Biography
Who is Alec Benjamin?
Early life and education
Alec Shane Benjamin was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 28, 1994. He grew up in that city alongside his sister. During his teenage years in the 2000s, he moved to Los Angeles, California. He began writing his own songs at age 13 and started learning to play the guitar while attending high school.
For his formal education, he attended Desert Mountain High School. Later, he enrolled at the University of Southern California to study at the Thornton School of Music. Before his major label success, he released his first extended play, titled America, in 2013.
Career beginnings and breakthrough
Alec Benjamin signed a deal with Columbia Records while he was a student at the University of Southern California. However, the label ended their professional partnership only weeks after he submitted his album. Following this setback, he started on a self-funded concert tour throughout Europe. During this time, he opened shows for performers like Marina Kaye in France and Lea in Germany. To promote his music, he often performed in parking lots outside of concert venues and handed out business cards to people passing by.
His career gained significant traction after Merrick Hanna auditioned for the television program America’s Got Talent in 2018. Hanna used the song I built a friend for his performance. Following this event, Alec signed a new deal with Atlantic Records. His debut mixtape, Narrated for You, arrived in November 2018. It included tracks such as Water Fountain, Annabelle's Homework, If We Have Each Other, and his breakthrough hit Let Me Down Slowly. This single reached the top 40 in more than 25 different countries and was later re-released featuring Alessia Cara.
Studio albums and public projects
In May 2020, he released his first full studio album titled These Two Windows. This record performed well, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. His second studio album, (Un)Commentary, followed in April 2022. He continues to create content for his online audience, including the series titled Can I Sing for You? On YouTube. In these videos, he performs acoustic versions of his songs for people in public settings.
Alec Benjamin occasionally records Mandarin versions of his songs. He was inspired to do this by his father, who worked as a medical doctor and incorporated Chinese culture, such as acupuncture and eastern medicine, into his practice. As part of this effort, he collaborated with Chinese actress Zhao Lusi on a Mandarin version of the song Water Fountain.
Musical influences
Throughout his career, he has cited a wide range of artists as his primary musical influences. These include Eminem, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Paul Simon, Joe Venneri, and Chris Martin of the band Coldplay. He has also expressed admiration for the work of Kendrick Lamar. Also, he draws inspiration from classic singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Carole King, and Jackson Browne.
Birthday and age
Alec Benjamin was born on May 28, 1994, which makes Alec 32 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Alec shares the date with 32 other famous people.
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