Rising singer-songwriter Alec Benjamin is definitely not an average guitar-playing musician who jams and sings cover songs on YouTube.
On the outside, he may look like a Justin Bieber / Greyson Chance wannabe with his adorable appearance and high-pitch voice, but there is more to him than meets the eye.
yes. i have a high voice.
no. i am not a girl.
lol.
— alecbenjamin (@AlecBenjamin) June 24, 2018
For starters, despite having a girl-like voice (Yes, he’s been told that a lot!) and a forever 18 face, he is a full-fledged grown man who writes and sings soulful tunes with mature lyrical content.
Seeing himself as a “narrator”, Alec tells relatable tales through his songs which are mostly sad and at times dark, thus resonating with many listeners for being realistic.
His recently released single “Let Me Down Slowly” has accumulated over 2 million global streams in its 1st week, climbing Spotify’s Global & US Viral charts and hitting the top 10 within a week of release.
The 24-year-old talent started his career by performing “parking lot shows” for fans outside of Shawn Mendes and Troye Sivan’s concerts. Since then, he has successfully built an entire community of fans on YouTube and has released self-directed music videos which racked up millions of views on the platform.
The Phoenix-born, Los Angeles-based star will be doing a promo tour in Asia this coming September, and yes, Malaysia is included as well!
But before the singer comes to our shore for the very 1st time ever, we managed to get a hold of the singer and had a quick chat with him.
“Let Me Down Slowly” is climbing Spotify’s Global & US Viral charts, hitting the top 10 within a week of release. Congratulations! Like most of your songs, the lyrics of this song are kind of dark and sad. Where did you get the inspiration for all these stories? Do they come from your personal experience?
Thank you so much for the congratulations! These stories all come from things that I have experienced in my life. I always draw on real life experiences for my lyrics. A lyric idea can come from a break up, a friendship, etc. I am always writing down notes in my phone of things that inspire me in my everyday life.
Is this the music direction you will be going, or are you open to experience different genre and style as well? Are there any that you would like to try?
I am not sure about that! I am content with the style of music that I am making but as I grow and experience new things I am sure that my writing style will evolve. At this point however, it is hard for me to predict what that evolution will sound like!
It is reported that you are influenced by Eminem. In what way does he influence you? While you’re at it, can you tell us your favourite Eminem song, and why?
I am heavily influenced by Eminem’s ability to tell stories. Also I am influenced by his songwriting style and his melodic hooks. My favourite Eminem song is Stan. This is the song that made me want to write music. I think it is the best story ever told in a song.
So it seems that you are familiar with the Mandarin language. Does that mean you’re considering breaking into the Chinese music industry? If you do, are there any Chinese artists that you want to collaborate with?
Yes! that has always been a dream of mine. I would be happy to collaborate with any Chinese artist who might be willing to work with me.
Also, what makes you want to learn Mandarin in the first place?
I have always been fascinated by Asia and Asian culture. Also, the way Chinese is spoken is very musical… Each work with their own set of tones.. this was very interesting to me (and incredibly challenging to learn) ! My skill in Chinese is very rudimental but I am happy that I at least have a foundation for the language ! It is my dream to go to Asia one day and perform. Not just in China, but in as many countries as possible (including Malaysia!).
You will be coming to Malaysia for your Asia promo tour. We can’t wait to see you in person! Will you be performing with any of our local Warner artists?
I really hope so! That would be fantastic.
It is reported that “Let Me Down Slowly” is Malaysia’s most watched Alec Benjamin video with a total of 40% views on YouTube. That’s quite a number! Since you have so many fans in Malaysia, will you be planning anything special for us?
Absolutely! I really hope that I can do a special performance in Malaysia for the people who have been supporting me and my music. Nobody is more important than the fans. Without the wonderful people who support me I would not be able to continue making music!
