Ben Reneer is a singer songwriter from Utah who writes thoughtful and melancholic songs with poignant melodies.
He reflects on theological mindsets and influences that have shaped him since his childhood and incorporates these as inspirations into his songs.
Ben has a wide range of instruments that he plays himself in his songs, such as piano, and various plucked instruments.
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Fly to Geneva, today's release by Ben Reneer, I heard for the first time last late summer as a rough version in the small French town of Chalon sur Saône!
Ben played a few shows there during a short trip to Europe.
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Fly To Geneva is a very precious song for me!
What could be better than a song that captures these unique experiences and wonderful memories of a very special time and keeps them forever like a keepsake in a treasure chest.
Fly to Geneva begins with a delicate guitar picking that is caressed by Ben's warm, soft and soulful voice like a second skin as he sings about his upcoming journey:
Fly to Geneva [lyrics]
I fly to Geneva
My life in a carry-on
And I hope that when I see you
The branches still hold strong
And when my flight lands I will look you up
We will have a laugh or maybe cry
And on the other side
We open up and come untied
I fly to Geneva
With fire in my throat
Cause I still don’t believe you
The mirrors and the smoke
And when the world ends I will look you up
We will live some eschatology
And on the other side
If I was wrong give me eyes to see
I fly from Geneva
The pain was in her eyes
But I’m not gonna leave you
Even if I find new skies
And when the world ends I will look you up
We will see the same new light
And on the other side I’ll pick you up
And hold you tight.
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Ben Reneer & Cayson Renshaw
For this song Ben collaborated with some very talented local artists.
Cayson Renshaw completes Fly to Geneva with beautifully sung backing vocals and impressive guitar picking especially on the bridge.
Elowen Schmidt's enchanting cello harmonies add an amazing depth to the song.
In a Q&A part, Ben talks about his inspiration for Fly to Geneva and his plans for the future:
Susanne: Ben, can you please tell us something about the songwriting process and your collaborations and take us behind the scenes of Fly to Geneva?
Ben: This is one of those songs that seemed to write itself. Some songs take effort over a period of time, but when the conditions are right, a song will just come to me. I was in Dallas, getting ready to fly to Europe to visit my parents. They were living in France, serving as missionaries for their church -- a church I grew up in but no longer belong to. I was a little nervous, wondering how the dynamics would be with me as a heretic :) In the first verse I evoke the imagery of a family tree ("the branches will hold strong"), so it's a song about family relationships, and wondering how our differences will affect us. The truth is, whether we belong to the same organizations or not, we all have our own distinct beliefs. And we have to accept that, or we'll be in constant tension with the nature of reality.
Cayson and I were roommates at the time, plus he's an obvious choice for enhancing a song like this, so I asked him to add some harmonies and additional guitar. We filmed a video of the two of us performing the song, which we're excited to release soon. I met Elowen at a Christmas concert and was blown away by her playing. I reached out and she was willing to play a few cello parts on the song.
Susanne: I can recognize a certain insecurity and doubt in the song.
In the last verse, I think the lyrics become more hopeful and confident.
What expectations did you have of your journey and were they fulfilled?
Ben: I'd never been to Europe, and it fulfilled all my expectations. I loved it! The food, the architecture, the beautiful countryside. It was incredible. Being with my parents was great (hi Mom and Dad :) you're probably reading this). They introduced me to a lot of people they'd become friends with, and it was really cool meeting people with various life experiences and backgrounds.
Susanne: Do you feel changes in yourself when you turn your thoughts and feelings into a song?
Ben: What a cool question! I'm not sure. I'll have to think about that. Something I notice is that when I write a song I think is great, I tend to wonder if I just peaked. What if I never write a song as good as that one? It's a silly fear, because it doesn't matter. I can just keep creating and not worry where my songwriting "peaked". Creation is a strange process, knowing that there are unknown, unwritten songs in my future, and maybe they're good, or maybe they suck. Probably some of both.
I'm not really answering the question, but there's a peek into my inner world for you.
Susanne: What are your plans for this year?
Ben: I'm currently remodelling a rental property. That's my biggest time commitment currently. Once that's done I intend to move to Phoenix, Arizona to play cover gigs -- they've got more bars than where I live currently. I'm trying to make the majority of my income from music, and playing other people's songs is a start. One day, hopefully, I'll be playing original songs to rooms full of people who sing along.
Susanne: Do you have any idea when you'll be back in Europe?
Ben: As you likely remember, I gave you a verbal commitment to come back in Summer of 2026! I hope to make that a reality. Money and time are a few factors, but it seems doable.
Maybe you can connect with Fly to Geneva so much that you go on a musical journey with Ben.
If you are just getting to know Ben's music, I wish you many special and impressive moments discovering his gems!
Follow Ben Reneer on his social media to be informed about his upcoming projects!
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