2015年水星音乐奖 Mercury Prize 获得者。
“Very little about Clementine is predictable, all of it is worth watching” – The Observer
“Sombre piano balladry that goes straight for the gut” - DIY
“Nina Simone’s brother steps into an elegant French café, sits down at the piano and tears open a vein” – Rolling Stone
“An extraordinary new musical talent. Incredible” - The Evening Standard
He's been popular in Paris for a while, but is only very recently garnering similar attention in his home nation. The press release explains his Hollywood-worthy tale:
"Benjamin Clementine has packed a lot into his 25 years: heartbreak, homelessness, reinvention, before reaching cult status in Paris and returning home in unlikely circumstances. Raised in Edmonton, his household was a strictly religious one, where children were barred from the living room unless it was a weekend dinner ("my parents, even though they were quite devilish, acted like Christians, and we weren't allowed to play anything other than gospel music”)."
The North London singer-songwriter, inspired by those formative restrictions, classical radio and the Anthony and The Johnsons, has also announced a headline date at the Barbican on 1 April to support the release of his debut.
At Least For Now is due for release via Virgin EMI on 23 March.

Mercury Prize winner Benjamin Clementine has announced plans for his much-anticipated second album, ‘I Tell A Fly’, Having recently collaborated with Damon Albarn for the latest Gorillaz album, Clementine’s debut album, ‘At Least For Now’, looked inwards and backwards, follow-up ‘I Tell A Fly’ looks forwards and outwards; to a changing world, ancient struggles, and the individual response. The results render 'I Tell A Fly' as compassionate and empathetic as it is angry, satirical, and critical.

Benjamin Clementine, a Londoner of Ghanaian descent, left the city for Paris at age 20. He spent two years busking and living rough in the city of lights before being spotted in the metro and subsequently signed by Parisian label Behind. Now 24 years old, the singer songwriter has seen success after success. In June he released his EP Cornerstone and earlier this month a new version with acoustic sessions was released in collaboration with the French online music service Deezer.
The original EP comprises three songs, two of which are performed acoustically on the Deezer sessions EP (‘London’ and ‘I Won’t Complain’) in addition to ‘Quiver a Little’. The EP’s titular song ‘Cornerstone’ provides an arresting introduction to the soulful and raw voice of the young singer. The simple piano complements Clementine’s varying tones, ranging from smooth and treacle-like, to gruff and breathy. Every note and every lyric is weighted in his unadulterated, emotional style.
I Won’t Complain’ reveals a strikingly sombre style, accompanied by a gut-wrenching piano ballad melody. The verses are tranquil but slowly build until the choruses when Clementine lets rip his growling battle cries, "but I won’t complain, no I won’t complain", showing striking similarities to the mastery of Ray Charles. The final song of the original EP, ‘London’, is liltingly poetic, mounting and descending in energy; it is guaranteed to keep any audience hanging on every note and word.
The two acoustic songs included in the Deezer sessions edition highlight how this young singer is best in concert. He sings with even more abandon, letting loose more trills and breathy notes. The deep, roundness of his vocals brings to mind Nina Simone. Indeed, his voice has a certain unusual quality that separates him from most contemporary singers. The newly introduced song, ‘Quiver A Little’, combines slam-like whispering with bold, soulful notes. The song shows a distinctly jazz edge, creating a sound that is far and beyond any current pop music sound.
Clementine has an album set to release in 2014, and he will be performing in the UK in the coming months both as a supporting act for Woodkid and as a headline act. He also performed last week on Later with Jools Holland. His performance is captivating, pure, with painful emotion shining through his voice and his expression. Listen to the performance, his EP and let yourself be shaken and seduced by his towering talent.

Capitol Records has signed Benjamin Clementine and will introduce the London-born, Paris-based artist with I dream, I smile, I walk, I cry. Set for release on April 28, the four-song EP will be available exclusively in the U.S. Clementine – who received “Best New Act” honors at Les Victoires de la Musique, the French equivalent of the GRAMMY® Awards – will play his first Stateside shows this spring, performing at Joe’s Pub in New York City on April 28 and at BRIC House in Brooklyn on April 29.