Arrow Benjamin Talks Beyoncé And The Empowerment Of "Freedom"
The singer/songwriter is also at work on his debut EP.
We all rise.
Finding your light among life’s unparalleled setbacks leads to a process of creation. For Arrow Benjamin, his relentlessness to bypass the dark grain of mediocrity has presented a journey that allows his greatness to prosper with a flair of poise and power to the music industry.
The South London singer/songwriter walked into his destiny by shining brightly on the stellar cut “Runnin’ (Lose It All)” by Naughty Boy, which included a feature like none other in pop-icon Beyoncé. After exchanging verses on the uplifting ballad that rose to internationally success, Benjamin opened the doors to endless opportunities and leveraging his artistic willpower.
“I was at a time where it was about honesty and transparency, and I began to write some songs and collaborate with some beautifully talented people,” Benjamin told REVOLT. “One of the songs that was created, was ‘Runnin’ (Lose It All)’.
“Beyoncé heard the record and was like, ‘No, let’s do it together’,” he continued. “I just felt like she was at a point in her life where it just resonated and connected with her as well.”
With a sound that was ready to be shared, the gritty-soul singer revisited his collaborative team of visionaries to invoke a message of force and ferocity that would become Beyoncé’s justice charged anthem “Freedom,” from her Lemonade album.
“The same gang that I sat down with to create ‘Runnin'(Lose It All),’ we went in again and we started the ‘Freedom’ record,” Benjamin explained. “We took what we’ve done to her [Beyoncé], and then Just Blaze was brought in to put the icing on the cake… and as for Kendrick, you can’t even call that icing.”
A genuine soul-singer who believes in the power of love, purpose and light, he was liberated in service of a call to action and he certainly delivered.
“‘Freedom’ doesn’t have boundaries,” Benjamin testified. “We live in an audio/visual world, and the fact that the visuals and audio tie in so beautifully, there’s so much in the whole piece. There is sorrow, vulnerability, empowerment, a level of angry and it’s just human. I didn’t really look at it as a women empowerment, I looked at it as empowerment for all. I’m a man, but freedom I subscribe to.”
Arrow Benjamin is an artist that is lucid, yet a deity you can feel. Investing in a brand of authenticity and humanity above all, the spirited singer is ready to share his story on his own forthcoming EP W.A.R. (We All Rise) and full-length album due out later this year.
“I got almost a new lease of life with the EP, because it meant my musical taste would be explored a little bit more and with more edge,” he said. “Every piece on this project was created from a visual, so that’s why I was extremely inspired when I saw Lemonade.”
Watch the full interview below.