We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cheyenne Benton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cheyenne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

Throughout my life, I’ve been told I come across as this intimidating, confident figure. Some have gone as far as to describe me as standoffish, or off-putting. I think I’ve been so misunderstood over the years that it doesn’t really phase me anymore. People are going to create their own misconceptions about who they believe me to be without even taking the time to get to know me. I know that deep down I have this insurmountable love, and a capability for depth and feeling that I am constantly overwhelmed by. I’m introspective, and often lost in my own world. I’m comfortable with the outside perceiving that however they do. But really, at my core, I’m this dreamy romantic who is constantly in search of adventure, freedom, growth and the deeper meaning behind everything.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m an Artist – a Singer/Songwriter, Music Producer, Audio Engineer, Creative Director. A career in music has been my calling for as long as I can remember. I started performing during my teenage years – talent shows, open mic nights, musical theater – wherever I could to gain experience. I started writing my own music in high school, and put out my first body of work in 2017, shortly after I had turned 19. It wasn’t until my early twenties that I learned about production and engineering – and it opened so many doors for me, creatively and professionally. I went back to school for audio engineering back in 2020, graduated and am now working full time out of Studio West in San Diego.

Besides working on my own music – I produce and engineer for other musicians and artists, as well as working on audio for short films and other creative projects. I produce live shows out of Studio West, featuring different artists in our community, as well as working on a number of video projects in various different roles. I consider myself a versatile creative, and very much enjoy variety and just being a part of the creative process in whatever ways aid the project as a whole.

What sets me apart from others in this industry is my authenticity, which at times can feel isolating. This is an industry where performance is quite literally everything. Our job is to manipulate sound… and often times, believe that it gives them the right to manipulate their audience, their clientele, and their colleagues. I do the best that I can to be honest and transparent. I really do believe that the moves you make socially are just as important as adjusting the various knobs and faders. Knowing you are working with a supportive team of people around you that you can trust at the end of the day is more important to me than working with anyone who thinks they’re hot shit because they name drop fancy gear and A list clientele.

I’m most proud of my album I released earlier this year – Beautiful Chaos, written, produced, and engineered by me. It is my first full body of work as an artist, and it was an incredible challenge to create and release into the world. It took a great deal of vulnerability, time, effort and energy – and I am so grateful to everyone who was a part of that process, in every way, shape or form.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think the most frustrating challenge I encounter with people who don’t prioritize creativity in their lives is this belief that pragmatism and logic are more important than anything else – more important than your hopes and dreams, your relationships with other people, your feelings, the things you desire and are drawn to. I feel like all of those things are indicators of who we really are at our core, and why we are here. When we are so focused on the material – what we can see in front of us, we lose sight of our essence. These same people are both intimidated and in awe of my creative abilities, but I truly believe that everyone has the potential to tap into their creative gifts. When you listen to the external world, and fear, and all of this messaging that we need to present ourselves a certain way, societal norms and what our families and peers expect of us – you close yourself off from a world you can’t even imagine. When you ignore the noise, tap into your courage, and follow what feels good – what sparks joy – and TRUST.. that’s when the magic happens.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think for me, the most rewarding part of the process is putting my work out into the universe, and watching it take on a life of its own. I write and create from personal experiences, so being able to tell my story is cathartic for me. But the ultimate goal is to create something that resonates deeply with someone else; to create a connection that reaffirms that as different as we might feel, we are all made of the same stuff, and as lonely as we might feel, we are never truly alone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/cheyennebenton
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheyenne.benton/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheyennebentonmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheyennebenton

Image Credits
Carlo Fiorillo, Michael Lopez