Carpinteria-based folk singer-songwriter Beau James Wilding has just released his new single “Set Myself on Fire” this month in anticipation of his upcoming album.
Wilding has been writing and performing music since he was 15, and when he was 18, a disease rendered him legally blind. Regardless of disability, Wilding has been committed to excellent musicianship, fantastic lyricism, and passionate, genuine audience connection since the beginning of his musical journey. Now, at age 38, he recently dedicated himself to making music as a serious career. This single comes in anticipation of his third full-length record, seeing i god, set to release in April 2023.
His decades of musical experience are obvious in his use of a number of unique and seemingly unrelated instruments — including the deep bass sounds of the bodhrán (traditional Irish Drum), the whimsically folksy Irish bouzouki (a kind of lute), classic harmonica, and both electric and acoustic guitar — all of which are played by Wilding himself. This eclectic collection of instruments is Wilding’s love letter to his favorite elements of both the folk and punk genres: “The intention was to fuse the organic, and sometimes roughly earnest, quality of folk music with the intensity and grit of punk,” he explained.
The new song features powerfully raw lyrics: “I’m gonna set myself on fire / Burn, burn like the sun in desire / Stand tall through the muck and the mire ‘til I’m done,” delivered beautifully by Wilding’s low-toned, gravelly drawl, reminiscent of Louis Armstrong’s famous rasp. The lyrics emphasize the importance of living a life fueled by passion and inner fire.
“Set Myself on Fire” is available now on all streaming platforms. Visit beaujameswilding.com for more information or to stay tuned for the release of seeing i god this spring.
Support the Santa Barbara Independent through a long-term or a single contribution.