Ben Barnes has seen his music resonate with fans in unexpected ways, inspiring everything from heartfelt covers to emotional embraces—and even pole dancing.
“A surprising amount of pole dancing. I have no idea where that comes from, but it was just so wonderful to see people responding to my music in such a personal way,” Barnes, 43, told Us Weekly in an exclusive interview. “If I can make pop music as a man in his 40s, then people can absolutely go after whatever it is they want to do.”
The actor—best known for his roles in The Chronicles of Narnia, Westworld, Shadow & Bone, and more—released his full-length album, Where the Light Gets In, earlier this month.
Featuring soulful vocals, uplifting lyrics, and piano-driven melodies, the album might never have come to life had Barnes not rekindled his love for the instrument decades after quitting lessons.
“I took one lesson when I was about 8, and the teacher was just this horrible old witch. She shamed me at the end of the lesson, and I remember it vividly,” he recalled. “I thought, ‘Well, I’m not going back to piano. Piano is stupid.’ I know it’s important to live without regrets and to appreciate the journey that brings you to where you are. But if I had just gone back the next week…”
A Mother’s Influence
It was Barnes’ mother, Tricia, who ultimately inspired him to return to the piano more than 25 years later, during her battle with ovarian cancer.
“In my mid-30s, I had a conversation with my mom about priorities. She wasn’t very well at the time, and I told her, ‘My priorities are to do this, and this, and this.’ And one of them was playing more music,” Barnes shared.
“She’s incredibly wise, and she said, ‘Those aren’t your priorities. Those are just things you’d like to see yourself doing—dreams you have. Your priorities are the things you actually make a priority.’”
His mother’s words were the wake-up call he needed to start dedicating time to music. “That one conversation—it wasn’t even a long one—just floored me. It made me realize that the things I wanted to prioritize, I had to actively put at the top of my list,” he said.
“So, I took a few lessons, started spending time at the piano, and now it’s become a place of real solace for me. After a long day of filming, I sit at the piano, play a few chords, and it just brings me peace. It was truly invaluable advice.”
Taylor Swift (Photo: Getty Images)A Natural Songwriter
Though he picked up the keyboard later in life, Barnes discovered he had unknowingly been preparing to be a songwriter for years.
“I would meet well-established musicians who would explain musical structures, chord progressions, or key changes—things I didn’t completely understand,” he said. “Then they’d say, ‘I’m struggling with the second verse of this song. Do you think you could take a look at the lyrics?’ And that’s when I thought, ‘Finally! My literature degree is actually useful!’”
For Barnes, realizing he had a natural ability for lyricism later in life was incredibly rewarding. “It’s amazing to discover something you’re good at, even if it happens much later than expected,” he said.
Music vs. Acting
Barnes’ lyrics carry a message of optimism and hope—quite the contrast from the dark, complex characters he’s played on screen in recent years. His song Beloved explores the struggle of accepting love (“You’re so beloved, so be loved”), while Slow It Down has the intimacy of a proposal (“Share your baby names with me / Stand at family graves with me”).
Despite his experience portraying villains, Barnes doesn’t feel that his acting influences his songwriting. However, he acknowledged that music became a necessary outlet. “It was nice to come home after long days of playing the villain and sit at the piano to write these more sentimental songs,” he said. “There’s definitely some comfort in that.”
But this sense of hopefulness isn’t just a musical theme—it’s a fundamental part of who he is. “I think that positivity and hope are intrinsic to who I am and the kind of man I want to be,” Barnes explained.
“Life is short and precious. We should approach it with love, including self-love. No matter what I set out to write about, that message always seems to find its way into my songs. It’s just a part of me.”
On Tour
Barnes is currently wrapping up the U.S. leg of his tour, with his final stateside performance set for Saturday, February 1, in New York City. He will then take his music to the U.K. and Europe before returning to play Los Angeles on March 5. Tickets are available now.
