Since he was a little kid—stumbling over his dad’s old college guitar in the basement and teaching himself to play it with Bob Dylan songbooks—music has played a vital role in Toronto singer/songwriter Ben Kunder’s life.
“We always had music in the house; we had a pretty expansive record collection, and [my dad] always took me and my brother to a lot of concerts from a really young age,” says Kunder, who has spent time living across the country, including in a cabin on Salt Spring Island. “He sort of opened the door for me to experience music in a lot of different ways and create my own opinions from an early age.”
That early love of art has followed Kunder through his life, showing itself not only in his music but also in his years as a stage actor and as a carpenter—the work that currently occupies his time when he’s not busy making music. Regardless of what project he’s pouring his considerable talent and passion into, the one thing that never changes is the value Kunder sees in being able to connect with others through his work.
“It’s all about building relationships and connecting with people, to sort of create something, or help them, or be a part of their lives in some way. It’s not the prettiest job, but it’s necessary,” says Kunder of his work as a carpenter. “So yeah, I like it.”
Although he brings many of the same qualities to both his music and carpentry, it’s the contrast between the two that gives his music a particular strength and clarity. It’s partly this, Kunder says, that keeps him—and his music—grounded.
“I think it’s just sort of kept me honest; it’s kept me somewhat humble. My hands get dirty and I build things,” says Kunder. “I work pretty hard when I’m not on the road and not making music. I’m working full time doing that work. It feels good. It just adds to who I am. It keeps me honest.”
It’s this honesty that makes Kunder’s new album Better Human such a profoundly—occasionally bordering on uncomfortably—personal work. With songs that muse nakedly on family, love, and loss, Kunder says he’s striving now more than ever to communicate with his audience on a deeply emotional level.
“As personal as it is, it’s meant to be a universal message,” says Kunder. “I feel like, especially right now, we all have a hard time being open and honest because of technology and social media. We’re all sort of hiding behind the facade we put out into the world.”
Many artists struggle to tour with such deeply personal work. Spending night after night exposing your fears and doubts to strangers is enough to wear anyone down, but Kunder—currently finishing up the last leg of his Canada-wide tour before heading off to Europe—sees it differently.
“By being brutally honest about struggles that I have and then singing about them, and having some of the messages be brutally honest, I can’t fake it on stage. It helps me,” he says. “It helps me and it connects my music to an audience more. It’s quite freeing. I feel very grounded right now. It was a bit hard at first. My first few shows I would get a little emotional here and there. Now it feels great, and it really feels like I’m connecting with people.”
Ben Kunder
8 pm Sunday, October 14
$12, Copper Owl
copperowl.ca