benny blanco - In Conversation

The Grammy Award–nominated producer, artist, actor, and author discusses why getting it wrong may actually get you where you want to go. Co-presented with The Contemporary Jewish Museum For more than two decades, benny blanco has helped shape the sound of popular music. The songwriter and producer behind 29 #1 songs, he’s collaborated with artists including Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, SZA, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, The Weeknd and Maroon 5. He’s also earned 11 Grammy nominations, released two albums of his own, acted in the hit series Dave and written the bestselling cookbook Open Wide. In his new book, F*CK FAILURE, already a New York Times bestseller, benny shares what he’s learned from failing constantly: how to turn f*cking up into an art form and failure into an opportunity for success. Join us for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about his life and remarkable career, the people and experiences that have shaped him, and what he’s learned along the way. The conversation is supported by The Contemporary Jewish Museum’s Marilyn Yolles Waldman Distinguished Speaker Series, an endowed fund dedicated to presenting Jewish artists and thinkers in the public sphere who make significant contributions to art and culture. benny blanco is a record producer, songwriter, artist, actor and New York Times bestselling author. His work with some of the biggest names in music has earned him 11 Grammy nominations and the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Hal David Starlight Award. His albums Friends Keep Secrets and Friends Keep Secrets 2 have been streamed more than 11 billion times. He has appeared in the FXX series Dave, and his debut cookbook, Open Wide, was an instant, multi-week New York Times bestseller. In 2026, he launched the multimedia podcast Friends Keep Secrets with Dave Burd (Lil Dicky) and Kristin Batalucco. Questions? Email [email protected]