One on One Interview with Jennifer Benson of Ignescent

One on One Interview with Jennifer Benson of Ignescent

Interview By:  Coren E. McLeod

Photos By:  Coren E. McLeod

On Friday, September 2nd, 2016 at my favorite venue in the burbs, HOME Bar in Arlington Heights, Illinois, I was able to witness a band that has a real, true message behind their music. Ignescent was the opening band for New Zealand's favorite band Like a Storm.
Let me just say, in a world of many rock bands being lead by a male lead singer, it is refreshing to see a female be in charge. Ignescent's own Jennifer Benson is a powerhouse on stage delivered in a small package.  I loved watching her belt out amazing vocals along with her high energy stage presence.  I was able to get some one on one time with this brilliant woman.  Here is what he had to say about the message she wants to get across to fans and what she in store for the future:

  

 UnRated Coren:  Ok, I have to start off with your band's name....  How did you come up with Ignescent?  Any meaning behind it?

Jennifer Benson: I was struggling for awhile on what to name the band and prayed about it.  I opened up the dictionary and it just popped out at me one day.  Ignescent means to ignite.  It was exactly what I wanted to convey in the band name....to ignite people's hearts on fire for God through music.

UnRated Coren:  Give the readers some background information about the group?  How did everyone come together?  Any new members we should know about?

Jennifer Benson:  We are all originally from different states.  Nate Moderski is from Wisconsin, Eric Meginnis is from Indiana, Eric McKay is from Minnesota, Steve LaRocco and me are from the Chicago area.  I put out ads on Bandmix and Craigslist for auditions and they responded to the ads. No new members.

UnRated Coren:  I am always interested in the writing process between a diverse group of people.  How does everyone come together to write the lyrics and music for each song?

Jennifer Benson: Alot of times Nate will have a guitar part he shares with us and I'll write a melody and lyrics to it.  Then we'll all come together and write the rest of the parts in rehearsal.  We'll tweek it over the next few rehearsals until we are all happy with it.  Sometimes I'll have a melody and lyrics and then at rehearsal they'll write the music around the existing melody.  Sometimes we'll email each other ideas too.

UnRated Coren:  Like I said before, your performance at HOME Bar was awesome.  I am interested in what sort of message you are trying to put out there with the different signs you hold up for the audience?  Who came up with that idea?

Jennifer Benson: God put on my heart to reach out to people who are struggling and hurting.  The signs in the beginning of our concert represent the different things that people struggle with.  At the end of the concert we hold up a sign that says "Loved by God" to let people know that no matter what we've done or what we are struggling with in our lives that God loves us no matter what and that He can take away our hurt and pain and replace it with His love.  I came up with the idea to create the signs but we all worked together on when and how to use them in our show.

UnRated Coren:  Ok, the big question.  You do an excellent cover of a U2 classic:  Pride (In the Name of)....  How did that come about?  

Jennifer Benson:   All the racial tension in our country influenced us to do a remake of the song. 

UnRated Coren:  I noticed you did make a few tweaks to the cover....  What inspired that?

Jennifer Benson: We put references to 9/11 and the Paris attacks in the song as a reminder to never forget and as a dedication to those who lost their lives and to their family members.  God's love is more powerful than hatred and bigotry and that's what we want to convey through the remake of this song.

UnRated Coren:  You seem larger than life on stage.   Who inspires you to be this strong woman in the music industry?

Jennifer Benson:  In Acts 4:31 it says - "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."  God is the one who inspires me.

UnRated Coren:  Now that summer has ended and the dreaded winter months are coming up, what are the plans for the rest of the year?

Jennifer Benson:  We just recorded a brand new song this week called "You Got Me" with producer, Eric LaBrosse, at Cherry Pit Studios. It will be released at the end of September. We are hoping to do a new music video for it this fall.  On October 15th we will be playing with Art of Dying, Children 18:3, Letters From The Fire, Slowburn, and Left With Tomorrow at The Back Bar in Janesville, Wisconsin sponsored by 94.1 WJJO.   We will also be opening for Michael Angelo Batio on October 21st at Star Bar in Chicago Ridge, Illinois and headlining at Cheers Pub in South Bend, Indiana on November 5th.  For all show dates go to www.ignescentmusic.com

Thank you so much Jennifer!!!!  I will be at Back Bar in Janesville, WI October 15th. 2016...  

(BTW...  A week before my birthday.  The big 21 Years Old....  LOL) .  I cannot wait to catch 

Ignescent, Left With Tomorrow, Slow, Letters from the Fire, Children 18:3 and Art of Dying all together in one room!!!!

This will for sure be a night of rock that you will never forget!!!!  #Cheers 

- Read the full story at UnRatedMagazine.com