Today we’d like to introduce you to Ben Sharkey.
Hi Ben, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
From early childhood, I had dreams of becoming both a performer and an artist. I was always drawn to music, visual art, storytelling, and the idea of creating a life that felt bigger than the world I grew up in.
At 17, I moved out of my mother’s house in Stockbridge and moved to Ann Arbor, where my first boyfriend lived. I wanted to attend Ann Arbor schools because they offered more diversity and more opportunities in art and music. I entered the school talent show as the new kid in a much larger school, and after singing in front of everyone, something shifted. Suddenly, people were giving me high fives in the hallway. It was one of the first times I realized that performing could connect me to people.
After graduation, life was tight. I was on my own, waiting tables in Ann Arbor, and taking musical theater classes at Washtenaw Community College. I performed in a few plays and eventually set my sights on New York City. I worked and saved enough money to make the move, but things didn’t go as planned. I moved with the wrong roommate, who ended up stealing from me, and I found myself staying in Michigan.
That change of direction led me to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, where I graduated with a BFA in digital animation and multimedia. At the time, my dream was to make movies with Pixar. I eventually began working in 3D animation for the auto industry, but the dream of being a singer never went away.
I started posting videos on YouTube, and one of them ended up being featured on the YouTube homepage, which brought in a huge number of views very quickly. For a while, people would recognize me not only around Detroit, but even when I traveled to places like Miami or New York. They would stop me and ask to take photos. It was surreal and exciting, and it gave me another glimpse of what was possible.
Soon after, I found a band and began performing live and writing original songs. I started focusing more on live performance than online videos, and in 2012 I released my first album. Around that same time, I had my first art show, called “Doll Face.” I was doing all of this while still maintaining a day job, slowly building both sides of my creative life.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to perform throughout Michigan and even overseas. I released my second album, “Mercury Rising,” and began developing a labor-intensive art series called “The Disappearance of the Gentleman.” Today, I’m working on my third album, “Time Traveler,” while also completing the final pieces of the 12-painting Gentleman series.
Looking back, my path hasn’t been linear, but it has always been creative. Music and visual art have followed me through every chapter. I think I’ve spent most of my life trying to honor the dreams I had as a kid, while allowing them to evolve into something deeper, more personal, and more fully my own.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not always been a smooth road.
One of the more difficult chapters for me was experiencing a taste of online fame early on. On one hand, I was receiving praise and encouragement from thousands of people, which was exciting and validating. On the other hand, I found myself focusing too much on the negative comments and feeling the need to defend myself.
People made comments about my birthmark, my voice, my songwriting, and my sexuality. At the time, I was not publicly out online, partly because I was in a relationship with someone whose personal circumstances made that more complicated, and I wanted to protect him as well as myself. Looking back, that experience taught me a lot about vulnerability, visibility, and the emotional cost of putting yourself out into the world.
I’ve also struggled at times to define my true voice as an artist. I began as a jazz vocalist and have always loved jazz, but as I started performing more, I was often hired for events where people wanted music they could dance to. That led me into Motown, disco, soul, pop, and other styles. For a while, I questioned whether that meant I was drifting away from who I was. Over time, I realized that it actually expanded me.
I still identify deeply with jazz, but I’ve learned that my voice can exist in more than one genre. To me, an artist speaks from their experience, and genre is simply the palette they use to paint the picture.
Through all of this, I’ve learned a lot about myself and about people. People who are genuinely happy do not usually spend their energy trying to bring others down. I’ve also learned that I can’t make unhappy people happy by shrinking myself or trying to win them over. All I can really do is keep creating, keep growing, and keep shining my light in the hope that it overflows in a positive way to the people around me.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work lives at the intersection of music, visual art, nostalgia, fashion, and storytelling. I’m both a vocalist and a visual artist, and I think those two sides of my creative life are deeply connected.
As a performer, I specialize in jazz, swing, blues, soul, and classic American standards, while also bringing in elements of Motown, pop, and dance music for live events. I love music that feels timeless. Songs with style, romance, humor, heartbreak, and a little bit of drama. Whether I’m performing with a trio, a full band with a horn section, or writing original music, I’m always trying to create an atmosphere that people can step into.
As a visual artist, I’m known for work that feels cinematic, stylish, and slightly mysterious. My paintings often reference vintage fashion, old Hollywood, masculinity, identity, luxury, and the changing idea of the “gentleman.” My current series, “The Disappearance of the Gentleman,” has been a labor-intensive body of work that explores those ideas through surreal, elegant, and sometimes symbolic imagery.
What I’m most proud of is that I’ve continued to build a creative life on my own terms. I have released original music, performed for audiences in Michigan and abroad, shown my artwork, and continued developing large-scale projects while balancing the realities of work, family, and life. None of it has happened overnight, but I’m proud that I’ve kept going and kept evolving.
I think what sets me apart is that I don’t see music and art as separate things. To me, they are both forms of world-building. A song, a painting, a suit, a stage, a room, a lyric, a color palette – they all tell a story. I’m interested in creating work that feels classic and glamorous, but also personal, emotional, and a little unexpected.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My advice for anyone starting out is to have a vision. See yourself on stage. See your artwork in a gallery. See the life you are trying to create in your mind’s eye first. I really believe thought is the seed of manifestation. In a way, it is like “if you build it, they will come,” but you have to believe in what you are building before anyone else can.
I would also say that comparison is the killer of joy. Don’t spend too much time comparing yourself to other people. You have your own unique fingerprint, your own story, and your own lens through which you experience the world. That is what makes your work valuable.
You have to keep the dream alive by stoking the flames of your passion. Take other people’s advice with a grain of salt. People will always have opinions, and some of them may be helpful, but ultimately you are the artist. You have to move in the direction that lights you up the most.
I also wish I had understood earlier that being different is not something to hide. Being the oddball, the outsider, or the person who sees things a little differently can actually be your superpower in the arts.
In today’s world, consistency matters too. Social media can be overwhelming, but it is also an incredible tool. Post regularly, share your work, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Other people are doing it, and you can too. The views or opportunities may not come immediately, but that does not mean they will not come. I remember being excited about 100 views, then eventually seeing thousands and even millions. Sometimes the things that connect with people are surprising.
Keep creating, keep learning through trial and error, and keep showing up for your dream. If you continue to grow, stay open, and honor what makes you different, you give yourself a real chance to reach the life you imagined.
Pricing:
- Live music performances are quoted based on the ensemble size, location, performance length, and event needs.
- Original paintings and commissions vary depending on size, complexity, and timeline.
- Limited edition and open edition prints are available at a range of price points through my website.
- Custom projects, private events, and commissions can be discussed individually.
- For current pricing and availability, readers can visit my website or contact me directly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bensharkey.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bensharkeysings/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bensharkeysings/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/bensharkey
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2zCF2roGC9L6hmivlsP4zo
- Other: https://www.bensharkey.art
