Alec Benjamin
Alec Shane Benjamin[5] (born May 28, 1994[6]) is an American singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona. His 2018 breakthrough single "Let Me Down Slowly" reached the top 40 in over 25 countries and has amassed over 1.3 billion streams on Spotify as of May 2023.[7] Benjamin primarily writes and sings songs in English, but has released versions of his songs "Older", "The Way You Felt", "Water Fountain", "Devil Doesn't Bargain", “Shadow of Mine”, and "Nuance" in Mandarin Chinese.[8]
Alec Benjamin | |
|---|---|
 Benjamin in 2019 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Alec Shane Benjamin |
| Born | May 28, 1994 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | www |
Early life
Benjamin was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and lived in Long Island, New York during kindergarten and first grade.[9]
He has a sister, for whom he wrote the song "If We Have Each Other".[10]
Career
Initially, Benjamin signed with Columbia Records while still enrolled at University of Southern California.[11] However, Columbia Records ended their partnership weeks after he submitted his album.[12] Despite termination of partnership with Columbia Records, he went on a self-funded tour in Europe to open for Marina Kaye in France, and Lea in Germany. He promoted his music by performing in parking lots outside concert venues and handing out business cards to passersby.
Benjamin's mixtape Narrated for You was released on November 16, 2018. It features the songs "Water Fountain", "Outrunning Karma", and "Let Me Down Slowly", the latter was later re-released as a single with Alessia Cara.[13] While promoting the mixtape, he created the "Can I Sing for You?" videos on YouTube, in which he performs his written songs in acoustic to people in public.[14]
Benjamin's debut album These Two Windows was released on May 29, 2020. It peaked at number 8 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart.[15] His second album, (Un)Commentary, followed on April 15, 2022.[16]
In 2023, he opened for John Mayer for a portion of Mayer's Solo tour in North America.
Personal life
He has stated in interviews that he suffers from social anxiety[17] and OCD.[18] He has written a lot of his songs about a girl he dated when he was younger, including Let Me Down Slowly.[19]
Influences
Benjamin has cited influences such as Eminem,[20] John Mayer,[21] Jason Mraz, Paul Simon, and Chris Martin of Coldplay.[22] He has also expressed admiration for Kendrick Lamar[23] and classic singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Carole King,[24] and Jackson Browne.[25]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [26] |
AUS [27] |
BEL (FL) [28] |
NLD [29] |
SWI [30] |
UK [31] | ||
| These Two Windows |
|
75 | 70 | 99 | 42 | 75 | 52 |
| (Un)Commentary | — | — | — | 84 | 62 | — | |
Mixtapes
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [26] |
US Heat. [33] |
BEL (FL) [28] |
CAN [34] |
DEN [35] |
FRA [36] |
NLD [29] |
NOR [37] |
SWE [38] | |||
| Narrated for You |
|
127 | 3 | 121 | 62 | 10 | 130 | 61 | 5 | 20 | |
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| America[1] |
|
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [45] |
AUS [46] |
BEL (FL) [28] |
CAN [47] |
DEN [48] |
IRE [49] |
NLD [29] |
NOR [50] |
SWI [30] |
UK [31] | ||||
| "Paper Crown"[51] | 2014 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "End of the Summer"[52] | 2016 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "The Way to Nowhere" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "I Built a Friend" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Let Me Down Slowly" (solo or featuring Alessia Cara) |
2018 | 79 | 56 | 4 | 49 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 6 | 20 | 31 | Narrated for You | |
| "Boy in the Bubble"[57][58][59] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "If We Have Each Other" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Death of a Hero"[60][61][62] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Outrunning Karma"[63][64] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ||
| "1994"[65][66] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Must Have Been the Wind"[67] | 2019 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
|
These Two Windows |
| "Jesus in LA"[68] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Mind Is a Prison"[69] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Demons" | 2020 | — | — | —[upper-alpha 1] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Oh My God" | —[upper-alpha 2] | — | —[upper-alpha 3] | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "The Book of You & I" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Six Feet Apart" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Match in the Rain" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | These Two Windows | ||
| "I Built a Friend (2020)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "The Way You Felt"[72] | 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | (Un)Commentary | |
| "Change My Clothes" (with Dream) |
— | — | — | — | — | 70 [73] | — | — | — | 67 | Non-album single | ||
| "Older" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | (Un)Commentary | ||
| "Shadow of Mine" | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Speakers" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Devil Doesn't Bargain" | — | — | — | — | — | — | —[upper-alpha 4] | 30 | — | 95 |
| ||
| "—" denotes a single that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "New York Soul, Pt. II" (Jon Bellion featuring Alec Benjamin)[75] |
2016 | The Human Condition |
| "Eyes Blue Like the Atlantic, Pt. 2" (Sista Prod featuring Powfu, Alec Benjamin, and Rxseboy)[76] |
2020 | Non-album single |
Demos
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Animal[77] | 2013 |
| Together We'll Fall[78] | |
| 18[79] | |
| I Won't Forget You | 2014 |
| Crazy | 2015 |
| Love Is a Fragile Dance[80] | 2016 |
| My old Bicycle[81] | |
| Settle Down[82] | |
| Tie My Laces[83] | |
| Medicine Man (Boy in a Box)[84] | |
| Wrinkles[85] | |
| Gabriel[86] | |
| Beautiful Pain[87] | |
| The Wolf and the Sheep[88] | |
| 50 First Days[89] | |
| Saving Sawyer[90] | 2017 |
| Our Love is Like a Burning Garden[91] | |
| Now She's Getting Married[92] | |
| Journey to the Lowest Place on Earth[93] | |
| Last of Her Kind[94] | |
| Feed[95] | |
| O.I.N.V.[96] | |
| Pretending[97] | |
| The Knife in my Back[98] | 2018 |
| Worst Day of my Life[99] | |
| My Mothers Eyes[100] | |
| Use Me[101] | |
| The Colonel's Journal[102] | 2019 |
| At the Bottom[103] | |
| Cause it Hurts[104] | 2020 |
| How it Feels to be Replaced[105] | |
| Stranger to Myself[106] | |
| TSS (The Saddest Song)[107] | |
| Six Feet Apart[108] | |
| Lock me up for Life[109] | |
| Miss her the Most[110] | |
| Balancing Game[111] |
Notes
- "Demons" did not enter the Ultratop 50 chart, but peaked at number 5 on the Ultratip chart.[28]
- "Oh My God" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but peaked at number 32 on the Pop Songs chart[70] and at number 26 on the Adult Pop Songs chart.[71]
- "Oh My God" did not enter the Ultratop 50 chart, but peaked at number 49 on the Ultratip chart.[28]
- "Devil Doesn't Bargain" did not enter the Single Top 100, but reached number 11 on its extension, the Single Tip.[74]
References
- Donelson, Marcy. "Alec Benjamin Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- "Narrated for You by Alec Benjamin on Apple Music". Apple Music.
- "(Un)Commentary by Alec Benjamin on Apple Music". Apple Music.
- "Alec Benjamin". Ones to Watch. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
- Benjamin, Alec [@AlecBenjamin] (June 20, 2016). "@newscarpenter Alec Shane Benjamin :)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via Twitter.
- Donelson, Marcy. "Alec Benjamin | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- Tracy, Brianne (May 29, 2020). "Alec Benjamin Talks New Album, 'Struggle' with Social Media: 'It's Harder to Just Make Music'". People. Archived from the original on June 22, 2020. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- "Alec Benjamin Announces Additional North American Tour Dates". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
- Ginsberg, Gab (April 30, 2019). "Alec Benjamin Is Rising 'Slowly,' But Surely". Billboard.
- Lin, Joanna; Wu, Wenbo (July 9, 2020). "'These Two Windows' successfully lights a match in the rain". The Tech.
- "Alec Benjamin". Warner Chappell Music. Archived from the original on October 17, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
- "AEG Presents These Two Windows Tour..." Royal Oak Music Theatre. Archived from the original on July 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
- Lukarcanin, Emina (July 2020). "Alec Benjamin Breaks Down His 'Narrated For You' Mixtape: Exclusive". Billboard.
- Firman, Tehrene (10 November 2014). "Press Play on This Exclusive "Paper Crown" Music Video, Fall Totally in Love with Jersey-Wearing, Boombox-Toting Alec Benjamin". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
- "Top Album Sales". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- "(Un)Commentary by Alec Benjamin". Apple Music. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- Alec Benjamin Discusses His New Single "If We Have Each Other". BUILD Series. August 15, 2018. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via YouTube.
- "Alec Benjamin "Mind Is A Prison" Official Lyrics & Meaning | Verified". Apple Music.
- url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o6frqkvM1w%7Ctitle=Alec Benjamin's Let me Down Slowly official lyrics & meaning
- Marks, Lily (July 1, 2019). "Pop Singer Alec Benjamin Covers His Idol Eminem". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- Monroy Yglesias, Ana (June 13, 2019). "Alec Benjamin On Working With Alessia Cara, Meeting His Idol John Mayer & Chasing Dreams". Grammy Awards. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- Alec Benjamin Speaks Mandarin, Talks Musical Inspiration and Upcoming Album!. WiLD 94.9. December 13, 2018. Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via YouTube.
- "ARTIST PROFILE: ALEC BENJAMIN". F Word. 8 April 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- Nissen, Dano (July 26, 2019). "Alec Benjamin on His Personal Journey Behind 'Jesus in L.A.'". Variety. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- "'It's a weird time right now:' Alec Benjamin on releasing an album during a pandemic". The National. July 12, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- "Alec Benjamin Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 8 June 2020". No. 1579. Australian Recording Industry Association. June 8, 2020.
{{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires|magazine=(help) - "Discografie Alec Benjamin". ultratop.be (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- "Discografie Alec Benjamin". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- "Discography Alec Benjamin". hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 13, 2020.
- "Alec Benjamin | full Official Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- "These Two Windows – Album by Alec Benjamin on Apple Music". Apple Music US. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
- "Alec Benjamin – Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- "Alec Benjamin – Chart History: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
- "Album Top-40 Uge 7, 2019". Hitlisten. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
- "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 28, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 4, 2019". VG-lista. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- "Veckolista Album, vecka 14". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- "American certifications – Alec Benjamin". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
- "British certifications – Alec Benjamin". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 29, 2021. Type Alec Benjamin in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "Auszeichnungen Archiv".
- "Alec Benjamin "Narrated For You"". IFPI Denmark. November 12, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- "IFPI Norge – Alec Benjamin". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
- "Canadian certifications – Alec Benjamin". Music Canada. Retrieved December 17, 2022.
- "Alec Benjamin Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- "ARIA Chart Watch #521". auspOp. April 20, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- "Alec Benjamin Chart History: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
- "Track Top-40 Uge 10, 2019". Hitlisten. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
- "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved April 13, 2019.
- "Alec Benjamin discography". norwegiancharts.com. VG-lista. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- "WHO IS ALEC BENJAMIN?". Warner Music Australia. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
- "Alec Benjamin's "End Of The Summer": Premiere". 10 June 2016.
- "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2020 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2019". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- "Alec Benjamin feat Alessia Cara "Let Me Down Slowly"". IFPI Denmark. August 2, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community". Hitparade.ch – Swiss Charts. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- The Boy In The Bubble, 2018-06-22, retrieved 2022-04-12
- Warner Music Brasil [@WarnerMusicBR] (November 27, 2018). ""Boy In The Bubble" é o single novo do @AlecBenjamin que acaba de ganhar um clipe emocionante – vem assistir e colocar o cara entre as suas melhores descobertas de 2018 🎬🎶 t.co/W3CuWaQtg5" (Tweet) (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via Twitter.
- RobertHerreraOfficial (2018-11-27). "Alec Benjamin Premieres "Boy In The Bubble" (Official Music Video)". Front Row Live Entertainment. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
- Death Of A Hero, 2018-08-23, retrieved 2022-04-12
- "Alec Benjamin Recounts the "Death of a Hero" in New Single / Ones To Watch". Ones To Watch. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
- Warner Music Africa [@WMAfrica] (August 22, 2018). ".@AlecBenjamin drops a brand-new single this week. We can't wait for you to hear 'Death of a Hero'. t.co/CkvaH2sJoE" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via Twitter.
- Outrunning Karma, 2018-09-27, retrieved 2022-04-12
- Benjamin, Alec [@AlecBenjamin] (September 3, 2018). "my next single is called "Outrunning Karma"" (Tweet). Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via Twitter.
- 1994, 2018-11-01, retrieved 2022-04-12
- Bajgrowicz, Brooke (2018-11-01). "Alec Benjamin Drops New Nostalgia-Inducing '1994' & Announces Debut Mixtape: Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-04-12.
- "Must Have Been the Wind – Single by Alec Benjamin". Apple Music. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- Benjamin, Alec [@AlecBenjamin] (July 9, 2019). ""Jesus in LA" out in 1 week" (Tweet). Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2022 – via Twitter.
- "Mind Is a Prison – Single by Alec Benjamin". Apple Music. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
- "Alec Benjamin – Chart History: Mainstream Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- "Alec Benjamin – Chart History: Adult Top 40". Billboard. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- "The Way You Felt - Single by Alec Benjamin on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- "Dutch Single Tip 18/06/2022" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- Sully, Jayden (1 March 2021). ""New Your Soul - Pt. ii"". Genius. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- Wass, Mike (13 August 2020). "Powfu, Alec Benjamin & Rxseboy remix Sista Prod's "Eyes Blue Like the Atlantic"". Idolator. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- Alec Benjamin - Animal, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Together We'll Fall, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - 18, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Love Is a Fragile Dance, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - My old Bicycle, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Settle Down, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Tie My Laces, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Medicine Man (Boy in a Box), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Wrinkles, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Gabriel, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Beautiful Pain, retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - The Wolf and the Sheep (Live), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - 50 First Days (Live), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - "Saving Sawyer" (from the story Saving Sawyer), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - "Our Love is Like a Burning Garden" (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Now She's Getting Married (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Journey to the Lowest Place on Earth (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Last of Her Kind (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Feed (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - O.I.N.V. (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Pretending (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - The Knife in my Back (Unreleased), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Worst Day of my Life (Unreleased), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - My Mothers Eyes (Unreleased), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin- Use Me (Unreleased), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - The Colonel's Journal (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - At the Bottom (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Cause it Hurts (OLD DEMO), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - How it Feels to be Replaced (DEMO VIDEO), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Stranger to Myself (DEMO), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - TSS (DEMO), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Six Feet Apart (Quarantine Song), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Lock me up for Life (QUARANTINE DEMO), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Miss her the Most (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
- Alec Benjamin - Balancing Game (Demo), retrieved 2023-02-17
External links
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