September 21, 2020 - In a continuation of songs that take a look at the unique and often tragic social identity of a generation raised by the Internet, artist and producer Ben Schuller releases his most vulnerable yet, “Be Somebody Else”. Slated to release Friday September 25th, the somber track serves as Chapter 4 of his upcoming album, “New Roaring 20s”. “Be Somebody Else” delivers the relatable sentiment of not feeling like you’ll ever be good enough compared to your peers on social media. In a brilliant extension of his previous track “Engagement Party,” Ben takes a deeper dive into the Internet’s effect on our psyche.
In “Be Somebody Else”, Ben finds himself in a dark place, dwelling on what he would change about a life he feels didn’t turn out the way he wanted. Right from the start, the lyrics pain a gloomy picture of self-doubt. In a world where our self-perception is influenced by what we see of others online, would we hold a higher appreciation of our smaller victories if we weren’t exposed to a scrolling sea of life highlights from friends and acquaintances? "It's so easy to compare ourselves to everyone else's 'highlight reels’ on social media. It's a destructive habit but an impossible one not to fall into from time to time. I had a 'rock bottom' moment and writing this track turned into a form of therapy. It was the song that sparked the whole album."
Ben Schuller got his start on the Internet, building following for acoustic covers of radio hits. As a solo artist and with his YouTube-based music group, NerdOut, Schuller’s tracks have been played over 500 million times across platforms and taken him all over the world. But for as much as social media has fueled his success, his current project, “New Roaring 20s” looks at the negative consequences that come along with it. “Be Somebody Else” continues the conversation about our obsession with Internet clout and how it can lead directly to self-questioning, self-doubt, and sadly a lack of self-love. The video’s gloomy aesthetic pairs well with the song's down tempo vibes. Ben questions “What I would do differently if I could just leave it all behind and ‘be somebody else?”
