Benny Blanco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Benny Blanco
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Blanco in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Benjamin Joseph Levin |
| Born | March 8, 1988 Reston, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop |
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| Years active | 2007–present |
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Benjamin Joseph Levin (born March 8, 1988), who is known by his stage name Benny Blanco, is an American record producer and songwriter. He is famous for writing and producing hit songs for some of the world's biggest music stars.
Blanco has worked with artists like Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Rihanna, BTS, and his fiancée, Selena Gomez. In total, the music he has helped create has sold over 500 million copies worldwide. For his work, he has won many awards, including five BMI Songwriter of the Year awards and the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In 2018, Blanco started releasing his own music. His first single, "Eastside" with Halsey and Khalid, was a huge hit. It reached the top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. He later released the album Friends Keep Secrets. In 2025, he and Selena Gomez released a collaborative album called I Said I Love You First.
Contents
Early Life
Benny Blanco was born in Reston, Virginia. He is Jewish. He fell in love with music when he was six years old after hearing Nas's song "The World Is Yours" and All-4-One's "I Swear".
He started making his own hip-hop beats in his bedroom. He also began rapping, and his talent got noticed by The Source magazine and Columbia Records. He chose the stage name Benny Blanco after a character from the 1993 movie Carlito's Way. To follow his dream, he traveled from Virginia to New York City many times to meet with music producers. He eventually started working with producer Disco D.
Music Career
Working as a Producer
Blanco's career took off when he began working with producer Dr. Luke. Together, they co-wrote and co-produced massive hits. These included Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" and Kesha's "TiK ToK".
In 2008, he helped write and produce the song "Circus" for Britney Spears. The song was a worldwide success and became one of the best-selling songs of 2009.
By 2011, Blanco was creating hits on his own. He worked on Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger" and Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts". He continued to work with Maroon 5 on their album Overexposed and the hit single "Payphone".
Over the years, Blanco has helped create 29 number-one songs for artists like Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, the Weeknd, Ariana Grande, and Camila Cabello.
Becoming a Solo Artist
After years of working behind the scenes, Blanco started releasing his own music in 2018. His first song as a lead artist was "Eastside", a collaboration with Halsey and Khalid. The song was a global hit.
He followed this with more singles, including "I Found You" with Calvin Harris and "Roses" with Juice Wrld and Brendon Urie. These songs were part of his first album, Friends Keep Secrets, released in December 2018.
In 2020, he released the song "Lonely" with Justin Bieber. A new version of his album, called Friends Keep Secrets 2, came out in March 2021. In August 2022, he released "Bad Decisions" with members of BTS and Snoop Dogg.
In February 2025, Blanco and Selena Gomez announced their joint album, I Said I Love You First. It was released on March 21, 2025, and featured the single "Scared of Loving You".
Other Projects
TV and Books
In 2020, Blanco appeared in the TV show Dave, playing a version of himself. He also started a cooking show on YouTube with chef Matty Matheson called Matty and Benny Eat Out America. In 2021, they launched another show called Stupid ... Cooking Show.
In April 2024, Blanco released his first cookbook, Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends. The book became a best seller and includes recipes and advice from Blanco and his famous friends.
Record Labels
In 2014, Blanco started his own record labels, Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets, as part of Interscope Records. He signed artists like Tory Lanez, Jessie Ware, and Cashmere Cat. In 2024, he began running a new version of the famous A&M Records label for Interscope.
Personal Life
Blanco has been in a relationship with singer and actress Selena Gomez since June 2023. The couple announced their engagement on December 11, 2024.
Discography
Blanco has a long history of writing and producing songs for other artists. He has also released his own albums and singles.
Studio Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||
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| US | CAN | AUS | |||
| Friends Keep Secrets |
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41 | 21 | 39 |
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Collaborative Albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | CAN | UK | ||
| I Said I Love You First (with Selena Gomez) |
2 | 6 | 4 | |
Awards and Recognition
Benny Blanco has received many awards for his work in music. Here are some of the highlights:
- BMI Awards: He has won Songwriter of the Year five times.
- Songwriters Hall of Fame: In 2013, he received the Hal David Starlight Award, which honors young songwriters who have made a big impact.
- Grammy Awards: He has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, including for Album of the Year and Song of the Year.
- iHeartRadio Music Awards: He was named Producer of the Year in 2017.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
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| 2020 | Dave | Actor and Producer |
| 2021 | Juice Wrld: Into the Abyss | Himself |
| 2023 | The Eric Andre Show | Himself |
See also
In Spanish: Benny Blanco para niños
