To celebrate his new album release at Stones Throw Records, Dutch artist Benny Sings will perform two gigs at the end of February. Benny Sings will release City Pop, his sixth album and first for Stones Throw on February 22nd, 2019. The Dutch musician/producer/songwriter also confirmed two special US release shows: a KCRW-backed set in LA (2/26) followed by an appearance in NYC (2/28).
Listen to the first single out today “Not Enough’ (cowritten & coproduced by Mayer Hawthorne) HERE.
On City Pop, Benny delivers real-life observations and insights on love, holding together soft rock-inspired songwriting and jazz instrumentation with his leading piano and distinctive vocal. The album was inspired by and written in cities all over the world, including New York, LA, Tokyo, Paris and Benny’s hometown of Amsterdam.
Benny Sings debuted in 2003 with Champagne People. Since then he has performed for NPR’s Tiny Desk; toured the world with Mayer Hawthorne, and collaborated with the likes of Anderson .Paak, GoldLink, and Mndsgn. In 2017 he co-wrote and featured on Rex Orange County’s megahit “Loving Is Easy”, a collaboration that arose from mutual admiration: “Benny has always been a massive inspiration for me and my music,” says the BBC Sound of 2018 breakout star, “In my opinion he’s one of the most underrated producers and artists going.”
Like the 2015 album Studio, City Pop celebrates collaboration, with Hawthorne, Cornelius, Sukimaswitch (the “Japanese Steely Dan”), Mocky and Faberyayo among the featured artists. True to the album’s name, cities from around the world play a starring role. Alongside collaborations with these Japanese musicians, Benny worked with Tokyo artist Ryu Okubo for the album art illustration. He conceived most of the album’s songs in Amsterdam at the studio seen in the DIY video for his ‘Passionfruit’ cover, and co-producer Renaud Letang — who has worked with Feist, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lianne La Havas — helped bring his ideas to life in Paris’ renowned Studio Ferber.
Benny’s music has always been informed by his real-life experiences and relationships. Following Studio’s release his perspective on life totally changed. His relationship expanded beyond the “everything-is-amazing romantic explosion” to include marriage and babies — no less exciting, and still filled with ups and downs, but anchored in a sense of a shared future.