Tim van Berkestijn (born 28 April 1977), better known by his stage name Benny Sings, is a Dutch pop musician, songwriter, and producer from the Netherlands. Since 2003, he has released ten studio albums, including his most recent album, 2023's Young Hearts on Stones Throw Records. He has since collaborated with many artists worldwide, like Mac DeMarco, Mocky, and Rex Orange County.[1]
Benny Sings | |
|---|---|
 Benny Sings performing in 2021 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Tim van Berkestijn |
| Born | 28 April 1977 Dordrecht, Netherlands |
| Origin | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | www |
Biography
Tim van Berkestijn was born in 1977 and raised in Dordrecht, a city in the Western Netherlands. He formed his first band, the Loveboat, in high school. He attended the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, where he studied sonology.[2] He made beats under the name Benny V Kreamtits before changing his name to Benny Sings.[3]
In 1999, Berkestijn adopted the stage name Benny Sings when he joined the Dutch hip hop group Abstract Dialect as a bassist. During this period, he also worked with hip hop collective De Toffen and the soul group Heavenly Social.
In 2003, Sings released his first solo album, Champagne People, which did well in the Netherlands and Europe. During the 2010s, Sings gained more attention in the United States.[4] In 2017, he helped pen the Rex Orange County single "Loving Is Easy".[5]
Beyond his solo career, Sings has collaborated with, written for, and produced many notable artists, including Mayer Hawthorne, Free Nationals, GoldLink, Mac DeMarco and Tom Misch. He also composed songs for the anime Carole & Tuesday.[6] In 2022, Sings co-produced Rex Orange County's album Who Cares?, which debuted at number 5 on the Billboard 200.[7]
Sings released the single "The Only One" on 26 October 2022. His album Young Hearts was released on Stones Throw Records on 24 March 2023.[8]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Champagne People |
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| EUH (with Rednose Distrikt) |
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| Benny... At Home |
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| Art |
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| Studio |
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| Beat Tape |
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| City Pop |
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| Music |
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| Beat Tape II |
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| Young Hearts |
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EPs
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Santa Barbara |
|
Live albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| I Love You (Live at the Bimhuis) |
|
Compilations
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| The Best Of Benny Sings |
|
As featured artist
- C-Mon – "Beggars for Sun" (Cereal, 2008)
- Che Grand – "Soraya's Jam" (Everything's Good Ugly, 2009)
- Knobsticker – "Hypothetical_Theoretical" (Forest Fruit, 2009)
- Scallymatic Orchestra – "All I Can Give" (Annie Get Your Gun, 2009)
- Kan Sano – "Go Nowhere" (2.0.1.1, 2014)
- Data – "Don't Sing" (Don't Sing, 2015)
- Koffie – "Hard Times" (Huntu, 2017)
- Instupendo – "Homme" (Friend of a Friend, 2017)
- Rex Orange County – "Loving is Easy" (2017)
- Onelight – "Aldehyde" (Vanderlay, 2018)
- Tuxedo – "Toast 2 Us" (Tuxedo III, 2019)
- Shuko & The Breed – "Life in Los Angeles" (Dippin', 2019)
- Blackwave. – "The Antidote" (Are We Still Dreaming?, 2019)
- Free Nationals – "Apartment" (Free Nationals, 2019)
- Les Cooles de Ville – "Starr People" (L.C.D.V., 2019)
- Intellextual – "Popstar" (Intellextual, 2019)
- Gosto – "The Other Way" (2019)
- Aaron Taylor – "Shooting Star" (Icarus, 2020)
- M.I.L.K. – "Prisoner" (Always Summer Somewhere, 2020)
- Yaffle – "The Child Inside" (Lost, Never Gone, 2020)
- Darius – "RISE" (Utopia, 2021)
References
External links
- "Discogs Biography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
- "Sonar Kollektiv". Sonarkolletiv.com. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
- "Official website". Bennysings.com. Retrieved 1 January 2008.