Ben Lawrence and his twin brother, Dan, were very close and shared a love of music, even forming a band together. However, their lives changed drastically when Dan was diagnosed with brain cancer and later died at the age of 25 in 2016. Since then, Ben has been striving to honor his brother’s memory through music.
Ben is set to release his debut record, O Wide World, a 13-track album divided into three acts that tells the narrative of his brother’s loss. He believes that the songs will not only connect deeply with those who have suffered bereavement but also serve as a soundtrack of hope to people’s everyday lives. The album has been an incredibly life-affirming project for him.
The album writing process has been very comforting for Ben, who started writing at his home in Norwich. After a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, Ben was able to find collaborators and built links with Iain Hutchison, a producer based at his studio, GloWorm, in Glasgow. Together, they have worked on completing the album and bringing it all together. O Wide World was released on November 24 and is available on all streaming services.
Ultimately, O Wide World is a journey through Ben’s story, telling the narrative of his brother’s loss and the grief that he has been experiencing. The album is a way for Ben to connect with others who are going through similar experiences of loss and grief, as well as to provide hope in their everyday lives. Through the power of music, Ben has found a way to honor and remember his beloved twin brother, Dan.
