Happy Monday, folks!
Meet our new “Music Monday” visionary artist, Alec Benjamin.
Before Alec fell in love with music, he first picked up the guitar with one goal in mind: to impress the ladies. According to him, things didn’t work in his favor. However, that didn’t dull his spirit. After realizing that he was fairly good at it, Alec began incorporating his own lyrics into the mix and the rest is history.
After signing with Columbia Records in early 2014, he has taken things to a whole other level. With a new album on the horizon, we’re super stoked to see just how far this Arizona-native can go. The singer/songwriter is currently gearing up to perform at the PressPlay Tour‘s Miami show Saturday, July 16.
Alec spoke exclusively to Celeb Secrets about his upcoming album, when we can expect it to drop, one of his most embarrassing secrets, touring plans, and more! Check it out!
CS: Can you tell us more about yourself and how you got into music?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “I got into music when I was 16 I started playing guitar. I didn’t really have anything else at the time, a lot of people were into science or playing sports. I didn’t really have anything, but I always wanted to play guitar. It was supposed to help me meet girls – it didn’t really help. But then I started to realize that I liked to sing more than play guitar. I think I started with the intention of looking for something to do and it developed into a passion of mine. I have always wanted to find a way to express myself because I have a lot to say. I like writing stories and telling them so with music, it gave me an outlet to tell the stories I’ve wanted to tell.”
CS: What was your initial reaction when you find that you were going to be a Columbia Records recording artist?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “I guess the signing came about because I had always been writing songs in my bedroom and then I met this guy who brought me out to the UK to do a bunch of writing. I don’t think there was an instance where I was like ‘wow I’m about to get signed, I’m so excited!’. I mean I’m really excited, but it happened gradually. There wasn’t one moment where I was like ‘whoa’, you know?”
CS: Can you describe your sound for our readers who haven’t checked your music out yet?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “I’m just a kid who makes songs in his bedroom. I’m into a lot of hip hop, but more lyrical hip hop, not club bangers. I listen to people like Paul Simon and Eminem.”
CS: Is that where you draw your writing inspiration from?
ALEC BENJAMIN: Yes, that’s where it comes from. I’m just a kid who is telling stories.
CS: What is your typical song writing process?
ALEC BENJAMIN: I always start with lyrics. I like to write something out like a poem. Sometimes I even write the lyrics to a song first. Then, I’m like, “Okay, what feels write for these words? What melodies? What chords?” It always starts out for me like “oh I have something to say, how am I going to say it?”
CS: So now let’s talk music! What are you currently working on and where can we find your music?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “My album is finally finished. It’s all done. So now, I’m just posting little snippets online and making fun videos like really digging in and finding my fans which has been really great experience for me. I’ve met a lot of awesome people! Places to find my stuff would be Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and my YouTube channel. I’ve been doing covers and some of my own stuff.”
CS: If you could describe your new record in three words, what would those three words be?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “I would say onomatopoeia and Rice Krispy treats. Like snap, crackle, and pop!”
CS: Do you have a release day yet?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “I’d like to have some stuff out by this summer, but I don’t think the whole record will be out then.”
CS: How about touring plans, do you have any touring plans for the future?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “I’ll be in the UK the beginning of the summer so I’ll try to route them out from there.
CS:If you could go back and include a couple collabs on your album, who would you want to work with?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “R. Kelly and Riff Raff are awesome. I would like to have Eminem or Paul Simon. There are so many people who I like! Snoop Dogg would be cool! I’d collaborate with anyone who’s down!”
CS: Now that you’ve moved out to LA, what’s your favorite thing to do there?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “My favorite thing to do in LA I guess pretty much writing songs and doing music. That’s why I moved out to LA. I play a lot of Grand Theft Auto too and that’s also in LA because grand theft auto 5 is based in LA so i also like hijack cars, fly planes, and blow sh*t up in “Grand Theft Auto” LA.”
CS:Â Since we are Celeb Secrets, do you have a secret about yourself that you’d like to share?
ALEC BENJAMIN: “One time, I was at this girl’s house for a birthday party and I went to the use bathroom. When I finished, I tried to flush the toilet, but it didn’t want to flush so I just left. There were a lot of people waiting in line, but I couldn’t flush it so I just bounced! I never told anybody why I left,but now they know. That’s the secret!”
