Ben Lee, one of Australian music’s funniest musicians, has released perhaps his sincerest single yet.
In “Lovers”, the prolific musician delves into the complexities of romantic relationships. Inspired by his wife Ione Skye’s journey of writing her upcoming memoir, Lee explores the transformative power of love and the impact it has on personal growth.
“The past few years have been a time of immense reflection in our household,” Lee says. “While I have been making an album about getting older and coming to an understanding of my past, my wife, Ione Skye, has been working on her memoir, ‘Say Everything’, due out via Gallery Publishing in 2025.
“Naturally, THE PAST has been a big subject in our lives, marriage and minds. Sometimes, especially when you are younger, the past can feel threatening. The experiences of your partner can be intimidating, the worry that their past may still be lingering over their lives in some way, casting a shadow, ready to overwhelm and consume you without warning.
“I’ve found that changes as you get older. It’s been interesting witnessing my wife write a book that talks about her past loves; her big dangerous sexy relationships, the ways they burned and consumed her. I’ve gotten to pay close attention to her process of…processing. And I’ve developed an appreciation for the ways that these relationships made her who she is today; the person that I love.”
Lee aimed to create a “modern, mature, romantic song” with “Lovers”. “It felt healing and healthy for me to thank my past loves and lovers, and hers,” he explains.
The single artwork features Cub Sport’s Tim Nelson and Sam Netterfield, whose relationship has really inspired Lee.
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“I knew I wanted a vintage photo of a young couple in love,” he reveals. “I’ve been really inspired by the creative and romantic union between Sam and Tim from Cub Sport, so I texted Tim and asked if he might be open to sending me some old photos of them to choose from. The picture Tim sent was perfect, and is the one you now see as the single cover. I’m very grateful for their openness to letting me use their image to illustrate my message.”
And the Cub Sport member was very happy to take part in Lee’s song. ‘’Lovers’ is such a special and beautiful song from Ben. It’s got that timeless nostalgic feel to it. The photo of Sam and I that’s the single art was taken at our high school formal, about two weeks before we shared our first kiss… just about to embark on our own journey as lovers. Feeling very honoured to get to be a part of this release,” Tim says.
To celebrate his new single, Lee is hitting the road again with a series of tour dates across Australia this May. Find out more about his tour here.
Ben Lee’s “Lovers” is out now via Weirder Together.
