Dudley Benson

Benson was born in Christchurch in 1983, and grew up in the Port Hills.^[1] Benson's family has a long history in the area, and he is descended from Etienne Francois Lelievre, who immigrated from Normandy to Akaroa in 1836.^[2] At the age of 10, Benson joined the Christchurch Cathedral Choir.^[2] Benson's early musical influences were pop musicians such as Kylie Minogue, and in his teenage years he idolised Icelandic musician Björk.^[2]

Benson enrolled in a composition course at the University of Canterbury, during which he began producing music independently. In his third year of university, Benson worked as a crew member on the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). During filming, Benson gave a demo to the actress Tilda Swinton, who was impressed in his work and advised him to leave Christchurch. In 2004, he moved to Auckland, enrolling in a pop songwriting course at the University of Auckland and began working at Marbecks Records.^[2]

In 2006, Benson started his own independent music label, Golden Retriever, and released two extended plays, both of which sold out a month after release.^[2][1] During this time, Benson performed as a supporting act for alternative musicians including Casiotone for the Painfully Alone and Animal Collective.^[3]

In 2008, Benson released his debut album, The Awakening, which discussed his colonial ancestry and losing his mother to suicide.^[4] To support the album, Benson embarked on a tour of New Zealand churches.^[2] In 2009, Benson presented A Performance in Openness, a commission by the Auckland Art Gallery in response to Te Papa's Rita Angus: Life & Vision retrospective, for which he performed nude.^[5]

In 2009 Benson enrolled in a Māori studies course at the University of Auckland.^[4] The following year he released Forest: Songs by Hirini Melbourne, an album of a cappella Māori language waiata composed by Hirini Melbourne, which focused on his concerns for native birdlife in New Zealand.^[1][6] The album was nominated for the 2011 Taite Music Prize,^[7] and in 2012 Benson partnered with independent label HEADZ to release his first two albums in Japan.^[6][8] Afterwards, Benson moved to Dunedin, where he spent eight years developing his third album Zealandia (2018).^[4] In 2014 he won an Arts Foundation of New Zealand New Generation Award.^[6]

In 2020, Benson and his then-partner Josh Thomas opened Woof!, a pub and cocktail bar near The Octagon, Dunedin.^[9][2] In April 2022, the bar was inundated with negative reviews and abuse after insisting that customers would continue to be required to use My Vaccine Pass as proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status despite their Instagram page saying “all welcome”. After the negative views received media attention, the bar celebrated its busiest week since opening.^[10] In the same year, the bar won the supreme establishment award at the Otago Hospitality Awards.^[11]

Benson lives in Dunedin with his ex-partner Josh Thomas, who formerly directed the Dunedin Fringe Festival.^[4][12] The couple separated in 2021.^[13] In 2015, the couple's Jack Russell Terrier Rupert received widespread media attention, after going missing and spending 13 nights lost in the Dunedin bush.^[4][12]

Benson's former father-in-law is New Zealand artist Nigel Brown.^[4]

• Official website