Benny Blanco
Benjamin Joseph Levin (born March 8, 1988), known professionally as Benny Blanco, is an American record producer, songwriter, record executive, author and actor. He is the recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[2] He also won the BMI Songwriter of the Year Award five non-consecutive times, and won the 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year Award.
Benny Blanco
Benjamin Joseph Levin
March 8, 1988
Reston, Virginia, U.S.
- Record producer
- songwriter
- record executive
- author
- actor
2007–present
- Mad Love
- Interscope
- Friends Keep Secrets
Levin was initially mentored by songwriter and producer Dr. Luke, who signed Levin to his production company Kasz Money Productions. Under his tutelage, Levin co-produced and co-wrote a multitude of hit singles in the late 2000s and thereafter. Levin's work has led to sales of over 500 million album-equivalent units worldwide for artists including Ed Sheeran, BTS, Justin Bieber, Halsey, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Christina Aguilera, Kesha, Britney Spears, Rihanna, Sia, The Weeknd, Kanye West, Avicii, Selena Gomez, Adam Lambert, Charlie Puth, Keith Urban, OneRepublic, Wiz Khalifa, J Balvin, Kali Uchis, Juice Wrld and SZA.
In July 2018, Levin released his debut single as a lead artist, "Eastside" (with Halsey and Khalid).[3] The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100—marking his 27th top-ten song as a writer, a sum which includes seven number one singles on the chart—while peaking the charts in four countries, and reaching the top ten in several others.[4] It was followed by the singles "I Found You" (with Calvin Harris), "Better to Lie" (with Jesse and Swae Lee), "Roses" (with Brendon Urie and Juice Wrld), and "Graduation" (with Juice Wrld). His debut studio album, Friends Keep Secrets was released in December of that year to modest success.[5] A deluxe issue of the album was released in March 2021, a date which coincided with the original receiving platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[6]
Levin has founded two labels as imprints of Interscope Records—Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets—in 2014, through both of which he has signed artists including Tory Lanez, Jessie Ware, and Cashmere Cat, among others.[7]
Life and career[edit]
Career beginnings[edit]
Blanco, who is Jewish[8] and a native of Northern Virginia,[9] began producing hip-hop instrumentals in his bedroom and recording his own vocals on top of them. His first serious exposure to music came in 1994, when he was six years old with Nas's "The World Is Yours" and All-4-One's "I Swear" on cassette tapes, which influenced his early productions.[10][11] After early experiments with beat making and recording himself on his boombox, Blanco's rapping earned the attention of The Source and executives at Columbia Records. He attended Camp Airy for many years of his childhood in Thurmont, Maryland, where he would routinely perform and host a radio show under the name "Ebba Ebba".
Blanco eventually secured an apprenticeship with producer Disco D after multiple trips to New York City from his home in Virginia to meet with labels and producers.[11]
In 2014, Blanco founded two imprint labels under Interscope, Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets. The former label includes the following artists, many of whom were initially signed with the former, which served as its predecessor.[32][33]
Personal life[edit]
Blanco has been in a relationship with Selena Gomez since July 2023.[40][41]