West African Refugee Turned Vocalist, Benji Cavalli, Aims To Unify The Diaspora Through Song And His New Single: Ball

Benji Cavalli opens 2022 with “Ball,” the first single on his debut LP titled The Bridge slated to release this spring accompanied by a tour of the same name.

US-based Liberian refugee turned artist, Benji Cavalli, seeks to inspire with his new track “Ball.” It’s the first single on his debut LP titled The Bridge slated to release this spring accompanied by a tour of the same name. With Producer Just Prince on the beat, Benji started the year off with this inspirational song with international appeal, highlighting his unique tenor and vibrato, and including drums, bass, and vibrant energy certain to set the tone for 2022. The lyrics were inspired by Benji’s own journey from poverty and homelessness following the Liberian Civil War to stability and success in the entertainment industry. The song is about enjoying life at any stage in your journey and not living by comparison, having faith, and always allowing joy to eclipse grief regardless of the circumstance.

With an album and tour in tow, this West African Afrobeat sensation entered 2022 with a clear mission in mind. He states, “I’m all about reclaiming my narrative as a survivor of war and the perception of Liberia as a whole through music and arts. There is a rich culture and history the world must see, and I would like to partner with anyone who recognizes that and also shares that vision.”

Benjamin B. Kai, popularly known as Benji Cavalli, is a Liberian Afrobeat, Gbema, and Highlife artist, instrumentalist, songwriter, and dancer. Benji was born April 17th in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa where he had always dreamed of being a vocalist. Greatly influenced by his uncle Zack Roberts, one of Liberia’s most legendary singer-songwriters, Benji started singing and dancing at the age of 9. As a result of the infamous civil conflict in Liberia and following the assasination of his father, Benji and his family moved to the Ivory Coast in 1997. He started a new life by experiencing an unfamiliar culture and added conversational French to his list of skills. After migrating to the United States in 2000 and settling in Staten Island, New York, his love for music was still present, so in 2008 Benji joined a French-speaking, Coupe Decale boy band based in Philadelphia called “La Jet Fami,” attaining fans and fame through their fashion sense and dance moves.

In 2010, the group was dismantled; however, it was not the end for Benji Cavalli. He went on to release an EP called “My Time” in 2011, but this project did not reach anticipated success. Fortunately, in 2015 Benji Cavalli was introduced to one of Liberia’s most renowned music producers, Prince Sherman Thomas, commonly known as Just Prince. To Benji, it was a dream come true. The two had instant synergy in the studio, and as a result, the first single they collaborated on, “Slow It Down,” was an instant hit that is still being requested by fans today. In 2016, Benji Cavalli was nominated by the Liberian Entertainment Awards for “Song of The Year,” “Video of The Year,” and “Best Artist” due to the success of “Slow It Down,” and Benji won “Video of The Year” that year. He and Just Prince went on to team up on the release of the singles “Lazy,” “One More Night,” and “Spoil Myself.”

In December 2017 Benji was booked to perform in Australia at the Liberian Golden Awards and won “King of The Stage.” Benji was nominated again for “Best Music Video” for the hit song “Lazy” by the Liberian Entertainment Awards in 2020, he also has been booked to perform in Canada and all over the United States including the Liberian Embassy in Washington, D.C. Benji Cavalli has collaborated with Liberian artists Eric Geso, D12, and Tamba Hali and partnered on projects with artists of other nationalities as well. Although Benji has performed live in lineups with many international talents, namely Flavour, Timaya, Kaysha, Emmerson, Koby Maxwell, Serge Defalet, and Teeyah, what is most important to him is having the opportunity to share his gifts with the world to make a difference. In 2022, Benji Cavalli will be embarking on his first headlining tour to accompany the release of his debut album, The Bridge. An electrifying performer, stay connected with Benji Cavalli to see when he will be in a city near you: https://benjicavalli.com/shows.