
Alec Benjamin: “Embody the struggle in your art!”
Get to know the singer and songwriter Alec Benjamin. A few weeks after the release of his third studio album “12 Notes” I got the chance to sit down with Alec for a candid interview where he tells me about the stories behind his songs, the challenges of being an introverted artist and more. Alec opens up about drawing inspiration from personal experiences and emotions, even as he battles periods of creative block and introspection. As he prepares to hit the road again, he expresses excitement for live performances and the discovery of new connections with his audience. Stay tuned and dive into Alecs world!
Hi Alec, I actually heard your song on the radio while in the supermarket today. I was wondering, do you remember the first time you heard a song of yours in public?
One of the first times I ever heard my song on the radio was on “SiriusXM”. There’s a guy named Mikey, who started playing my YouTube demos and I was in the car when I heard it, which was cool. Also, when I go into local restaurants here in Orange County, I kinda think they assume that I’ll like it if they play my music while I eat. They’re putting it on while I’m eating and then look at me very eagerly like: “Do you hear this?”. I’m like, yeah… I hear it. It’s very sweet of them but I don’t really like listening to my own music, as it’s hard for me to hear my own voice. I mean, do you ever listen to a voice recording of yourself back and you’re like, oh, I sound like that?
Yeah, I was just thinking of that, I can understand the reaction. It’s a really funny story though, I can definitely picture the scene [Laughs]. But congratulations to the release of “12 Notes”, where did you mostly find inspiration for your new album, or were there specific moments that inspired it?
I guess inspiration comes from just living my life and having certain things happen to me. My process is trying to find things that I like, either words, or pieces of music that are inspiring to me, and then I try to figure out why it is that they’re inspiring to me. Normally when something triggers emotions inside of me there’s a reason why and I have to dig to find the reason. Once I find the connection then I kind of try and marry those two things together, and channel what my emotions were when that thing happened to me. I actually have to get back in the studio like right after this interview and I just have no idea what I’m going to write about.
Wow you’re already back in the studio, that’s fast. Since you’re getting inspired from your own life, I guess there’s always something happening that can lead to a song, right?
These last five months I haven’t really done much and I think sometimes I just do things to please other people. Have you ever been really hungry and then made a meal which is way more than you can eat? Yeah, that’s what I do with my schedule. I’ll be like, ohh all these things are great, let’s do it all. And then I sit down to do it and I’m just like… What have I done? [Laughs]
Very relatable! I’m always switching between being extroverted and introverted and then extrovert-me makes way more plans than I can handle on an introverted day, it’s a mess.
Oh me too, that’s how I feel like all the time! You know, sometimes you feel better after those plans but sometimes, I think I really shouldn’t have done it. There’s a song in that! You know, maybe there’s a story about somebody who makes more food than they can eat. Maybe that’s a relatable thing to talk about.
Yeah, new song inspiration right there! Your studio session is saved [Laughs].
Yes, it’ll be playing in the supermarket next time you go.
I’d love that! The storytelling in your songs is like a big strength of you as an artist. You have a feature with Khalid on your album, what was it like to collaborate with another musician and how was the writing process different?
It was cool! I mean it was a different process because I don’t feel like I really got to do as much of the storytelling as I am used to. But I feel like collaboration is important, so I went outside of my comfort zone. Normally when I write songs the lyrics are about something very specific. I feel like Khalid is really good in writing about things in a way that are sort of like more relatable to people and so, I tried my hand at that. It’s not really something that comes naturally to me or something that is my first instinct when I’m writing music. I only know how to talk about things in a certain way, so I try to step outside of my comfort zone and I feel like in that sense that I achieved my goal.
Your music is so personal, and I can understand that it must be hard to then collaborate and share this vulnerable state with another artists. But you can be proud that you gave it a try. Your song “I Sent My Therapist To Therapy” is very relatable. It is the most streamed track off the new record, so, I think a lot of people find it relatable. What encourages you to speak up about mental health and advocate for it in your music?
I’m not the kind of artist that is like a huge activist, but it’s just something that finds its way into my music because it’s something that I struggle with. I always talk about the things that are relevant to my life. I think that there’s like a trend talking about mental health right now because it’s like a very popular thing. But if you really have something to say, and you’re a songwriter, you should put in a song and embody the struggle in your art.
Yes music is an extremely powerful tool to share stories and express emotions. What is the story of “I Sent My Therapist To Therapy”?
I’ve been going through a lot and I have a therapist that I’ve been seeing for like the last year or two, and even when you talk to therapists and, you know, they’re supposed to be like objective like they are also just people too. And even though you feel comfortable with the person you’re talking to, there were things I was keeping from my therapist for years and then I ultimately told them. I think they were really surprised, so this is what the song is about.
Yeah, I feel like that’s what makes it so relatable. I guess everyone who ever went to therapy knows this moment when you say something and then they give you that strange look and start writing in their notebook. Then you know something is up [Laughs].
Yeah, exactly [Laughs].
It’s great that you can share these stories in your songs. It helps a lot of people that listen to your music! Do you personally have an artist that you always listen to when you’re sad or which brings you comfort in difficult times?
I listen to Coldplay a lot and love the album “Ghost Stories”. I feel like when I’m in a dark place, that record just makes me feel good. Uhm there’s a bunch, but that’s the one that comes to mind right now.
Yeah, that’s a good one. And like you said, you’re writing about your life so it’s obviously personal stories. Do you feel more relieved or scared when you put out new music?
I feel just like “Now what?”. You know you devote such a big portion of your life to making a project it feels weird [Laughs]. It’s like anticlimactic because you’re hoping to get a better picture of how well you did, and sometimes you can’t know that immediately. You know, there are songs that take years to find their way, so you just gotta keep moving.
I’m sure the songs will do fine, you put out a great LP! The feedback of your fans on tour will hopefully feel very rewarding to you. When you’re back on tour, which song from “12 Notes” are you most excited to play live?
I’m just so happy to get back out on the road cause I haven’t toured by myself in a while. I opened up for John Mayer last year, which was nice. I haven’t played any festivals or shows in 2 years. So, I’m kind of just excited to get back out and I’m excited to find out which will be the songs that resonate the most with me or with the audience. I feel like every time I play live, I discover something new about a song. I’m not sure which new song I am most excited for yet, that is hard to answer but I’ll do my best to figure it out.
Yes, you’ll figure it out for sure. You said you were opening for John Mayer. What was it like to play for a different crowd? I mean, you’re used to playing for your own fans, but is it very different to be a support act?
It was awesome and it took the pressure off. I feel like a lot of people are more nervous playing in front of an audience that’s not their own because they feel like people are maybe judging them a little bit more. But I always feel like I have nothing to lose. If they like me, great. If not, they didn’t come to see me anyways. I always feel like I have the highest degree of responsibility performing in front of my own audience. Those are the last people that I want to disappoint. So, when I play in front of someone else’s crowd it gives me freedom to try new things, which sometimes I’m too afraid to do in front of an audience that’s my own. It was really liberating, and I enjoyed it.
I can imagine that it takes up a bit of the pressure off. And I’m sure that you reached some new people that like your music! For anyone reading my blog that has never heard your music, which song would you recommend them to check out?
Hmm, let’s say “I Sent My Therapist To Therapy”, why not, it’s my personal favorite from the new record!
Great choice! Thank you so much for your time and congratulations on your new album “12 Notes”!
As our conversation came to a close, it was clear that the music of Alec Benjamin is a true reflection of his personal journey, marked by vulnerability and authenticity. With “12 Notes,” Alec continues to connect deeply with his audience, providing comfort and relatability through his storytelling. Besides the big success of his work, Alec Benjamin still is very humble and self-critical, always striving for the next goal. Don’t miss out on his tour where you can celebrate the songs of Alecs new record and experience his passion for music and humor on stage!

