The End of the Tortured Artist?
Benny brings up a lot of emotional juice, doesn't he?
To the cynics, he’s suspect.
To the ones that love him, he's a fantasy.
Either way, he draws a line in the sand, doesn't he?.
Me? I like him.
My husband is bewildered by my fascination with him. But he's not too fond of pop music.
I'm not known as a music aficionado. I discovered Robert Plant in 2007 when he did an album with Allison Krause. Somehow I missed Led Zeppelin.
But I like what I like, and with Benson, I like the whole package.
He didn't have a miserable childhood, yet he is still wildly creative. I believe he works out the melodies on his piano and co-creates the lyrics.
He didn't know he was a singer. His best friend asked him to sing for The Battle of the Bands contest in front of his hometown. That's where he discovered he has some natural talent.
He's courageous and loyal to his friends.
He jumps into experiences with confidence that he'll land on his feet.
Literally! What a talent stack!
He's also innocent in a way that I haven't seen often in a pop performer. It's more of an unspoiled presence. This innocence is demonstrated in his ability to be emotionally vulnerable. He expresses himself without fear of how it makes him look.
His joy and wonder hasn't become jaded by cynicism.
And he's what I believe they used to call a triple threat. He can sing beautifully, is wildly performative, and can probably act based on the video he did for Mr. Electric Blue.
He is who he is naturally, and he's well adjusted.
I get the feeling that when this stops being fun for him, he'll disappear into the sunset. We won't hear from him again.
He doesn't need the world as much as the world needs him, and he seems to know it in a deep way that's hard to describe.
So is he an anomaly, or is he the beginning of something new?
Is his rise in popularity a sign that we are making a shift in what we believe about artists and performers?
If it is, I'm all for it. I want to see more artists that are on board with being joyful, emotionally available and grounded in self-respect.
And his music and lyrics are surprising, not formulaic.
Artistic self-expression isn't one-sided. It doesn't have to be skewed to trauma and self-hatred.
There is beauty in healing and connection, growth and realization. You can be whole with lightness and a sense of belonging and still be creative.
I'm definitely team Benson.