Benjamin Stewart: Gender, Soundscapes & Lucid Dreams

Gay Music: In the Key of Q

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Benjamin Stewart has been making music for over 10 years and has written and recorded since the age of 12. They define as non-binary. Living an authentic life in America's Mississippi state.

In November 2021 they released the album 'Spaces', a dystopian electronic eight-track instrumental work.

Benjamin is constantly inspired by the everyday, accidental rhythms around them such as the weekly fire alarm test in their complex. These lead to the creation of their long, complex instrumental pieces that are both edgy and relaxing. Listen with headphones! The music will take you into another world.

Further inspiration is taken from within as Benjamin talks about lucid dreaming and the remarkable way that they have managed to teach themselves the skill to regularly achieve it. It's all about habit, hands and a candle! And tied in with this is Benjamin's celebration of rest, and a plea to the world to allow itself time-out.

Narrow definitions of gender are very much not their bag. Benjamin talks about their own journey, delighting in the freedom granted by being freed from gender expectations.

Additional Material

• Benjamin on Instagram and Facebook.
• Benjamin on YouTube, Spotify, Apple and Bandcamp.
• A great article celebrating non-binary living and great ways to be a tip-top ally.
• The Guardian newspaper asks Can Lucid Dreaming Help Us Understand Consciousness?
• Fans of Benjamin's work might like to hear music from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, one of the pioneers of the genre.
• This week's cross-promotion comes from the wonderful Song Surfing Podcast.

If you enjoyed this episode why not take a listen to Dhorin Fireheart.

In the Key of Q is a weekly podcast featuring inspiring Queer musicians from around the world as they share stories, inspirations and of course their music.

Theme tune is by Paul Leonidou and many thanks to Moray for his continued support.

The podcast can be reached on email with the main website here. Would you like to appear on the show? Or have an artist you'd like to recommend, please tell them to get in touch via email.

Presenter and Producer Dan Hall is a documentary producer / director, and his showreel can be found here.