Philadelphia native and current Atlanta resident, singer-songwriter Jesse Ruben will release his newest LP, Belong, produced by Dwight A. Baker (Brandi Carlisle, Bob Schneider, Blue October) on October 10 and tour in support of the album’s release including record celebration events at City Winery in Philadelphia and Mercury Lounge in NYC.  The ten-song release explores themes of mental health, living with a chronic illness, long term relationships, and how essential community is for everyone’s survival and ability to thrive. Belong is filled with Jesse’s signature catchy melodies, introspective lyrics, and an emotional mix of pop, rock, and folk influences including Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Ben Folds, Matt Nathanson, and Ray LaMontagne.

The bulk of the album was recorded during the pandemic, though its release was derailed by complications due to Lyme disease. Jesse has been managing the disease for over a decade with its initial bout from 2013-2016 forcing a pause in his rising career. “The only way to get through difficult things is with the help of other people, not hiding and trying to do everything yourself,” he says. “It’s about honesty, and vulnerability, and telling the truth even when it’s scary or uncomfortable. Especially when it’s scary or uncomfortable.”

The LP kicks off with the title track, which serves as a sonic thesis statement. “It was during COVID and I was really struggling mentally,” says Jesse. “I just don’t think I’m cut out for that level of isolation. My wife and I didn’t leave a 10 block radius of our Brooklyn apartment for 18 months. I was starting to lose my mind. And the line that I kept coming back to over and over again, the message I wanted to give to the rest of humanity was simple. You and I belong together. 
 

“Future” is a gentle piano ballad that allows the songwriter to recount the moment he met his now wife. “Every once in a while, you have a moment or a conversation or event that changes the course of your life forever,” he explains. “And what’s even rarer is realizing you are in one of those moments as they are happening. When my wife walked into the bar on our first date, I knew at that moment that we were going to get married. This song is about being in that moment.”  Watch the official video for “Future” here.
 

“Trying My Best” finds Jesse creating a relatable community with his fans and friends. “One of the aspects of performing live that has always felt strange to me is the inequality of one person literally being on a pedestal (on stage) while the rest of the audience looks up at them. I was trying to write a song that put everyone on the same level. Everyone is dealing with stuff. Really challenging stuff. And for the most part, no one is talking about it. So this is a song for people’s stuff. The stuff that keeps you up at night. The stuff that drives you crazy. The stuff that you think is never ever ever going to get better. Well, if I can be as sick as I was, for as long as I was, and be healthy enough to tour and write and travel, then no matter what you have going on, you’re going to be okay.”
 

With the shadowy “Monster,” the songwriter explores his own decade-long struggle with health challenges and the fight to be understood. “I’ve been dealing with Lyme disease for over a decade. It is a unique illness, because it is a systematic illness, as opposed to a symptomatic illness. It attacks the different systems of your body, seemingly randomly, which means at any moment what you are feeling and how severe it is can change at a moment’s notice. On top of that, there is currently no accurate diagnostic test for Lyme disease, which means many patients are told that they are not actually sick, or it’s all in their head. Combine the physical suffering, lack of support from the medical community, and the financial stress on top of being told that you’re making it up, and you have a recipe for disaster. I wrote this song because I was begging for the people in my life to believe me and take it seriously.”
 

Segueing from the darkness of “Monster,” into the upbeat light of “Champion,” Jesse honors the love he has for his spouse. “This song came out of a conversation about how if the apocalypse comes (insert snarky but also nervous comment here about the state of the world), my skill set will be the least helpful. I’m not handy, I barely know my way around a kitchen, and like most artists, I can be, a lot. But loving my wife? That I can do pretty darn well.”
 

The compassionate and sparse, “Different,” declares, “just because someone is different, don’t mean their love matters less.” “I don’t understand why we keep choosing a group of people to blame for our problems,” he says. “I don’t understand using the Bible as justification for taking someone’s rights away. Let people love who they love.”
 

The acoustic “Whole World Watches,” touches on the emotions that come with living through the current political landscape of the United States. “We have given him enough chances. He is not fit to lead. I am so scared at what is happening right now. I am so worried about how bad it is going to get. We are an embarrassment on the global stage.”
 

Inspired by fellow Philadelphia musician, Liz Longley, “I Believe You, Elizabeth,” is upbeat and features Americana-tinged guitars with a wink to Nashville. “I wrote this song after seeing my brilliant friend Liz Longley perform in New York. I was having a terrible day for some reason, and after the show I felt so much better. I realized I was reaching for her music whenever I needed a reminder that everything is going to be okay. As a songwriter myself, that’s the highest compliment I can give to someone, because that is exactly what I want my songs to be for people.”

“You’re Not Here,” is a wistful ballad spotlighting Jesse on the piano and is underscored by brushes on a jazz inspired snare. “I grew up listening to all of the great singer/songwriters – James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, etc. But I was also raised on The Great American Songbook. I think Sinatra is the greatest singer that ever lived. So whenever I make an album, I try to include one song that is inspired by that era. This song was about being on the road early in my relationship, where our biggest problem wasn’t that we were fighting, or miscommunication. It was simply that we were so far apart.”

The album’s final song finds Jesse alone at the piano with the reflective and melancholy, “Will I Ever Find the Light.”  “I think as a society we have done a good job of starting to talk about mental health, and the impact it can have on your life. The reality is, patients with chronic Lyme disease are 12 times more likely to take their own lives compared to the rest of society. We are not designed to suffer, day after day after day, with no end in sight. I didn’t know anything about having a chronic illness until I got one. I would not wish it on my worst enemy.”

Don’t Miss Jesse Ruben On Tour!

9/11  Annapolis Songwriters Festival              Annapolis, MD
9/26  Mercury Lounge                                     New York, NY*
9/27  City Winery                                             Philadelphia, PA*
9/28  Capital One Hall                                     Tysons, VA*
10/2  Quarry Hill Winery                                  Berlin Heights, OH
10/3  The Rialto Theatre                                  Akron, OH*
10/4  20 Front Street                                        Lake Orion, MI*
10/18  House Concert                                      Greenville, SC
10/18  Running with Headphones Concerts     Winston-Salem, SC

*with JD Eicher 

Jesse Ruben is a singer/songwriter from Philadelphia, PA, who spent years in Brooklyn, NY honing his craft and currently calling Atlanta, GA home. Best known for his lyrical storytelling and engaging live shows, his songs have been heard on more than a dozen TV shows in the US and abroad including One Tree Hill, Degrassi, Teen Mom, Switched at Birth, and The Bachelor (Germany). His single “This Is Why I Need You” reached the top 10 in 12 different countries, and has been streamed more than 70 million times across all platforms. He has recorded live sessions for NPR and MTV Asia, and has been featured on PBS.

Beyond his music career, Ruben is highly active in philanthropic endeavors. He has run the NYC Marathon three times for The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the largest non-profit devoted to spinal cord injuries, and five times to raise money for Lyme disease research. He is a co-founder of Generation Lyme, a community built to empower people facing Lyme disease through sharing patient stories and hosting online Meet-ups. In addition, he is the founder of The We Can Project, an initiative for young students designed to help them discover their passions and give back to their communities. To date, more than 800,000 young people have participated. To promote the program, he was personally invited by Hoda Kotb to perform live on The Today Show.

Find Jesse Ruben Online

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