Alec Benjamin Dishes On "These Two Windows," His Highly-Anticipated Debut Album
Alec Benjamin simply refers to himself as a "narrator." Inspired by Eminem, Paul Simon and Citizen Cope, the Phoenix-born, Los Angeles-based songwriter fashioned a cinematic, lo-fi sound that stirred up a buzz online right out of the gate. Now, the acclaimed artist is gearing up for the release of his debut album, "These Two Windows." Benjamin joined BUILD to talk about the LP and play a few songs.
Video Transcript
[THEME MUSIC]
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Hey, everybody. Welcome back to "BUILD At Home." I'm your host Brittany Jones-Cooper, coming to you from my home in New York City. I'm really excited. Today I'm going to be joined by Alec Benjamin, singer and songwriter, who is going to play two amazing songs for us during this interview. So make sure you stick around.
But before we get started, I want to remind you guys about the No Kid Hungry campaign. Due to school cancellations because of COVID-19, there are 438 million school meals that have been unserved. And that's a lot of kids in need, a lot of communities in need. So if you're looking for a way to-- to pitch in, to help out in your community, go to nokidhungry.org.
Now I want to kick things off and welcome Alec. Alec, how are thing going? Where are you?
ALEC BENJAMIN: That is crazy, the 438 million meals unserved.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, it's alarming how many kids depend on school for food. You know, it's just really-- it's unfortunate.
ALEC BENJAMIN: OK, well, all right. I didn't know that. But wow.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, but that's why it's amazing. I think a lot of times, in moments like this, people are looking for a way to get involved. And so it's cool that we can highlight organizations like this that can help this need that a lot of people aren't even aware of.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Right. Well, that's awesome.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. So where are you holing up right now?
ALEC BENJAMIN: I'm at my-- my parents' house in California, in Orange County. And I've been here for, like, three weeks now.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I know. We've all lost count of days. I have no--
ALEC BENJAMIN: Well, you guys locked down first. So you've probably been, like-- maybe you're probably like-- I think we're, like, a week or a week and a half behind you guys.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I think today marks three weeks for me of really, like, being in my home. I think I've been out three times or so.
ALEC BENJAMIN: What about, like, to get groceries and stuff?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, just three times I've gone out to go get groceries, just, like, really stock up. Just a lot of things that don't perish, you know? A lot of frozen vegetables, so I don't have to go out as much.
ALEC BENJAMIN: I just want to go to, like, a restaurant again.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I know.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Like, one day. I love-- I love Korean barbecue. And me and my friends, we go-- we go weekly. And I mean, like, I mean, like, there are people who don't have food, so I can't complain. But I just want to, like, be normal again.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. So are you getting to the point where you're missing your rituals, and you're just sort of-- like, where are you at mentally at this stage?
ALEC BENJAMIN: Well, you know what? I'm with my mom and dad. And, like, that's pretty awesome. I haven't been able to see my sister in about a month. And you know, we-- we love each other, but we argue a lot. So for the first two weeks, I was like, this is amazing, you know.
[CHUCKLES]
And then-- but I miss my sister. And I'm pretty close to my brother-in-law too. I'd love to see him. But my parents are a little bit older. So we're really trying to keep everybody separate so that, you know, we don't get our parents sick.
But yeah, I mean, you know, I'm-- I'm, like, I think that I'm trying to look at the bright side. And at least, like, you know, I'm probably never going to get to spend like this much time, like, with my mom and dad, like, you know, in one-- you know, one single shot ever again. So I mean, it's nice to get to spend so much time with my family. But at the same time, like, you know, I just, like, wish the world could go back to normal.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. I think we all feel that way. It it-- it is nice though. The family time is the silver lining in all of this, I think, for a lot of people.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Yeah.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So I-- I did see that you wrote a coronavirus song during your social distancing. So has it been a time of creativity for you? Have you been writing more?
ALEC BENJAMIN: Only in the last two days. But I got to tell you, like, my-- I'm a night owl. And then, like, my clock is, like, really off. So I'm just, like-- the whole thing is weird for me. And, like, I don't know, I just have been-- over the last couple days, I've been, like, making stuff. And I feel like this is a good time for me to make, like, a bunch of new music.
At the same time, you know, we're having to use different methods to make songs. Because, like, I'm used to going into the studio. And you know, I like writing songs by myself, but I also enjoy collaboration. And working with people over FaceTime is an interesting adjustment. Because it's not really like being with people in person.
At the same time, I'm also feeling like a lot of things I thought I needed to go places for, I can do from home. But-- but there are certain things that are not-- can't really replace, you know, being with someone in person yet.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, for sure. But, you have been trying to collaborate a little bit over FaceTime? It's just been different.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Yeah, well, I'm going to-- I'm going to keep doing it. I mean, I'm going to-- I'm going to write a song today with my friend Alex over FaceTime. And you know, she lives-- it's just so weird, because she doesn't even live that far away from me.
So the only issue is-- I mean, there's-- there's a few issues. I think that there's, like, a lot of intangibles. But also just, like, there's a delay. So if someone is playing an instrument, I can't sing over it without, like-- you know, like an audio-visual delay, and just the audio lag in general. So it's-- you can't really write like that. So if two people are trying to, like, sing or play instruments at the same time, it gets very messy.
And, but other than that, I mean, it's nice to share ideas over it, but it's not the same.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It's not the same for sure. And I know, because of all the cancellations, your tour has been impacted, right? So you were supposed to start a tour this month?
ALEC BENJAMIN: You know, I was. Actually, what's-- what's today's date? It's April 3?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: April 3, yeah.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Yeah. So my tour was supposed to start in-- on April 14, with Coachella. I think it was the first day of Coachella. And you know, obviously, that's not happening now.
Yeah, I had, like-- well, I had-- I had the festivals, and then I had my own tour, and then I had, like, a whole set of festivals in Europe after that.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Wow.
ALEC BENJAMIN: And then-- I mean, those are still on. But I-- I don't know what's going on with those. I haven't heard any news. But every time I turn on the news, something else is canceled. So I wouldn't be surprised if that doesn't happen.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. I guess it's a lot of wait-and-see for a lot of those big events that are supposed to happen this summer.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Mm-hmm.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: In the meantime, though, you are doing, a, I guess, internet tour. You've been making some stops in different places.
ALEC BENJAMIN: What?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I'm just saying I've seen you play some live shows on different-- different platforms.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Oh, yeah. No, I have. Yeah, yeah. It's cool, you know? I'm doing an internet tour.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: "These Two Windows" internet tour, right?
ALEC BENJAMIN: I-- I do different performances in different rooms of my house.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: [CHUCKLES]
What is your favorite--
ALEC BENJAMIN: We only have, like, two. There's not many rooms. So--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: What's your favorite room to perform in?
ALEC BENJAMIN: The one that I'm currently in.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Where are you?
ALEC BENJAMIN: We have a small guest room.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Ah. Good acoustics?
ALEC BENJAMIN: You know, there's not great acoustics anywhere in this house.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: [CHUCKLES]
Did you try--
ALEC BENJAMIN: It wasn't built for that.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: --the shower? I've heard--
ALEC BENJAMIN: What?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I've heard the shower has good acoustics.
ALEC BENJAMIN: It does. But-- it does.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: [CHUCKLES]
OK. Well, I'm looking forward to hearing the sound in this guest room.
ALEC BENJAMIN: How have you found doing interviews from home?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: It's chill. I mean, I live in a one-bedroom apartment. It's just me. And it's pretty quiet on my street, because there's nobody outside.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Have you found that you FaceTime people a lot now?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: No. I can be wildly anti-social. So I sort of like pick and choose the times that I--
ALEC BENJAMIN: That's interesting for somebody who interviews other people.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Oh, I've got layers, Alec. I just--
ALEC BENJAMIN: OK, oh, well, you know, I'm trying to peel through them.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. I'm very social, but I definitely appreciate some solo time. So yeah, I can appreciate kind of the quiet and the stillness of this moment where we're at, for sure.
ALEC BENJAMIN: And how's your family doing, and your friends doing through all this?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Everybody is-- my family and stuff is mainly in the Midwest. And so they're-- they're fine right now. They're sort of seeing what's happening in New York, and they're concerned for me. But I'm-- I'm staying here.
And most of my friends have dipped out of the city. They've gone back to their families, or they've gone upstate. They sort of got out-- got out of town.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Right.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I'm riding out the storm though, for sure. But you know what will help me.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Hm.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Some music.
ALEC BENJAMIN: OK, all right. Do you want me to play right now?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I would love to hear some songs. I'm going to sit back and kind of let you take the reins from here on out.
ALEC BENJAMIN: All right. Let me tell you something. I haven't sang all day. This is my first time singing.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: OK.
ALEC BENJAMIN: So we're going to see what happens.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I believe in you.
ALEC BENJAMIN: I'm not making any promises about how good this is going to be. But these are-- these are, you know, extreme times. What is the-- what's the saying? Interesting-- something about times and circumstance.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I'll Google it.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Desperate times call for desperate--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Oh, desperate times call for desperate measures?
ALEC BENJAMIN: That's not the saying I was looking for, but we'll go with that. All right. Who else have you interviewed recently?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I chatted with JoJo.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Oh, really, JoJo Siwa, or JoJo--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: No, JoJo the singer. The real JoJo.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Oh, she's a real-- JoJo Siwa is real JoJo.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: She is. But, like, for-- I'm a little older. I don't know. And when I think JoJo, I think of (SINGING) get out right now. That's my JoJo.
ALEC BENJAMIN: [SINGING INDISTINCTLY] Yeah, I love that song too.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, it's great.
ALEC BENJAMIN: All right, here we go.
[MUSIC - ALEC BENJAMIN, "OH MY GOD"]
Gonna pull my hood up.
(SINGING) Looking at the pictures I keep on my shelf, because it's been so long since I felt like myself. Burn another candle down. Burn another candle down.
Running low on patience. Running now on fumes. I'm never going to make it halfway to the moon. But it's too late to turn around. It's too late to around.
I'm running out of oxygen. I'll never be the same again now. Same again now.
Oh my God, I can't remember who I was just last December. What have I done? How did I get here? What have I done?
Oh my God, look in the mirror. I was young. Nothing to fear once. What have I done? How did I get here? What have I done?
Maybe I was foolish. I guess I was naive. I didn't know what I had, and I thought I had to leave. I wish that I was homeward bound. I wish that I was homeward bound.
Looking for a signal, holding out my phone. Have I gone too far? Am I on my own? There's no one here to hold me now. No one here to hold me now.
I'm running out of oxygen. Can't help but wish I'd stayed. I'm lost just like Will Robinson, a rocking man in space.
Oh my God, I can't remember who I was just last December. What have I done? How did I get here? What have I done?
Oh my God, look in the mirror. I was young nothing to fear once. What have I done? How did I get here? What have I done? Doo doo doo im doo im doo. Doo doo doo im doo im doo. Doo doo doo im doo. Hm. Hm, hm.
Cool.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Beautiful.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Thanks. All right, yeah, that's the first time I've ever sang, ever, straight-up, first thing in the morning, on an interview, ever in my life. And you know what? I was afraid the notes weren't going to come out, and they did. So I was pretty-- that's pretty cool.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: You know why? Because you're a professional, man.
ALEC BENJAMIN: No, because you're special.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I'm special? Aw, thank you. You weren't just serenading me, you know. [INAUDIBLE]
ALEC BENJAMIN: That's true, that's true. I was thinking, in my head, I was like, man, I don't know if I'm going-- if I'm going to get this note. And then I heard a voice come in, and he was like, dude, Brittany's here. You got to.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: [CHUCKLES] You did it. You did it. That was beautiful. And that was-- that was the new-- the new single.
ALEC BENJAMIN: It's called "Oh My God."
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Mm-hmm.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Then I could play you the song I wrote the other day.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Let's hear it.
ALEC BENJAMIN: If I can remember it. This is a little song that I wrote about being inside. I-- I don't know if I can play the full thing, because I don't know if I remember it yet. But I just want to play it because it's-- it's pertinent. Does that make sense? Is that the right word? Yeah. All right, here we go. It goes like this.
[MUSIC - ALEC BENJAMIN, "6 FT APART"]
(SINGING) They say distance is relative. Relative to relatives I have, I'd say I'm relatively close to breaking down because right now I feel so alone. I've been missing the elements, and wishing the elephant in the room would leave and kindly close the door. I can't ignore him anymore, not like before.
Oh, I miss you most at six feet apart, when you're right outside my window but can't ride inside my car. And it hurts you know just how lovely you are, and be too far away to hold but close enough to break my heart. I miss your smile. Feels like miles six feet apart.
So far, so far but so close. Like a star-- oh, wait, no, this goes-- so far, so far but so close. Like a star out in the cosmos. Can't touch the beauty I see. And that's how it all feels to me.
And then it goes-- space and time are interwoven. Well, at least that's what we're told. When I was young, I was suspicious, but it's true. Because time sticks like glue, and I feel so blue when I'm not with you.
So I think I'll build a time machine and go back to a time, when we didn't need to measure six feet on the ground when I came around. But that's not allowed. I can't go back now.
Oh I miss you the most at six feet apart, when your right outside my window but can't ride inside my car. And it hurts you know just how lovely you are. And be too far way to hold but close enough to break my heart. I miss your smile. It feels like miles six feet apart.
So close-- oh, wait-- so far, so far but so close. Like a star out in the cosmos. Can't touch the beauty I see. And that's how it feels at six feet.
Cool.
[CLAPPING]
Thanks.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yay. That's a really beautiful song. You just wrote that, like, when? A day or two ago?
ALEC BENJAMIN: I wrote it last night. That's why I didn't sleep.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Last night. Ah, that explains it. That's a really beautiful, beautiful song. Was that written about anybody in particular, or is that just sort of [INAUDIBLE]?
ALEC BENJAMIN: I met this girl on-- I have no one to talk to. So I, like, got a dating app, just because I was like, maybe I can meet some people to FaceTime, just, like, as friends.
And I met this girl who's really cool. And I wanted to hang out with her, but I can't. I can't.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Aw.
ALEC BENJAMIN: And I was like, oh, we should hang out sometime. And she was like, yeah. And I was like, all right, well I'll see-- see you in three months.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: [CHUCKLES]
I'll see you in June maybe?
ALEC BENJAMIN: And so I was like, oh, it's like you know-- you feel like-- it's like, ah, I'm so close but so far away, you know? It's like, what-- what if she meets somebody else? You know? So I wrote that song and I sent it to her.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Oh, man.
ALEC BENJAMIN: But know I'm afraid I may have said too much.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, I was like, that's like-- that's a really beautiful gesture.
ALEC BENJAMIN: I'm not even like a romantic guy, you know?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Has she responded yet?
ALEC BENJAMIN: Yeah, she loved the song. That's why I finished it. I just did it as a voice memo. And I just, like, sent it. Like, and it, like wasn't-- and then I was, like, I'll just, like, put it online, you know? And then I think, like, people-- it was pretty well received, you know?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I think guys out there don't stand a chance if guys like you are on dating apps writing songs.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Oh, they definitely do. I have found that when you-- when you're too, you know-- if you're too-- if you're too nice-- like, not too nice, but like if you're too-- I think I've exposed too much up front, you know?
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, I mean, you wrote--
ALEC BENJAMIN: I also don't even know her. So, like, to be like, hey, I wrote you a song, you know, like, might be a little much right now.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I don't know, something tells me she's into it. Something tells me she's into it. That's a beautiful song. She replied. She's also, like, sitting at-- you have to think of where she's at. She's at home, probably alone, this beautiful gesture.
ALEC BENJAMIN: I don't know. I don't-- you're right. That's true.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: That's a nice gesture. Good for you.
ALEC BENJAMIN: You know, this-- I'm doing things I would-- I would not normally ever do right now. These are-- it is extreme, this circumstance.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: YOLO.
ALEC BENJAMIN: But you know what's cool? I'm reconnecting with friends I haven't spoken to in a while. And the friends that I am close with, you know, we're all working now. Like, we're all, like, you know.
And I'm-- I'm really still close with all the people that I was close friends with, like, even in elementary school. Like, I have a solid core group of friends. And you know, life gets in the way. Everyone's started to work now. People are traveling all the time. And we don't talk as much.
And now it's like-- you know, kind of feels like a-- like-- like the weirdest summer break I've ever been on.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. I can relate. It's a weird time. But like you said, it's also just-- there's all this opportunity for things that we ignored before that now you don't have an excuse not to do. And so that is the silver lining. That is, like, the positive thing that can come out all this hopefully.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Right.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: And the music that you created.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Hey, you know, I mean, like, I would-- I would give the music back if the world would go back to normal. But I'll take it.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: You know, I'll take what I can get at this time, which is the music.
Remind us about the album coming out, and how people can--
ALEC BENJAMIN: So the album comes out May 29. And you know, I'm excited to put up this batch of music. And I'm going to keep writing in between. So I'll probably be putting out like, you know, like-- it's like, I have this album that I made at a totally different time in my life. And I'm still really happy and excited about it. But I'm like, you know, I wrote that song yesterday. I'm like, wait, I have an update. You know? So--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah.
ALEC BENJAMIN: That's--
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: So you're writing your next album, but your next album is already coming out.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Yeah, well, I'm going to be writing the album after-- after the one that's going to come out on May 29 like right now.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah, that's what I'm saying. You're writing your next album before your actual album is coming out. I love that. It is a beautiful time of creativity. And Alec, I think you're a perfect example of that.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Thank you.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: I've had so much fun chatting with you. Thank you for sharing the music with us today.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Thank you for having me.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Yeah. And wishing you and your family just the best.
ALEC BENJAMIN: Oh, thank you. And same goes to you and-- and everybody. I see there's other names in this chat. You guys, too.
BRITTANY JONES-COOPER: Awesome. Thank you, Alec. You guys, go check out his album on May 29. And we'll see you, Alec, next time on BUILD Series. Bye, guys.
ALEC BENJAMIN: All right, bye.
[THEME MUSIC]
