/benmulwana

Image Credits

Images by, Kendra Mulwana, Emmett Kegler