"Benny Blanco"

Early Musical Obsessions [09:30]

• Blanco recalls his early fascination with music, starting with buying cassettes like Nas's "The World is Yours."
• He describes a "war" in his house between his mother's love for The Beatles and his father's preference for The Rolling Stones.

  My mom, my mom, like, grew up, like, going to, like, CBGBs and Studio 54. Like, she was, like, very in that world. So, yeah, I was, you know, we had a record player. I was very, I was, like, an old soul before I got into pop music.

The Hustle Begins [14:40]

• As a teenager, Blanco cold-called record labels and pretended to be Jay-Z's attorney to get his foot in the door.
• He traveled to New York on buses to DJ parties, often sleeping in public spaces because he could not afford a hotel.

  It was so different back, back in the day. I literally, there was no anything. So I would wait outside, like, studios and I'd be like, hey, do you make music?

First Professional Beats [18:25]

• Blanco's first paid work involved creating beats for a softcore porn series titled "Hip Hop Hunnies" for $500.
• His mother discovered the DVD and was unimpressed by the content despite his excitement over the earnings.

  He paid me $500 for two beats. And I—mine as well was Brad Pitt at home. Like, I came home, I showed every friend.

Landing an Internship [20:15]

• Blanco tricked his way into an internship with producer Disco D by promising to book the studio for three days.
• He scrambled to borrow money from friends and family to cover the costs and secure his position.

  I said, I'll do anything for you in the world. I'll do whatever you say. This guy's crazy. I have no idea why he did this.

The Shift to Pop [24:30]

• After the tragic death of his mentor Disco D, Blanco struggled to sell beats until he pivoted to a duo format.
• He eventually met Dr. Luke, a pivotal moment that led him into the world of mainstream pop production.

  I get a call and they say this guy named Dr. Luke wants to meet you. And I said, who's Dr. Luke? I didn't know.

Writing for Britney Spears [27:30]

• Blanco describes his intense imposter syndrome while working with Dr. Luke and Max Martin on Britney Spears's "Circus."
• He realized his value lay in his "street cred" and ability to connect with young artists.

  I'm 18 years old. These guys are like 40. Like, and I'm, and I'm, but, but, but the thing that's cool is the artists all are really young.

The Fear of Flying [07:20]

• Blanco stopped flying a decade ago due to severe anxiety and a traumatic flight experience on the same day as the "Miracle on the Hudson."
• He now travels to Europe via the Cunard cruise line, a journey that takes seven days.

  I'm so insane that I take the boat to Europe. Wow. So I take... Every time I go to Europe, I have to drive from L.A. to New York. And then I get on a boat for seven days to Europe.

Life on the High Seas [08:50]

• He describes the boat as a "floating Titanic" and notes that he brings his own kitchen appliances to prepare his own food.
• He finds the boredom of the long journey helpful for his creativity.

  I actually make a... I make my own food on the boat. What food? What do you mean? What does that mean? I, like, bring it, and I have, like, a little refrigerator.

Meeting Selena Gomez [32:45]

• Blanco and Gomez first met 15 years ago for a potential production meeting that neither remembers clearly.
• They reconnected in 2019 to film a music video and eventually hit it off on a deeper level.

  We had hung out, but we hit it off in like a level. That's so fun. I have a girlfriend at the time that not like, this isn't like sexually or romantically. Like we just hit it off.

The First Date [36:20]

• Blanco initially thought they were just friends and was surprised when Gomez asked to hang out.
• After a second date, he realized the romantic potential and they became inseparable.

  Then we go out on a second date. Then I'm like, oh, this is a date. And I lay a smooch on her.

Viral Offers [39:15]

• Blanco addresses his old website offers to sell his hair or phone contacts for large sums of money.
• He confirms those were jokes from years ago and offers the items to the hosts for free.

  I don't even think you can hit the link. You want it for free. You can just have either one for free.

New Projects [40:00]

• Blanco promotes his new album, "Hermoso," and his upcoming book about failing upward.
• He emphasizes the importance of his podcast as a creative outlet with his best friends.

  I have a book. It's called Fuck Failure. Is that what it's called? Yes. Yes. Like, yeah. I love that. I have a book on just like how to fail upwards, you know?

The Power of Hustle [41:30]

• Blanco reflects on his career, noting that while he isn't classically trained, his success is the result of hard work and energy.
• He encourages others to pursue their goals through consistent effort.

  The harder you work, the more chances you have to be lucky.

The Phone Number Leak [43:00]

• In a playful moment, Blanco threatens to "air out" the hosts on Howard Stern if they don't text him.
• He jokingly provides his phone number on air, claiming he has leaked it multiple times before.

  I'm about to go on Howard Stern by the time this airs. If you guys haven't texted me by the time I go on Howard Stern, I'm literally airing you out on Howard Stern.

Closing Thoughts [45:15]

• The hosts praise Blanco's authenticity and the inspiring nature of his "baby steps" approach to success.
• Blanco expresses gratitude for the friendship and the conversation.

  You guys are rad, man. Yeah. Thank you guys so much.

Legacy of the Podcast [46:00]

• Blanco credits the hosts for inspiring him to start his own podcast with his friends.
• He notes that he previously thought podcasts were "stupid" until seeing their success.

  You guys really inspired me and Dave and his wife to have a podcast. We have a podcast. Oh, great. And you guys really inspired us to do it.