Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Benson.
Hi Leslie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been a songwriter since the mid-‘90s, when I bought a used “Frankenstrat” Van Halen-inspired electric guitar from the local music shop and wrote my first song, “Xavier.” Even at age 15, I was heavily into gothic rock and related genres, writing heavy melodies with moody, sultry vocals. How could I not, when my inspirations were bands like Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Switchblade Symphony, later evolving into Razed in Black, Skinny Puppy, and VNV Nation?
In college, I fronted a poetic rock band called Burning Veda that played a few live shows. We even got on the radio in my hometown, Dayton, Ohio. A few years later, I was living in Indianapolis, Indiana, and formed a piano pop duo, Irene & Reed, that was influenced by artists like Fiona Apple and Tori Amos. That project allowed me to explore my vocal range. I crooned alto blues melodies and layered harmonies, while a piano and a Hammond organ using a “Leslie” speaker (how appropriate) for vibrato played in the background. Irene & Reed invoked a Prohibition-era aesthetic, which is why we were referred to as a lounge act.
My goth-industrial roots showed; however, when I traded in my pillar box hat and Shure 55 vintage mic for the next music project I founded – a synthpop band with an edgy, industrial sound fashioned after my favorite band of all time, Depeche Mode. We called ourselves The Sweetest Condition and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, with the hope of making a name for ourselves.
The Sweetest Condition was active from 2012-2016 and made some headway into the niche goth music scene. We had about 4,000 fans and got positive reviews in dark electronic music magazines like ReGen, Altvenger, and Side-Line Magazine. We even got airplay on the highly respected weekly goth/darkwave/EBM music radio show, “Communion After Dark” – (a bucket list wish I got granted again this year with my new band, Mourning Candle!)
But after The Sweetest Condition broke up in 2016, it was radio silence for me for almost another decade, until 2022, when I befriended Spookie Rollings and joined God in Rehab, fronting the industrial rock band. However, two years later, we decided to move in different creative directions.
That’s when I met guitarist/synth songwriter Anson Taylor at the Nashville City Cemetery during a volunteer community cleanup event. We bonded over our love of dark music and gothic fashion. He sent me a demo of our first track, “Never,” which I immediately connected with on an emotional level. I wrote the lyrics for that song in less than two hours and sent him back my vocals. The rest is history. That summer of 2024, we formed Mourning Candle, a darkwave band with underlying gothic rock and black metal influences. We’ve been writing and performing music ever since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The reality is that the music industry is still an antiquated “boy’s club.” As a female-born and identified singer-songwriter, I sometimes haven’t had the easiest time with my peers. I’ve heard cackles from my male counterparts in the past, asking me why I don’t play an instrument like the guitar or bass on stage. My answer is that I don’t have to! I’m perfectly happy doing what I love – writing lyrics and vocals. I’ve always written poetry, and I’ve been singing since I was a child. I enjoy it!
The irony is that I can, in fact, play an instrument – flute. I was a second-chair flutist in the symphonic band in high school, but I have to admit I’m still figuring out the best way to incorporate the flute into my darkwave music. When Lizzo got famous for her amazing vocals and flute artistry, it gave me some hope. Kraftwerk is also well-known for including this wind instrument in a few of their songs. Who knows – maybe I’ll write a Mourning Candle song in my mother’s native language, German, and throw in a flute solo just for fun!
I’ve also played campfire chords on the guitar, but I’ll leave the hot wailing guitar solos to the experts, like my bandmate Anson. He’s one of the few musicians (outside of God in Rehab, who are also wonderful humans and dear friends of mine) who have treated me with the utmost respect and equality. With us, the songwriting process is 50/50, and we each bring our own ideas to the table.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
This season is a time for reflection, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had over the last year.
As Mourning Candle, we played our first three live shows in Nashville – most recently opening for Sexual Purity (Ukraine/Chicago) for the November edition of She’s Lost Control at The Cobra Nashville. We also performed as a part of the Stay; Fest mental health festival in September and opened for gothic rock legends Seraphim Shock and Scary Black for Fascination Street at The East Room in October. In addition, we released our first few singles in 2025, as well as a music video for “Sycophants,” available on YouTube.
We also just released a special “Live from Fascination Street” album, recorded by The East Room sound engineer Heath “HeathSoSpooky” Keane with art by FS founder/promoter DJ John “Ichabod” Anderson, and photography by Ray Rose Photography. It’s currently available on Bandcamp.
In the coming months, we’ll be releasing more singles, videos, and planning 2026 regional shows. (Promoters, please DM us with inquiries!) We’re also recording our debut full-length album with producer Nick McLaren (The Static Architect) of STATIC STUDIOS.
Outside of music, I have a background in journalism and content marketing, and I’ve been a professional writer and editor since 1999. I currently work in the health and wellness industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck is a byproduct of chance and opportunity. If you are well-trained, educated in your field, positive-minded, and ambitious, you’ll open the door to new opportunities. But preparation is the most important tool. Instead of waiting for good things to happen to you, learn the skills needed to be successful in making your dreams come true. Hone your craft. Support others in your community who are doing the same thing. Practice! Get good at the thing you want to do. Be humble. Be helpful. Be authentically you. The opportunities will come when you’re ready.
I wish all the best for the other fellow creatives out there! Art is a tough field, but if you believe in it, you’ll do fine. There is priceless joy in creating art for art’s sake.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/mourningcandleband
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mourningcandle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mourningcandleband
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MourningCandleBand
- Other: https://mourningcandle.bandcamp.com/
