Two of the UK’s most exciting rising stars have come together on Hope, an extremely personal song close to both their hearts. Out now via Me & You Record label, the track can be downloaded and streamed on all digital partners, including Spotify and Apple Music.
Ben Hunter, whose debut release was marked the “catchiest upload of the week” by BBC Introducing, partnered with Brighton’s hotly tipped Freddie Long who NOTION predict big things for, “expecting to see him on the BRITs stage collecting his first gong in no time”. The track, produced by Chanel Khasi and JarJMusic, was written about a close friend of theirs who battled long term mental health issues, which resulted in him attempting to take his own life. Shocked at not realising the pain he was experiencing inspired Ben and Freddie to put pen to paper, writing Hope.
Keen to have a better understanding, the pair looked further into male mental health and were shocked to learn that suicide claims the lives of 12 men every day in the UK. They quickly agreed that they wanted to use their platform to raise awareness of this, and by speaking out, hopefully show people that they are not alone. Ben and Freddie approached the UK charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) wanting to not only educate themselves more, but also see how they could help. Simon Gunning (CEO of CALM) added: “Suicide remains the single biggest killer of men under 45 in the UK, so it’s crucial we talk about this issue and the themes that surround it. Music can be an extremely powerful medium for doing exactly that, so it’s great to see Freddie and Ben opening up this conversation among their fans and beyond.”
Speaking of the track, Ben commented: “This is a hugely personal song for me and one that aims to shine a light on the mental health struggles many young men in particular are facing. Life can throw some pretty tough punches and it’s easy for things to spiral but taking the first step and talking to someone can be the turning point for getting back on track. There is still too much social stigma around mental health problems, so I hope this song helps more people to open up.”
Adding of the track, Freddie observed: “I was shocked to find out the statistics that 12 men a day within the UK die of suicide. It’s a scary fact but one we can’t ignore. Hope is a track that raises awareness of the issues around men’s mental health and show people they’re not alone. I’ve realised recently how important it is for me to talk to people around me about my emotions and not be ashamed if I’m feeling down.”
The video for Hope was filmed and edited by award winning director Simon Aukes who last year rose to notoriety with his Rapman series Shiro’s Story. Rapman subsequently went on to be signed by Roc Nation who are now turning the series into a feature film.
Born and raised in Barnstaple, North Devon, Ben Hunter is a solo artist inspired to empower the next generation. Throughout his adolescent years, Ben ended up in some very unsavoury positions and then spent the best part of his early 20’s developing his music, using the experiences that shaped him to not only help himself but others too. Ben’s sound blends hip hop, rap and modern day pop music with determination and grit. He released his debut track Anarchy last year. He has various headline shows planned and a debut EP set for later in the year.
Raised and living in Brighton, East Sussex, Freddie Long is an up and coming singer songwriter with an unique and instantly recognisable, gravelled vocal. He self-released his debut single Jean last year, and followed this year with Sinner and the announcement of his EP coming later in the Spring. Freddie recently played Communion’s monthly live music night and is set to play his local Great Escape Festival next month.
