Benny Blanco

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Benny Blanco
File:Bennyblancostudio.jpg
Background information
Birth name Benjamin Levin
Born (1988-03-08) March 8, 1988 (age 36)
Origin Reston, Virginia, US
Genres Pop, R&B, hip hop, pop rock, electronica, dance-pop, synthpop
Occupation(s) Rapper, musician, songwriter, record producer, remixer

Benjamin Levin (born March 8, 1988), professionally known as Benny Blanco, is an American rapper, musician, songwriter and record producer. He has written/cowritten and produced songs for artists such as Katy Perry ("California Gurls", "Teenage Dream"), Ed Sheeran ("Don't"), Rihanna ("Diamonds"), Justin Bieber ("Love Yourself"), Selena Gomez ("Same Old Love"), Maroon 5 ("Moves like Jagger, "Payphone", "Maps", "Animals"), Britney Spears ("Circus", "Shattered Glass", "Lace and Leather"), Taio Cruz ("Dynamite"), Kesha ("Tik Tok", "Die Young"), Gym Class Heroes ("Stereo Hearts", "Ass Back Home"), Wiz Khalifa ("Work Hard, Play Hard", "No Sleep"), Gwen Stefani ("Baby Don't Lie") and Trey Songz ("Heart Attack").

Early in his career, Blanco worked with Dr. Luke, and has also collaborated with Shellback, Ryan Tedder, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Dan Wilson, Mike Posner, Max Martin, Sean Paul and Paul Epworth.[citation needed]

Additionally, Blanco received the Songwriter of the Year Award at the BMI Pop Awards in early 2012.[citation needed] and has sold approximately 100 million albums worldwide.

Life and career

The Beginning & Disco D

Blanco, a Virginia native,[1] began by making beats in his bedroom and his first serious exposure to music came in 1994 with the cassette singles: Nas's "The World Is Yours" and "I Swear" by All-4-One. Blanco's rapping earned the attention of The Source and executives at Columbia Records. Levin eventually secured an apprenticeship with producer Disco D.[2]

In 2007 Blanco and Spank Rock collaborated on Bangers & Cash, a collaborative EP. Blanco went on to work with Amanda Blank and Santigold.

2008–present

Blanco was mentored by songwriter/producer Dr. Luke.

He worked on several tracks on Maroon 5's album Overexposed, including the lead single "Payphone" featuring Wiz Khalifa.

On June 13, 2013, Blanco was awarded with the Hal David Starlight Award at the 44th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony, awarded to young artists who have already made an impression on the music industry. In his acceptance speech, he joked, saying, "They picked the wrong person, I'm in a room with people I should probably be serving food to."

Record Labels

In 2014, Blanco started two imprint labels under Interscope Records. He founded Mad Love Records, signing the band Rixton in conjunction with their manager Scooter Braun's School Boy Records,[3] as well as Ryn Weaver, and Tory Lanez.[4] His second label, Friends Keep Secrets, was started for Blanco to sign and develop passion project artists in an indie-spirited manner. FKS's current roster includes Cashmere Cat, BenZel (Blanco's own artist project with Two Inch Punch), and Jessie Ware.

Discography[5]

Title Year Album Songwriter Producer
"Send Some Shooters" 2007 Hell RellEat with Me or Eat a Box of Bullets
YesY
"Shake That" Spank RockBangers & Cash
YesY
YesY
"B-O-O-T-A-Y"
YesY
YesY
"Pu$$y"
YesY
YesY
"Bitch!"
YesY
YesY
"Loose"
YesY
YesY
"Circus" 2008 Britney SpearsCircus
YesY
YesY
"Shattered Glass"
YesY
YesY
"Lace and Leather"
YesY
YesY
"Broken Pieces" Lil MamaVoice of the Young People
YesY
"Hot n Cold" Katy PerryOne of the Boys
YesY
YesY
"I Kissed a Girl"
YesY
YesY
"Don't Ask Why" Vanessa HudgensIdentified
YesY
"Amazed"
YesY
"Set It Off"
YesY
"Identified"
YesY
"Watch You Go" 2009 Jordin SparksBattlefield
YesY
YesY
"Tell Me What Your Name Is" CiaraFantasy Ride
YesY
YesY
"Dollhouse" Priscilla ReneaJukebox
YesY
YesY
"Touch Me" Flo RidaR.O.O.T.S
YesY
YesY
"Don't Trust Me" 3OH!3Want
YesY
YesY
"Rich Man"
YesY
YesY
"So Human" Lady SovereignJigsaw
YesY
YesY
"Pennies"
YesY
YesY
"Stupid Love Letter" Friday Night BoysOff The Deep End
YesY
YesY
"Dynamite" 2010 Taio CruzRokstarr
YesY
YesY
"Eenie Meenie" Justin Bieber & Sean KingstonMy World 2.0
YesY
YesY
"Blah Blah Blah" Ke$haAnimal
YesY
YesY
"Tik Tok"
YesY
YesY
"Party at a Rich Dude's House"
YesY
YesY
"Dancing With Tears in My Eyes"
YesY
YesY
"Blind"
YesY
YesY
"Your Love Is My Drug"
YesY
YesY
"Somebody to Love (Remix)" Justin Bieber & UsherVersus
YesY
YesY
"California Gurls" Katy PerryTeenage Dream
YesY
YesY
"Teenage Dream"
YesY
YesY
"My First Kiss" 3OH!3Streets of Gold
YesY
YesY
"Streets of Gold"
YesY
YesY
"Double Vision"
YesY
YesY
"Please Don't Go" Mike Posner31 Minutes to Takeoff
YesY
YesY
"Cheated"
YesY
YesY
"We R Who we R" Ke$haCannibal
YesY
YesY
"Sleazy"
YesY
YesY
"Blow"
YesY
YesY
"Grow A Pear"
YesY
YesY
"Who Dat Girl" Flo RidaOnly One Flo
YesY
YesY
"Get Over U" 2011 Neon Hitch – Non-album singles
YesY
YesY
"Bad Dog"
YesY
YesY
"Silly Girl"
YesY
YesY
"(Drop Dead) Beautiful" Britney SpearsFemme Fatale
YesY
YesY
"Gasoline"
YesY
YesY
"No Sleep" Wiz KhalifaRolling Papers
YesY
YesY
"Stereo Hearts" Gym Class HeroesThe Papercut Chronicles II
YesY
YesY
"Ass Back Home"
YesY
YesY
"Moves Like Jagger" Maroon 5Hands All Over
YesY
YesY
"Come N Go" PitbullPlanet Pit
YesY
YesY
"She Doesn't Mind" Sean PaulTomahawk Technique
YesY
YesY
"Fuck U Betta" 2012 Neon Hitch – Non-album singles
YesY
YesY
"Gold"
YesY
YesY
"Heart Attack" Trey SongzChapter 5
YesY
YesY
"Masquerade" Nicki MinajPink Friday: Roman Reloaded
YesY
YesY
"Payphone" Maroon 5Overexposed
YesY
YesY
"Beautiful Goodbye"
YesY
YesY
"Work Hard, Play Hard" Wiz KhalifaO.N.I.F.C.
YesY
YesY
"Naked Love" Adam LambertTrespassing (album)
YesY
YesY
"Seasons" RomeDedication EP
YesY
YesY
"Oz of Love"
YesY
YesY
"Die Young" KeshaWarrior
YesY
YesY
"C'Mon"
YesY
YesY
"Thinking of You"
YesY
YesY
"Crazy Kids"
YesY
YesY
"Supernatural"
YesY
YesY
"Last Goodbye"
YesY
YesY
"Diamonds" RihannaUnapologetic
YesY
YesY
"Turn Around" Conor MaynardContrast
YesY
YesY
"Blow" Ke$haDeconstructed
YesY
YesY
"Die Young"
YesY
YesY
"Supernatural"
YesY
"Natalie" Bruno MarsUnorthodox Jukebox
YesY
YesY
"If I Lose Myself" 2013 One RepublicNative
YesY
YesY
"Something I Need"
YesY
YesY
"Fall Down" Will.i.am#willpower
YesY
YesY
"Thunder" Jessie JAlive
YesY
YesY
"Other Side of Love"[6] Sean PaulFull Frequency
YesY
YesY
"Shame"[7] Keith UrbanFuse
YesY
YesY
"This Moment" Katy PerryPrism
YesY
YesY
"It Takes Two"
YesY
YesY
"Cannonball" Lea MicheleLouder
YesY
YesY
"Make A Move" Gavin Degraw - Make A Move YesY YesY
"Top of the World" Mike PosnerPages
YesY
YesY
"Losing Sleep" John Newman - Tribute YesY YesY
"Just Another Night" 2014 Icona Pop - This Is... Icona Pop YesY YesY
"We All Want the Same Thing" RixtonLet The Road
YesY
YesY
"Hotel Ceiling"
YesY
YesY
"Me and My Broken Heart"
YesY
YesY
"Appreciated"
YesY
YesY
"Maps" Maroon 5V
YesY
YesY
"Animals"
YesY
YesY
"Leaving California"
YesY
YesY
"My Heart Is Open"
YesY
YesY
"Shoot Love"
YesY
"Black Widow" Iggy AzaleaThe New Classic
YesY
YesY
"Don't Ed Sheeran - X
YesY
YesY
"Why Try" Ariana GrandeMy Everything
YesY
YesY
"Be My Baby"
YesY
YesY
"Wait On Me" RixtonLet The Road
YesY
YesY
"Tough Love" Jessie Ware - Tough Love
YesY
YesY
"You and I Forever"
YesY
YesY
"Say You Love Me"
YesY
YesY
"Kind Of... Sometimes... Maybe"
YesY
YesY
"Champagne Kisses"
YesY
YesY
"Baby Don't Lie" Gwen Stefani - Non Album Single YesY YesY
"Caught In The Middle" Charli XCX - Sucker YesY YesY
"The Fool (Album)" 2015 Ryn Weaver - The Fool
YesY
YesY
"Lifted Up (1985)" Passion Pit - Kindred
YesY
YesY
"Whole Life Story"
YesY
YesY
"All I Want"
YesY
YesY
"Until We Can't (Let's Go)"
YesY
YesY
"Kill Em with Kindness" Selena Gomez - Revival
YesY
YesY
"Same Old Love"
YesY
YesY
"When Love Hurts" JoJo - III.
YesY
YesY
"R.I.P. 2 My Youth" The Neighbourhood - Wiped Out!
YesY
YesY
"Fire and the Flood" Vance Joy - Dream Your Life Away
YesY
YesY
"Straight Into Your Arms"
YesY
YesY
"...goingtohell" Miguel - Wildheart
YesY
YesY
"Love Yourself" Justin Bieber - Purpose YesY YesY
"Sitting Pretty ft. Wiz Khalifa" Ty Dolla $ign - Free TC YesY YesY

Single Peaks

The following singles peaked inside the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot 100 Airplay (Radio Songs) and/or the UK Singles Chart.

Awards and nominations

  • Grammy Awards
    • 2014: Album of the Year - "X" - Ed Sheeran (Nominated)
    • 2014: Best Pop Vocal Album - "X" - Ed Sheeran (Nominated)
    • 2013: Best Urban Contemporary Album - "Unapologetic" - Rihanna (Won)
    • 2013: Best Pop Vocal Album - "Unorthodox Jukebox" - Bruno Mars (Won)
    • 2013: Best R&B Song of the Year – "Heart Attack" - Trey Songz (Nominated)
    • 2013: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – "Payphone" - Maroon 5 (Nominated)
    • 2013: Best Pop Vocal Album – "Overexposed" - Maroon 5 (Nominated)
    • 2012: Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – "Moves Like Jagger" - Maroon 5 (Nominated)
    • 2011: Album of the Year – Teenage Dream – Katy Perry (Nominated)
  • Songwriters Hall of Fame
    • 2013: Hal David Starlight Award (Won)
  • BMI Awards
    • 2013: Urban Songwriter of the Year (Won)
    • 2012: Most Performed Pop Song – Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 (Won)
    • 2012: Songwriter of the Year (Won)
    • 2011: Songwriter of the Year (Won)

References

External links

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.