Ben Miller
Never Stops Chasing That Feeling
Small Town, Big Sound
Ben Miller grew up in Dunsborough, a small town three hours south of Perth, and the picture he paints has almost nothing to do with studios or clubs.
“Growing up in such a beautiful part of the world I basically spent most of my childhood going to the beach, surfing, fishing, skating, playing football with my mates, listening to music & being a bit of a ratbag.”
Music was just part of the noise of that life, not the point of it. The house he grew up in was already doing the work before he knew it.
“My mum looooved Queen so I clearly remember afternoons jamming to records like ‘Don't Stop Me Now’ or ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ thinking I was already a f**king rockstar ahah. Mum was right into funk/disco music so there was plenty of Rick James, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Curtis Mayfield etc.”
His dad pulled in the opposite direction, “more of a rock n roll dude so lots of ACDC, KISS, the stones etc,” with hip hop layered in on the side. “My childhood was a melting pot of sounds.” It was the kind of upbringing that leaves you with taste before you ever have a genre.
Living in a Bubble
Dance music didn't arrive until his late teens, and when it did, it came in almost entirely local.
“My early inspirations in dance music were certainly very Aus focused through acts like The Presets, Hermitude, Flume, Flight Facilities, Cut Copy, Pnau, Touch Sensitive etc. Apart from maybe Daft Punk & Calvin Harris I was definitely living in a bit of a bubble during those early years of discovering dance music.”
One record cracked that bubble open completely.
“I clearly remember the moment I heard Kaytranada's album 99.9% and became obsessed with it. I would basically play that album from start to finish & then repeat it.”
He caught Kaytranada live in Perth not long after, and still calls it one of the best nights of his life. “I still think he's the coolest cat in the biz!!!” But it was a Franky Rizardo set at a 200 capacity Perth club that turned that obsession into intent.
“Franky's set basically consisted of 90% of his own productions & edits, the crowd knew all the lyrics and main moments of his productions. I remember leaving that gig with a very keen interest in experiencing that same special feeling of playing your own music in a club & getting the same crowd response.”
That night is the one he points to as the real beginning.
Teaching Himself the Hard Way
There was no shortcut once he decided to make his own music, and he's the first to admit it wasn't pretty.
“A complete nightmare ahah I'm such a control freak so trying to teach myself a program like Ableton in those early days was pretty frustrating.”
A Perth producer named Paul Scott eventually steadied him, and the lesson stuck long after the technical stuff faded.
“He taught me how to have fun creating and taking risks rather than getting bogged down in the technical side of producing. Those foundations still stick with me today.”
It's the kind of foundation that outlasts whatever software changes around it.
Studio Chemistry
His partnership with Marco Lys started the moment Marco landed in Australia in 2023, and it produced something lasting almost immediately.
“We wrote ‘Give It To Me’ in that first session which is still my favourite release to this day.”
The chemistry has stuck ever since, and Ben talks about it in terms that go beyond the music. “He's the ultimate example of being in it for the right reasons.” His breakout on Danny Howard's Nothing Else Matters almost happened by accident, tucked in behind a demo that fell through.
“I nearly didn't send it cause I thought it needed more work but I always had a good feeling about that one. The mix sucked but the idea was fun so I'm grateful for Danny and the label seeing potential.”
Ask him how he knows when a session is actually working and the answer skips the technical talk entirely.
“It sounds cheesy but when you've been making music for long enough you just get a feeling when you're onto something solid. No drug will beat that feeling ahah.”
The Cosigns and Crossing the Pacific
Mau P, Hot Since 82, Jamie Jones, Patrick Topping, Danny Howard, TSHA, Toman and Pete Tong have all played his records, and it still means something every time.
“It's the ultimate stamp of approval for me. Numbers are nice but big DJ's spinning my music is a timeless feeling that I'll never get sick of.”
That kind of support doesn't just validate the work, it builds momentum, and it's now carrying him through his first proper run across North America.
“A lot of planning and hard work went into this tour and getting my visa organised in time so it feels amazing to finally be here. It's certainly eye opening seeing the level of opportunity here and also the welcoming and uplifting culture across America.”
The route follows cities he's been eyeing for two years.
“I've always wanted to visit places like Mexico, Canada and Texas. It's a cool feeling knowing my music has connected this far across the world and allowed me to travel here.”
It's a long way from that courtyard club in Perth.
Life Outside the Music
Away from the studio there isn't much of a line to draw. Ben still works full time as an A&R at a record label, and rather than pulling focus, the job feeds the music.
“My label job constantly keeps me inspired so I'm always going home with ideas and I've never felt like producing is a chore or work to do every night or weekend.”
The real growth over the years has been learning when to step back instead of pushing through. “It's much more productive to revisit things with solid ideas rather than force it.” Ask what's left on the list and he doesn't run out of answers. Space Miami, DC-10, ilMuretto in Italy and Lost Paradise back home are all in the sights, alongside a Euro summer, a run through South America and pockets of Asia still untouched. There's even talk of a label or party imprint down the line, though he's careful not to make it sound settled.
“I'm not sure if there'll ever be a time when I've felt like I've done everything. My brain is always ticking and I'm always chasing that carrot ahah.”
For Ben, that restlessness is the whole point.
There is a lot more to come from Ben Miller, and we are here for all of it.
