The Untold Truth Of Benny Blanco

You might know Benny Blanco for his relationship with Selena Gomez, but there is a lot more to the man than who he dates. The uber-successful songwriter/producer first broke into the music scene in the late 2000s and has proven himself a force to reckon with in the industry. So much so that in 2021, Billboard named Blanco — who has famously worked with stars like Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, and Maroon 5 — one of the greatest producers of the 21st century.

Yet while his meteoric rise to success is undoubtedly remarkable, the famed producer attributes it all to luck. “People always ask me, ‘What’s the secret, man?’ I wish I knew,” Blanco told The Sydney Morning Herald in an interview. “If I did, I would do it every time.” Beyond his producing and songwriting career, however, Blanco has also found success as an artist himself. His debut single, “Eastside,” released in 2018, featuring Halsey and Khalid, peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His debut album, “Friends Keep Secrets,” released the same year, also made a 34-week appearance on the Billboard 200 chart. “I wanted to do something different. I wanted to challenge myself,” Blanco told GQ of the decision to become a recording artist.

But while Blanco’s successful career is seemingly public information, there is still plenty fans don’t know about him. From a retired rap dream to a short-lived feud with popular singer Charlie Puth, here’s the untold truth of Benny Blanco.

With his parents’ support, Benny Blanco wasted no time in pursuing his interest in music, learning to play multiple musical instruments as early as 4. When he was 6 years old, Blanco heard, for the first time, the song that would cement his love for music: Nas’ “The World is Yours.” “I was instantly hooked … There was just something about it,” Blanco recalled to Vibe.

After seeing his friend make some beats, a 15-year-old Blanco pursued his curiosity and tried his hands at producing. “I didn’t really have any gear, and I just started making beats here and there. They were so bad; very elementary,” he recounted in an interview with Reuters. Unbeknownst to Blanco, this was the beginning of a long-lasting, successful career in music.

A few years later, Blanco landed himself a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to intern with Disco D, an experience that further shaped his passion for music production. Though there was an intense learning period for the budding producer, Blanco’s time with Disco turned out to be even more rewarding. “One hour a day he would show me all this stuff, like how to layer drums, and I didn’t know anything like that. He taught me pre-chorus, verse, chorus, everything. He taught me that my beats have to be a musical experience,” he shared in the interview with Reuters, highlighting Disco D’s influence in his early career.

As a kid, Benny Blanco dreamed of becoming a rapper — much ado to Nas’ influence — but eventually gave up on his dreams after provocative rapper Eminem broke out. “He came out, and I was like, “See? He’s a white rapper, and I can be a white rapper. But then I thought, ‘Except I suck, and I’m short and Jewish, with curly hair,'” he shared with Reuters.

Blanco eventually got his big break in the mainstream, but not as a rapper or artist of his own. In 2008, he co-produced and co-wrote some major mega-hits; Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” and “Hot n Cold,” as well as Britney Spears’ “Circus.” Blanco continued stacking up his impressive catalog in 2010, collaborating with Perry to work on her third studio album, “Teenage Dream.” He co-produced two songs off the album — the titular track as well as “California Gurls” — both of which went on to peak at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Blanco is also credited as a co-writer and producer of Kesha’s “Tik Tok” as well as Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite,” both released in that same year and reached the No. 1 spot.

In 2012, Blanco worked on one of his most notable projects, teaming up with Stargate and Sia to co-write and co-produce “Diamonds.” The track, which went on to be the lead single for Rihanna’s seventh album, “Unapologetic,” instantly became an international hit. “We just made that song, and I trusted all the people around me, and [Rihanna] made the song into something so special that I could’ve never imagined,” Blanco told Discover Music of the song’s unexpected global impact. But while Blanco has found incredible success in his career, it’s a bit of an unexpected turn from his childhood dream.

In March 2020, Benny Blanco and his longtime friend, Chef Matty Matheson, launched “Matty and Benny Eat Out America,” an online cooking show reflective of their shared love for food. “Since I was a kid, I always wanted to be a chef… it was my only other goal besides making music,” Blanco wrote in an Instagram post announcing the collaboration.”This will b the greatest worst food show in the history of YouTube… thank u, Matty, for making my childhood food dreams come true.”

The pair’s friendship began years back when Blanco visited Matheson’s Toronto restaurant, Parts & Labour. “Benny was a big fan of mine. I didn’t even know who he was. I don’t listen to this pop music situation over here. Benny got a reservation at Parts & Labour. He wanted to see what the real funk was,” Matheson recounted to Alternative Press of their first meeting.

Hosted on YouTube, the unconventional cooking show chronicled Blanco and Matheson’s culinary adventures with celebrity guests, including Lil Dicky, Diplo, and former adult film star Mia Khalifa making appearances. The series quickly gained popularity among fans, racking up several millions of views across its two seasons. Building on the success of “Eat Out America,” Blanco and Matheson launched a second show “Stupid F***ing Cooking Show,” a cheeky home-style cooking series that grew to become just as beloved by fans.

Benny Blanco expanded his creative catalog in April 2024 with the release of “Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends,” a cookbook co-authored with recipe developer Jess Damuck. In the book, Blanco shared some of his favorite recipes, as well as tips for hosting successful parties at home.

In an interview with People, Blanco opened up about the inspiration for the cookbook, describing cooking as an activity that fosters his bond with friends and family. “There’s something I love about being able to host and make people have an experience and take them somewhere they may have not been before,” he shared. “Whether that’s food or music or when we’re making a TV show, it’s like, I want everything to be an experience for people.”

To celebrate the launch of “Open Wide,” Blanco visited New York University’s Steinhardt Music Business Program and the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, where he occasionally serves as a guest lecturer. At the event, Blanco reflected on the similarities between his love for cooking and music, noting that both are just as important to him. So much so that writing a cookbook only felt natural. “An agent called me up, and she was like, ‘Hey, do you want to make a cookbook?’ And I was like, ‘What? Yeah, of course!'” Blanco recalled, adding that the entire experience felt surreal for him.

In 2021, Benny Blanco sparked rumors of a feud with Charlie Puth — who was rumored to have dated Selena Gomez years earlier — after repeatedly taking jabs at the singer on social media. After Puth began sharing behind-the-scenes videos of his music-making process with fans on TikTok, Blanco put the singer on blast saying in one video, “Wait, Charlie. What if you deleted your TikTok, took all your songs off of Spotify, and quit music?”

The trolling went on for months before Puth publicly expressed his frustration and disappointment in a TikTok video. “I don’t exactly know why you’ve been so mean to me these past couple of months, but it does genuinely hurt my feelings. I used to look up to you, and I don’t know where all this is coming from,” Puth said in the clip. Blanco however only doubled down, dismissing Puth’s concerns, instead taking more jabs at him and likening Puth’s hair to a toupee.

Things took a turn in January 2022 when singer Billie Eilish weighed in on the feud with a video calling out the music producer’s antics. In the clip, Eilish included a snippet of Blanco previously calling Puth a “f***ing loser” who “sit[s] in a room all day and make[s] TikToks.” Taking a swipe at Blanco, Eilish quipped: “What do you do all day, Benny? The same thing. Literally the same thing.” But while the one-sided feud seemed real for a while, The Chainsmokers later confirmed it was all jokes between Blanco and Puth, adding that the pair are good friends.

The pressures of Hollywood and the music industry can be a lot for one person to handle, and this seems to have been the case for Benny Blanco. During a May 2024 appearance on “The Howard Stern Show,” Blanco opened up about his mental health journey and his struggle with anxiety. Speaking on the negative impact of his early success, Blanco admitted: “I think it all just hit me too quickly. You are not supposed to be that successful when you’re that young.”

The “Eastside” artist explained getting into Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and learning different strategies to better help manage his mental health struggles. “It was very important to me to be able to get this toolbox where whenever I was having, you know, anxious thoughts, I could reach into this little toolbox and help myself get over it,” he expressed.

On Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, Blanco further spoke about his mental health practices, including meditation, which he described as a game-changer despite facing initial challenges. “There was like a time during my life when I was going through a rough patch, and I was going to therapy, I was meditating and stuff, and it actually helped me so much,” he recalled. Additionally, Blanco elaborated that he was experiencing newfound relief in working out, an activity he believes has further strengthened his healing journey through the years.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

What does a multi-platinum A-list music producer do in their off time? Self-care, of course! In a 2024 interview with People, Benny Blanco shared his thoughts about self-care and, particularly, the importance of skincare. “I really think it’s important to have good skin,” Blanco explained, adding that he follows a strict regimen as prescribed by his facialist.

But while Blanco holds strong views about self-care, the star holds the unconventional belief that daily showers are unnecessary. “I also don’t believe in always shampooing your hair or conditioning your hair,” he added. “Some people I know shower two to three times a day, but I feel like the oils on your skin don’t have time to rejuvenate and get juicy.”

Beyond self-care, Blanco also opened up about his personal style, emphasizing the importance of picking authenticity over trends. For the acclaimed artist, true style lies in confidence and comfort. “Some people look good with really fresh clothing. Find your lane and rock it. Don’t try to be someone else,” he shared, reiterating his need to maintain individuality, even in the face of unending fashion trends.