Today we’d like to introduce you to Benjamin Caleb CGP.
Hi Benjamin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Since my childhood, I’ve always been intimidated by music, I didn’t have enough self-confidence to say I could become a musician, I could never have imagined that one day I would have the ability to convey emotions, to move hearts, to make people cry, it was such a great act in my eyes that I didn’t feel capable of it.
Even people around me said it required a special gift, and I thought, “Oh, so music isn’t for me; after all, who am I to have a divine gift?”
I didn’t know that the love I had for music was enough, which is why I only started playing music very late in life.
Being able to make music and move people’s hearts, is by far my wildest dream, cause I remember when I played my first note, I exclaimed “Oh damn, I can play the guitar!” It was like divine grace. And that same day, I spent the whole night playing a single chord, and that’s where my habit of working all night comes from.
I felt like if I spend a minute without playing, that little fire inside me would disappear.
Suddenly, nothing else mattered.
The feeling I got from playing, was something nothing could equal. My confidence as a musician grew, my thirst for learning increased, and nothing else counted. For the first time in my life, I had a reason to live, a personal identity, and a way of life.
Two years later, I became passionate about Spanish music, with Pedro Javier Gonzales as my first mentor. And one day, while browsing videos of my mentor Pedro on YouTube, I stumbled upon a video that completely changed the course of my life: a video of three guitarists—my mentor Pedro Javier, John Jorgerson, and Tommy Emmanuel—playing Mark Knopfler’s “Sultan of Swing.”
Seeing Tommy for the first time was like a revelation. He was different, he played differently, he smiled, he tapped his foot, he made faces, and I loved it so much, he was very special, unique and spectacular.
For me, there was no doubt: Tommy Emmanuel had become my new mentor, and his music made me who I am until today. My passion had finally found a way, Tommy’s songs became my universe, my safe place to go. Everything that came after was just madness, dreams I never dared to dream.
And today, I became friends with my mentors, I went on tours, I won trophies, and I never dared to dream of any of this. I just put one foot after the other, I just went from failure to failure, I simply never gave up.
Before music, my life had no meaning; I always felt different from others, I didn’t belong to anyone. Music changed everything for me: it gave me direction, a family, somewhere to belong.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
That’s won’t be easy to answer,
Going back in time and bringing back old tears… Oufff here we go.
My road was full of hard work, heart breaking, loneliness and crying times, and I chose myself that road.
Nowadays, my situation has improved a little bit, but there’s always a part of my past that always haunts me, I think there will always be in me, a trace of everything I’ve been through.
Having grown up in GOMA, in eastern Congo, a city that has faced numerous hardships over the years—insecurity, armed conflict, and population displacement; pursuing an artistic career in such an environment, can seem secondary to the challenges of daily life.
And my first challenge was access to musical training, somewhere to learn. The only way to learn for me was internet, which was hard to find. I had to walk at least 10 miles to find Wi-Fi, watch lessons on YouTube, and then try to remember them when I got home.
That’s why many years after I created The Tommy Emmanuel Music Academy, (an african fingerpicking school) to give young Africans an opportunity I never had when I started.
I had to overcome a lack of resources, the absence of a real music lessons, financial difficulties, lack of opportunities and the doubts of some close people who didn’t understand my life choices.
For a long time, I always felt like an outsider in the global Fingerstyle community. There are still very few African artists in this genre, and the lack of recognition from the world Fingerstyle community was also a source of frustration.
As an African guitarist, I didn’t have access to the same networks, events, opportunities, or visibility as many other artists in the world. I sometimes felt like I had to work two or three times harder than others to get noticed.
One of my biggest disappointments, the worst of all, was when I received an invitation from the GRAND OLE OPRY to participate in an album and tour tribute to the great CHET ATKINS. But my visa was refused, all the time.
Sometimes it hurts, to realize that no matter how hard you try, there are certain doors that will remain closed to you, just because you were born in a certain place.
I have already been invited to the United States and Europe for concerts, tours, studio sessions and masterclasses, but this part of the world has always been closed to me until today, as if there was no room for me out there.
But now, i’m grateful to be able to tour my own continent and gain recognition from the public and some organisations.
And soon this year I will going on a big tour in Asia, in countries like
JAPAN: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe.
INDIA: Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata.
CHINA: Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing.
See you down the road.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My name is BENJAMIN CALEB CGP, A professional touring Fingerstyle guitar player, songwriter, and music producer from The Democratic Republic of Congo.
My mission is to promote this rare musical genre throughout the African continent.
My specialty is Fingerpicking (or fingerstyle). It’s a very complex guitar technique that allows you to play the melody, harmony, and bass line simultaneously on a single instrument. My guitar sounds like a complete orchestra all on its own. That’s why I perform on stage as a solo acoustic guitarist for major shows, festivals and cultural events.
And to master this demanding discipline and determination, especially since I started playing guitar late at the age of 17, I imposed an iron discipline on myself, practicing regularly between 12 and 17 hours a day.
I have built an international reputation thanks to two key factors:
The virality of my videos:
Launched in 2015, I meticulously shared my performances, progress, and behind-the-scenes aspects of my learning on social media (especially Instagram).
Recognition by industry leaders: My playing skill has been validated and publicly praised by global music legends such as Tommy Emmanuel, James Taylor, Joe Robinson, Kirk Fletcher, Gary LeVox, and Adam Jones.
That helped solidify my reputation on the African continent, leading to prestigious awards, including
• BEST ARTIST OF THE YEAR, • BEST AFROPOP PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR, • THE BEST ACOUSTIC GUITARIST OF THE YEAR.
My greatest pride is my contribution to the development of fingerstyle guitar in Africa. I am honoured to see that my music resonates deeply with people, bringing visibility to this genre on the continent.
My greatest achievement is also being considered as an important ambassador of Fingerstyle on the African continent, helping to popularize a complex musical genre among a youth who previously had no access to it.
I am also proud to have persevered, following my heart and my instincts, even when people around me didn’t initially understand my unconventional path. And unlike many young African musicians who face family skepticism, my parents supported me in the most wonderful way by giving me a guitar.
A gesture I myself consider extremely rare and precious in Africa, and one that acted as the true catalyst for my career.
What sets me apart is my unique cultural contrast, which fascinates audiences and international media.
It’s the striking contrast of seeing an African artist perfectly master a style traditionally rooted in American folklore, injecting it with a precision, emotion, and authenticity that are unique to his heritage.
The “CGP” Spirit: Although the official Certified Guitar Player title is a historical American distinction that has not been awarded since the death of Chet Atkins, I have adopted the philosophy and use it as a mark of excellence and courage.
So that anyone who comes across my name online can easily associate me with Tommy Emmanuel.
In addition to my concerts, I manage a complete ecosystem around my art: I compose and produce other artists, I teach other musicians, and I sell my own guitar accessories to structure the music industry around me.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Most people know me as Benjamin Caleb CGP, the Fingerstyle guitar player and touring artist.
What many don’t know is the suffering behind it, the urge to give up when it becomes unbearable. I have never needed fame, or for people to know me; that’s never been my goal.
People may look back and see the success, the tours, the collaborations, and think that’s the whole story. What they might miss is that, behind every note was a human being searching for connection, for healing, for something bigger than himself.
I’ve always wanted to make songs that resonate, songs that accompany people through the darkest moments of their lives. If my music can make someone cry, my goal will already be achieved. that’s why I love sad songs, it speaks to everyone.
But it comes at a price, when you want to stay true to authenticity, it’s the hardest path I know, people don’t know that artists who move people the most, are often the ones carrying the deepest sadness.
People only see the success on the outside, but they don’t know that it’s a daily struggle inside. People don’t know that when you’re a musician, you feel things more deeply than others. It’s a blessing when you make music, but a nightmare in the daily life.
I’m constantly looking for something that will help me to silence those crackle voices in my head. A feeling that will ease my mind from the doubts that haunts it. There are people who find comfort in prayer, but I find peace only through music.
People don’t know that to get where I am today, I went through hell, And finally, my fingers found a way to my soul, and it saved me. Deep down inside me, I’m just a loser saved by music.
People don’t know that I also play the electric guitar, the piano, and the bass guitar, and they don’t know that I’m also a musical producer.
And recently I was in the studio producing a song called “Guéris mon coeur brisé” by Divine Mosaka T.
A cinematic and spiritual musical journey where the solitude of the acoustic guitar surrenders to the power of a symphony orchestra to transform human suffering into a prayer of absolute healing.
A sad song, just the way I like them.
My goal was to create a stark contrast between earth and sky, between pain and healing. The acoustic guitar represents the story of human loneliness. I wasn’t looking for speed or virtuosity, but rather sadness: a slow tempo like the beating of a wounded heart.
The symphony orchestra’s role was to embody God intervention, I constructed the arrangement so that the strings would gradually appear in a melancholic way, like a presence that came over, envelops the pain, and transforms it, without ever overpowering the guitar or Divine’s voice.
The emotion I wanted to give can be summed up in one phrase: hope through heartbreak. I wanted the listener to fully experience the pain, then find peace and healing in the music. I wanted the listener to first weep with sorrow, then be comforted by the power of the orchestra and choir. It’s an unfiltered prayer.
All of this with the aim of creating something that will touch people’s hearts.
.
Pricing:
- Live performances: Pricing varies depending on event, location, and setup
- Festivals / Concerts: Available upon request
- Private events: Available upon request
- Studio sessions / Production: Pricing depends on project scope
- Collaborations: Open for discussion
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bencalebcgp
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EXEy1Sh2p/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bencalebcgp
