benny blanco

Biography

Benjamin Joseph Levin (born March 8, 1988), known professionally as benny blanco, is an American record producer, songwriter, and artist. He was born in Virginia and began making hip-hop instrumentals in his bedroom. His early exposure to music included Nas' "The World Is Yours" and All-4-One's "I Swear," which influenced his production style. His rapping skills caught the attention of Columbia Records, and he later apprenticed with producer Disco D.

Career as a Producer and Songwriter

Blanco was mentored by producer Dr. Luke, who signed him to his production company. This led to him co-writing and co-producing numerous hits. Throughout his career, he has worked with a wide range of major artists including Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, and Britney Spears. Some of the major hits he has co-written and produced include "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry, "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5, and "Diamonds" by Rihanna. His work has resulted in the sale of over 500 million album-equivalent units. He has won five BMI Songwriter of the Year Awards and was named the 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year. In 2013, he received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Notable Collaborations

Blanco has collaborated with a vast array of artists across different genres. His discography includes work with pop icons like Britney Spears on the song "Circus," and Kesha on "TiK ToK." He has also worked with artists such as SZA, The Weeknd, and Juice Wrld. His collaborative efforts have resulted in 29 number-one songs.

Solo Career

In 2018, benny blanco launched his career as a lead artist with the single "Eastside," a collaboration with Halsey and Khalid. The song peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. This was followed by his debut album, "FRIENDS KEEP SECRETS," released in December 2018. A deluxe version, "FRIENDS KEEP SECRETS 2," was released in 2021 and included the hit song "Lonely" with Justin Bieber. Under Interscope Records, he founded the labels Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets.

Personal Life

Born Benjamin Joseph Levin, he is of Jewish heritage. He has been in a relationship with singer and actress Selena Gomez since 2023, and they announced their engagement in December 2024. Beyond music, he has ventured into other creative fields, including authoring a cookbook titled "Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends" and appearing in the FXX television series "Dave."