Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee would love to be compared to hip-hop artist Jay-Z one day.
“I love him. I have his Reeboks, the Shawn Carter’s. He’s an inspiration; he’s the modern Frank Sinatra. He’s a self-made man,” Lee said recently in a telephone interview.
Both artists became interested in music when they were given a boom box, but beyond that, the comparisons are tough to make. Lee was raised outside Sydney, Australia, while Jay-Z grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y.. Lee is an indie rocker, not a rapper, and he is a fair-skinned 27-year-old with curly hair – you get the picture.
Nonetheless, Lee just might need his shoulders brushed off when he plays in Eugene, the smallest city out of 13 scheduled on his North American tour on March 4. His talent has won him four awards from the Australian version of the Grammys, including Best Male Artist.The success in his home country doesn’t scare him, though.
“It’s great. It feels very natural. I think of it as an opportunity to share with more people,” Lee said.
He is often heard on mainstream radio in Australia, but has more of a cult following in the United States. Lee is trying to tap the globe for fans by making music with broad appeal.
“I try to create music that is very broad and gets across ages and cultures. I feel like with the record I’ve been able to fulfill that,” he said, referring to his most recent release. “The music’s getting across to all kinds of people.”
Lee, who has never eaten at the Outback Steakhouse, hopes to eventually conquer America, too.
“It takes time. It’s a bigger country; there’s more effort,” he said. “I think eventually the music will catch on.”
But last week Lee wasn’t worried about his popularity in America. Instead he was relaxing in Los Angeles for 10 days after playing mostly-sold-out shows across Europe. He spent most of his time off watching the 1999 “Freaks and Geeks” television series on DVD after finding an apartment in Los Angeles. Of course, the apartment is just for show.
“I don’t live anywhere. I haven’t lived anywhere for a few years. You make a decision to belong to the world. You should always be available. I’m on the road all the time, and when I get a week off, (L.A.) seems like a good place to keep my stuff,” he said.
The musician is used to the rocker lifestyle. Lee grew up listening to Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan and MÃ