Ben Weighill talks Dreams and aspirations
Ben Weighill, 25, is an amateur singer/songwriter from Chesterfield who is the voice behind the soundtrack to the new Dreams advert – a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s Time After Time.
Dreams, the UKs leading bed specialist, has teamed up with The Fostering Network to raise money and awareness for foster care around the UK. As part of this partnership Dreams is donating its proceeds from sales of Ben’s single.
Buy it today from Amazon, Google Play or iTunes and support the work of The Fostering Network.
Ben, who currently works as a mortgage broker, was chosen to sing on the advert after impressing Dreams bosses at auditions. He was alerted to the opportunity by his producer Dan Lozinski who also produced the single for the advert.
‘I’ve been working with Dan for a few months now and we get on really well. He suggested I audition for the advert so I did and I got it!’ Ben says.
‘We then recorded the vocals for the song and it was all done within three hours.’
It may surprise those of you who have listened to the song - a gentle, acoustic piece - that Ben is more into his rock music. He cites among his inspirations, Bruce Springsteen, Guns N’ Roses and film star and musician Jack Black, with Thunder Road (Bruce Springsteen) and Cryin’ (Aerosmith) as his favourite songs.
‘The best gig I've ever been to is definitely Guns N' Roses in Liverpool. Unfortunately it was only Axl from the original line-up, but now they've reformed properly I’m hoping to see them before they fall out and split up again!’ Ben said.
He has been in rock bands since his teenage years, most recently as the lead singer in Last Days of Disco - named after a 90s film of the same name - however six months ago he felt it was time for a change.
‘I started playing the guitar after watching School of Rock and trying to emulate Jack Black. It’s a great movie. I would love to do more of that sort of music but I just can’t scream very well unfortunately,’ Ben explains.
He is now a solo artist and is working on an EP for later in the year featuring two of his own songs. He is recording the tracks at Steelworks Studios in Sheffield which has worked on hits for the likes of Gary Barlow, Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion.
In addition to his studio work Ben is also gigging regularly around Liverpool, Nottingham, and Sheffield.
‘I play a mixture of my own stuff and covers and I’m still learning the words to Time after Time if I’m honest,’ Ben admits.
When asked for the best gig he’s ever played he was torn: ‘I played YNOT Festival in Matlock, to a couple of thousand people, but purely for the prestige I think my absolute favourite was playing the Cavern Club in Liverpool. When you’re playing there it's really special because you can't help but feel the history of the whole place.
‘My ultimate ambition would be to play at Glastonbury. I would love to perform at a gig where the crowd are able to sing my own songs back to me. I had that a few times with the bands but it would be great to have it again with my own songs.’
