Benny Blanco is one of the most successful record producers and songwriters in modern pop music. Over the past two decades, he has helped create hit songs for artists like Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry. In 2026, he is also known as the husband of pop star Selena Gomez, the author of a new book, and the artist behind a Latin-inspired album called Hermoso.
This Benny Blanco biography covers his early life, his career story, his net worth, and the most recent updates in his life, including details many other articles miss.
Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Benjamin Joseph Levin |
| Known As | Benny Blanco |
| Born | March 8, 1988 |
| Birthplace | Reston, Virginia, U.S. |
| Age (2026) | 38 |
| Profession | Record producer, songwriter, music executive, author |
| Years Active | 2007–present |
| Spouse | Selena Gomez (married September 27, 2025) |
| Net Worth (estimated, 2026) | Around $50–70 million |
| Notable Works | “Teenage Dream,” “Diamonds,” “Eastside,” “Lonely,” Hermoso |
Who Is Benny Blanco?
Benny Blanco’s real name is Benjamin Joseph Levin. He works mainly behind the scenes, writing and producing songs that have topped charts around the world. According to Wikipedia, he has contributed to albums and singles that have sold a combined 500 million album-equivalent units, and he has amassed 29 number-one songs across his career. He has also released music as a solo artist and appeared on television.
Early Life and Family
Blanco was born on March 8, 1988, in Reston, Virginia, and grew up there. He comes from a Jewish family, a background he has spoken about openly, including in his 2024 cookbook. As a child, he became fascinated with music at a very young age. Britannica notes that he began making his own songs around age five or six, and by age nine, he had already recorded a track in a real studio.
His early influences included hip-hop and pop songs he heard on cassette tapes as a young child. He would produce beats in his bedroom and record his own vocals over them. During his summers at a camp in Thurmont, Maryland, he hosted a small radio show, which was one of his first tastes of performing for an audience.
His stage name, Benny Blanco, was not his idea from birth. He took it from a character played by John Leguizamo in the 1993 film Carlito’s Way. It was meant as a nod to the fact that he is a white rapper working in a genre often associated with other backgrounds.
Blanco made frequent trips from Virginia to New York City as a teenager, hoping to meet producers and record labels. Those trips paid off. His rapping skills caught the attention of The Source magazine and executives at Columbia Records, opening the door to his professional career.
How Benny Blanco Started His Music Career
In 2007, Blanco teamed up with Baltimore rapper Spank Rock to release an EP called Bangers & Cash. The project earned praise from major outlets like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, and it helped him build connections with future collaborators.
Around this time, producer Dr. Luke became his mentor and signed him to a production company called Kasz Money Productions. Working under Dr. Luke, Blanco helped write and produce several major hits, including Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and Kesha’s “TiK ToK.” In 2008, he also co-wrote and co-produced Britney Spears’ “Circus,” which became one of her best-selling songs and one of the top-selling digital singles worldwide in 2009.
Career Breakthrough and Major Hits
By 2011, Blanco was writing and producing hit songs without Dr. Luke. That year, he worked on Maroon 5’s “Moves like Jagger” and Gym Class Heroes’ “Stereo Hearts.” He also contributed to Maroon 5’s platinum album Overexposed and its lead single, “Payphone.”
His achievements did not go unnoticed. In 2013, the Songwriters Hall of Fame gave him the Hal David Starlight Award, an honor for young artists already making a mark on the music industry. Since then, he has won five BMI Songwriter of the Year awards and the 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year award, along with eleven Grammy nominations across his career.
Blanco went on to write and produce songs for a long list of major artists, including Ed Sheeran (“Don’t,” “Castle on the Hill”), Justin Bieber (“Love Yourself”), Rihanna (“Diamonds”), and Kanye West (“Ghost Town”). He also founded two record labels under Interscope Records in 2014, Mad Love Records and Friends Keep Secrets, through which he signed artists like Tory Lanez and Cashmere Cat.
Benny Blanco as a Solo Artist
In July 2018, Blanco stepped into the spotlight as a lead artist for the first time. His debut single, “Eastside,” featured Halsey and Khalid and reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped the charts in several countries, including the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand. The song led into his debut album, Friends Keep Secrets, released in December 2018.
A deluxe version, Friends Keep Secrets 2, followed in 2021 and included “Lonely,” a collaboration with Justin Bieber. Over the following years, Blanco released collaborations with artists such as Juice WRLD, BTS, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem.
Business Ventures, TV, and Books
Blanco’s career reaches beyond music. In 2020, he began appearing as a fictionalized version of himself on the FXX comedy series Dave, alongside his close friend Lil Dicky. That same year, he also launched cooking shows on his YouTube channel with chef Matty Matheson.
In 2024, Blanco released his first book, Open Wide: A Cookbook for Friends, co-written with Jess Damuck. It became a New York Times bestseller and spent two weeks on the list. In September 2026, he followed it up with a new book called Fck Failure*, published through Simon & Schuster. The book is described as a guide to embracing setbacks on the way to success, with chapters covering topics like persistence and self-discipline. He discussed the book, along with stories from his career and his relationship with Selena Gomez, in a recent televised interview filmed at Electric Lady Studios in New York.
Earlier in 2026, Blanco also co-launched a podcast called Friends Keep Secrets with Lil Dicky and Kristin Batalucco, featuring informal conversations with celebrity guests such as Ed Sheeran and Lizzo.
Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez: Relationship and Marriage
Blanco and Selena Gomez have been a couple since June 2023. They announced their engagement in December 2024, and they were married on September 27, 2025, at Sea Crest Nursery in Santa Barbara, California.
In 2025, the couple released a joint album, I Said I Love You First, which reached number two on the Billboard 200. Songs from the album, including “Scared of Loving You” and “Call Me When You Break Up” (with Gracie Abrams), performed well on charts around the world. Their duet “Bluest Flame” earned a Grammy nomination in November 2025 for Best Dance Pop Recording.
Benny Blanco’s New Album Hermoso and Other 2026 Updates
This is where many older biographies fall short, since Blanco’s most newsworthy projects both happened in 2026.
On August 14, 2026, Blanco released his second solo studio album, Hermoso, an eight-track project inspired by Latin music genres like cumbia and reggaeton. The album features Selena Gomez, Becky G, Myke Towers, and other artists. Blanco has said he grew up in an area with a large Latino community and that Latin music has influenced him since childhood. The album’s title, cover art, and concept sparked some public debate, with a few critics questioning the project, while others, including collaborators like Becky G, praised the final result.
Just weeks later, on September 15, 2026, Blanco released his second book, Fck Failure*, adding another chapter to a year already filled with major career moments, from a new album to a new marriage.
Benny Blanco Net Worth (2026)
As of 2026, Benny Blanco’s net worth is estimated to be between $50 million and $70 million, according to various public wealth-tracking sources. This figure is not officially confirmed, since public figures rarely share exact financial details. His income reportedly comes from songwriting royalties, production fees, his record labels, book sales, and real estate. Reports suggest he owns multiple properties in the Los Angeles area.
Awards and Recognition
Across his career, Blanco has received eleven Grammy nominations, five BMI Songwriter of the Year awards, the 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year award, and the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2025, he won Crossover Artist of the Year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards. His song “Bluest Flame” with Selena Gomez earned a Grammy nomination announced in November 2025.
FAQ
What is Benny Blanco’s real name?
His real name is Benjamin Joseph Levin.
How old is Benny Blanco?
He was born on March 8, 1988, making him 38 years old as of 2026.
Is Benny Blanco married to Selena Gomez?
Yes. They married on September 27, 2025, in Santa Barbara, California, after dating since 2023 and getting engaged in December 2024.
What is Benny Blanco’s net worth?
As of 2026, public estimates place his net worth between $50 million and $70 million, though this figure is not officially confirmed.
What songs has Benny Blanco produced?
He has produced or co-written hits including “Teenage Dream” (Katy Perry), “Diamonds” (Rihanna), “TiK ToK” (Kesha), “Circus” (Britney Spears), and “Moves like Jagger” (Maroon 5), among many others.
What is Benny Blanco’s new album called?
His second solo album, Hermoso, was released on August 14, 2026, and features Latin music influences.
How This Was Researched
I researched this biography using verified reference sources, recent music-industry news coverage, and public statements from Blanco himself in interviews. I compared career details across multiple sources to confirm dates and achievements. Where net worth figures appeared, I labeled them clearly as public estimates, since exact numbers are not confirmed. This article also tries to close a gap in existing coverage by including Blanco’s most recent 2026 projects, his Hermoso album and his new book, which many older biography pages do not mention. For more on golf gear and lifestyle content, you can also check out our Alex Warren biography on Icons Golf Cart.
Accuracy Note
This biography is based on publicly available information, including verified reference sources and recent news coverage. If you spot anything outdated or incorrect, please let us know so we can update it.
Written and researched by Laura Castillo, contributor at Icons Golf Cart.