Whether you're a pop musician or the average person on the street, you've probably been affected by the coronavirus in some way.
Spending months in isolation at home, instead of embarking on an anticipated world tour, has, understandably, left US singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin feeling out of sorts.
"It's just a weird time to be a human being right now," he tells The National. "But I am feeling OK now. To be honest, I was pretty depressed for the first couple of months, but I do feel like I am finding my happiness again."
He asks me how I am. I tell him I am taking it one day at a time. “Good,” he says. “That’s the only way sometimes.”
Him asking how I am is an example of the empathy that has helped propel his introspective folk songs, which have amassed more than two billion online streams.
That empathy also permeates his quietly arresting debut album, These Two Windows, home to hits Oh My God and Demons.
A cerebral pop album
Part of his melancholy, Benjamin says, was down to his album’s May 29 release being an inopportune time.
“If you ask me how the album has been received, I can honestly tell you that I don’t know. Maybe it has not been received at all,” he says.
“But at the same time, it has been an interesting experience. I put the music out around the time the protests in America had just begun, and people have been understandably frustrated with how things are going in the country. A situation like that just makes you realise that it is never about you. So I have taken a step back and I was like, ‘Hey, this is not your time.' And I am okay with that.”
Then again, the timing could be viewed as a blessing in disguise.
Despite the wistful melodies and minimal production, These Two Windows is not exactly easy listening.
While quietly sung in his soft tenor, Benjamin’s songs are intense mini portraits of the anguish of youth, and the selfishness, self-doubt, paranoia and existential questions that come with the territory.
Surely the listener needs time for such heady topics to sink in?
Benjamin perks up at this. “I can see that and I do agree with you in that people need to live with the music for a while,” he says.
"While a lot of the time the best way to promote your music is to play live, my intent with my songs has always been to make you think, which is just as well, as they are not exactly danceable. The songs are meant to take a minute for people to get it. So, I agree with you."
Benjamin has a knack for overthinking. This is something he admits to in the album's opening, and standout track, Mind is a Prison. Over a lovely understated guitar arrangement, he talks about being in the grips of unwelcome thoughts: "Sometimes, I think too much, yeah, I get so caught up / I'm always stuck in my head / I wish I could escape, I tried to yesterday."
Not only is it a personal trap, Benjamin says, but such "analysis-paralysis" can also affect songwriting as well.
“It’s all about finding that balance and that comes to the work as well. When it comes to the song, it is about finding that spot between being cerebral and honesty and feeling,” he says.
“It’s actually that same balance a lot of us are trying to find in the music industry. The hardest part of it all is being at the cross-section of art and entertainment. I don’t think they are two different things, you can be both.
"You can entertain and be an artist at the same time.”
A surprise success
At aged 26, Benjamin, who was born in Phoenix, is a mix of old soul and modern tastes.
While his lyrical approach to pop is a throwback to the singer-songwriters of the 1970s, such as Bob Dylan and Jackson Browne, his references, and the way he began his career, are very here and now.
Benjamin cites rapper Eminem and singer-songwriter John Mayer as inspirations, and he started out busking while releasing his songs on streaming sites.
Things changed overnight in 2017, when 12-year-old America's Got Talent contestant Merrick Hanna danced to Benjamin's I Built a Friend for his successful audition. As a result, the song immediately shot up the iTunes chart.
It wasn't long before Benjamin was snapped up to major record label Warner Music, and he is gradually taking his spot as part of a new wave of broody millennial singer-songwriters that includes Lauv and Troye Sivan.
While the momentum of his career has stalled, Benjamin is still enjoying some of its fruits, such as having one of his heroes on speed dial.
“John Mayer and I chat all the time,” he says. “It’s just amazing to connect with your heroes like that and he has been giving me a lot of advice and we just talk.”
With Benjamin’s expansive global tour now rescheduled for May 2021, he says he can’t wait to hit the stage to perform songs that will hopefully by that time be deeply ingrained within his fans.
“I am looking forward to that,” he says. “Going on stage also gives you a chance to bring the songs back to life. It’s a chance to revive them and make them connect again.”
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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THREE
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Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SPECS
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WonderTree%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20April%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Waqas%20and%20Muhammad%20Usman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karachi%2C%20Pakistan%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%2C%20and%20Delaware%2C%20US%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Special%20education%2C%20education%20technology%2C%20assistive%20technology%2C%20augmented%20reality%3Cbr%3EN%3Cstrong%3Eumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowth%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Grants%20from%20the%20Lego%20Foundation%2C%20UAE's%20Anjal%20Z%2C%20Unicef%2C%20Pakistan's%20Ignite%20National%20Technology%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
