1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Well, thank you Mercedes Bench for giving us this lounge, 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 1: and thank you Stephan Bench for me lounge. You you 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: have your own lounge, Stefan Benz. And from where do 4 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: you live? Now? Are you not light? Now? Yeah? I 5 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: live in I live in in California and I'm I'm 6 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: I'm over in Irvine, so at a little bit away. 7 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: I'm in my little bubble originally from South Africa. Yep, 8 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: what part I'm from between Prattoria and Johannesburg. Yeah, yeah, 9 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: that's where. That's where I'm from. Do you go home? Alne, 10 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 1: I haven't been home in two years because I'm like, 11 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 1: I don't know something with visa stuff. You know, I'm 12 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,639 Speaker 1: not I'm not a citizen. Oh no, you're not a citizen. 13 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:33,920 Speaker 1: Maybe you shouldn't be saying this live on. I'm fine, 14 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: I'm legally here. I just like there's something I don't know. 15 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: But yeah, maybe you can't get back in. Yeah, so 16 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: like this something like that because it's like I don't know. 17 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: Probably maybe I shouldn't Maybe I should know. We're ten 18 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: seconds sentence. I'm out of here. Bench is already very shifty. 19 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: I'm out of here, guys. I love that though. Well, 20 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: you know, you were I think twelve years old when 21 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: our friend Charlie Walks did you gotta listen to this 22 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: kid's music? I said, okay, yeah, I mean I have to. 23 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:00,400 Speaker 1: I have to stop and just say, you know, it's true. 24 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: Thank you very much for that, because you know, forever, 25 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: in whatever it's to come for me, I will remember that. 26 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: You know, you were the first one to have me on. 27 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,320 Speaker 1: I think I probably was still living in South Africa 28 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: at the time, so you know something, it was the 29 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: first thing and I'll always remember that and I appreciate 30 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: it living in a country that wanted you back then. Yeah. 31 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: But so Charlie, Charlie Walker, we've known each other since 32 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: we were kids, so many years, believe or not. So 33 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,680 Speaker 1: you know, in the music business, I mean you're you're 34 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: herald now. I'm sixteen, okay, sixteen okay, so that was 35 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: four or four years ago. Just got my license here 36 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: you go. I mean, being hitting in this business is 37 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: not It is overnight for some. But for those and 38 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 1: I know in your opinion, Charlie that put in the work, 39 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: that put in the hard work, the payoff is much better. 40 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: I think it's the only way. And if you really 41 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 1: go back and look at the history of the biggest stars. 42 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,760 Speaker 1: iHeart plays and you've broken over the years. They all 43 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: if you ask the mothers the same thing, right, what 44 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: happened with your kid seven or eight? They knew their 45 00:01:57,800 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: kid was different and they started doing the work. Now, 46 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: the training and the and the writing and the performing 47 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: and the biggest stares in the world. I was talking 48 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 1: actually Scott Swift yesterday about just the journey of Taylor. 49 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 1: They all did the work at the highest level and 50 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 1: became long lasting superstars. And so you have to think 51 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: about in this TikTok game, how do you use it differently? 52 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:18,400 Speaker 1: How do you use it to your advantage as an 53 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: artist and grow versus just going up and praying to 54 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: God that you're going to go viral and be this 55 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: big star. Just like you, Elvis, weren't you an intern 56 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: before you became the biggest morning show? I started out 57 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: the number one man, you know, So you got to 58 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: really look at it all. So we just try to 59 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: practice and preach on if you can identify him Elvis 60 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: and even Rosanna Scotto our friend at twelve, what's the 61 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: journey going to be like at sixteen, seventeen or eighteen? 62 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: The odds are if their stars are going to be 63 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: what we have today. But come on, Stefan, wouldn't you 64 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: whether they're just like add water and stir and then 65 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: you're all it's all done, big contracts are signed and 66 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: you're you're selling out arenas around the world. I mean, 67 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: it answers you, it's it's it is one of those things. 68 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 1: Right of course, I'd want to have it all right now, 69 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,080 Speaker 1: but it's just not the time, Like it's the time 70 00:02:58,160 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: is now, but it wasn't the time at twelve. Right 71 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: of course, when I was nine years old, I wanted 72 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: to be the biggest start in the world. But it's 73 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: just it's not that it's not the time when I 74 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: was seven, I wanted to be so um now at sixteen. 75 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: I mean, when I met Charlie at twelve, that was 76 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: always the plan. You know. That's why it's never been like, oh, 77 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: why isn't it happening or anything, because the second I 78 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: met him, it was always. When you're sixteen seventeen, that's 79 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 1: when it really goes. You know, well that's now. So 80 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: exactly do you feel the propulsion? I mean, do you 81 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: feel like you're taking off the space? Definitely? The yeah, 82 00:03:22,520 --> 00:03:24,799 Speaker 1: definitely the most momentum I feel like it's there's been, 83 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: and I'm very happy about that, and I'm happy that 84 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: I'm able to do something that I enjoy and starting 85 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: to find like a certain level of success in what 86 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: I enjoy. Well, you're gonna hear music from stuff on 87 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: it just a few minutes, some live, maybe some that's 88 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: been recorded. We'll get to that in a minute. But 89 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: as sixteen or seventeen years then eighteen, what is it 90 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 1: that's going on that makes you feel like, Okay, this 91 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: roller coaster is gonna jump, this is gonna work. Man. 92 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: I've just been working with with um some cool people 93 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: that you know, I kind of get like super nervous 94 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: when I go into some studios and stuff because of 95 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 1: the amount of people I've been working with that have 96 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: these names, and I've worked with these people, and then 97 00:03:57,680 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: the American Idol that I just went on, and then 98 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 1: the shows like this, you know, getting to finally meet you. 99 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: So there's kind of like these things that are building 100 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: momentum that makes me feel like something's happening, like a spark, 101 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: especially with Elvister and morning shows, like something's like something's 102 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: happening in my life. So Uh, you know, I'm just 103 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: blessed with a lot of things kind of starting to 104 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,279 Speaker 1: happen now. I mean, COVID messed up a lot of 105 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:19,920 Speaker 1: stuff obviously in our plan when I when I moved here. 106 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: But now you know it's tied down, so is it. 107 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: I mean it's tied down in our minds, I hope, 108 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: so at least in our minds, it's signed down. Do 109 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: you know what I was saying the other day before 110 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: we came on here. Fans are the most important thing. 111 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 1: They will fire you and they will hire you. He's 112 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 1: in the fan game, and I think you know, as 113 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: you do your career, you're just connected with the fans 114 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 1: every day. And that's the most important thing that I 115 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: think he's learned since he started. Funny you mentioned that 116 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: because I know we we put we put a graphic 117 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,039 Speaker 1: up the other day on our Instagram saying Stefan Benz 118 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: is gonna be on and it exploded. I mean passionate, Yeah, 119 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: passionate people. You know what it used to be in 120 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: the day, Uh, radio was the only game. Yeah, and 121 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: if you didn't have a song on the radio, no 122 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: one knew who you were. That has changed, and I'm 123 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: excited about that. I don't care or radio Schmidio, you know, 124 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: on whatever. No, but I was saying in Nate before, 125 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 1: this is actually a TV show. The video that comes 126 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: from this lives forever. The music that comes to this 127 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: actually goes out, and it's even far more long lasting, 128 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: impactful than the moment that we're in. Right. This moment 129 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: becomes a lifetime. So I think, uh, just not to disrespect, 130 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: but it's much bigger than you even said. Okay, you're 131 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: doing effects pop culture. I stand corrected. When you can 132 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:27,920 Speaker 1: get the thing, Well, you've been doing this since you 133 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: were very young, and now you're getting closer to eighteen. 134 00:05:30,920 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: The decision making changes completely when you turn eighteen. Right, 135 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: you're not gonna have to listen to anybody. Is there 136 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 1: anything you're counting down for? You can't wait to get there? 137 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: That's done. That was the biggest thing. Honestly. I always 138 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:43,840 Speaker 1: say that before I wanted to sing, I wanted to 139 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: be a race car driver. So now that I could drive, 140 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: I'm in my car. Oh dear God. Yeah, I'm in 141 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,840 Speaker 1: my car every day. Okay, and yeah, no, the streets 142 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: better be aware for me because I'm all around there. Um, 143 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: But I mean, what can you even do at eighteen? 144 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 1: What's different? I mean, I'm not gonna move out. Probably. 145 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: I love my family, probably just maybe, like I think 146 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 1: we're gonna move into a new house and I'll just 147 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: have a little bit more of my own space. I 148 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: don't know. So eighteen, I mean I'll probably be the same, 149 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: just little older. So I don't know. So the family 150 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:08,279 Speaker 1: the time we came with you from South Africa. Yeah, 151 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,440 Speaker 1: my mom, my dad, and my little sister Rincha, the 152 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: whole family kicked out of a country. The fam Okay, okay, yeah, 153 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 1: we're lawful guys. We're lawful, okay, all right, by the way, 154 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: and turning us on, this is Stefan benz H. He's 155 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: gonna play some music live for us in a few minutes. 156 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,119 Speaker 1: Charlie Walker is here, who's been in the music business 157 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: since he was a kid. Because we were both kids 158 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 1: when we started in our businesses and we kind of 159 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: grew up and a lot of those guys we grew 160 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: up with are gone dead. Heart attack. I was counting 161 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 1: it up the other day before I came here. It's 162 00:06:36,279 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: crazy how a lot of our friends are not with us, 163 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: and how the artistry games change. Everything's changed, but we're 164 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: still sitting there, which is great. So Stefan Benz, let's 165 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: use you your our example. Okay, using Stefan as an 166 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: example of someone who is shining and getting brighter by 167 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: the day in this business. How is that possible? How 168 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: does that work? How does he How did Stefan Ben's 169 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: end up doing this as opposed to all the other 170 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: artists out there who are doing it their own way. 171 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: I just think there's a difference between good and great 172 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: and I think stars are really born, not made. The 173 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 1: biggest stars in the world. Look, you meet Beyonce at fourteen. 174 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: I remember this clearly. She walked in the room and 175 00:07:12,440 --> 00:07:15,120 Speaker 1: you are you are not? You know Ariana Grande at 176 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: sixteen you were. You're in the room with her, and 177 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: you knew him at twelve. You look at him and 178 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: his dad, you see. So there's a consistency to greatness, 179 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: and then some of us are kind of good at 180 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: identifying it early. My heart's been the best at it. 181 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: I think, you know, the people that I've worked with 182 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 1: previous labels, people that I'm with and involved with currently 183 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: are great at that. And then we chase the artist, 184 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: not the hit. The hits come the audience will let 185 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 1: you know what songs they like over time. You have 186 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: to chase the artist long for the long game, and 187 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: if you do that right, you end up with long 188 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: term stars and not one hit wonders popping off. TikTok. 189 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: There you are. Can you identify the difference between good 190 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: and great? Um? I think you can. I think anyone can. 191 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: I think it's really about you. We have to because 192 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: it's the audience that decides. I said, you know, the 193 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: fans of the bosses, they really are the yours CEO 194 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,840 Speaker 1: that you have to impress every day and if you suck, 195 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 1: they'll let you know. And I say, well, that's the 196 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: beautiful thing about today, where you know, I think when 197 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: Elvis and I were doing this earlier, there was one 198 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: funnel radio and you know, you push songs to go 199 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: on that may not be hits, and it was a 200 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,440 Speaker 1: very different funnel. Today it really is about an audience 201 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: and the fans making the decision for all of us. 202 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: How was the Idol experience? It was pretty nerve wracking, 203 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: low key, Like, um, I think I'm like pretty prepared 204 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: for anything else to come after that, just because of 205 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: I knew obviously months before I went on and before 206 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: anybody else knew that I was doing it right, and 207 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: everybody that had to know, like my parents and my 208 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: team and then whoever knew it almost wasn't even like 209 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: they they never doubted that I was gonna make it 210 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: past the first round, right, Everybody's like, cool, so you're 211 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 1: gonna make the first round and then let's see what 212 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: happens after that. And it's like I had kind of 213 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:50,920 Speaker 1: like a lot of pressure from people that even just 214 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 1: expected me to make it past the first round. So 215 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: I kind of just the main pressure I had was 216 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: just from like nobody even doubted me for a second 217 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: for that first round. I was like, well, what if 218 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: I don't make this this first round? And then I 219 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:03,559 Speaker 1: let all these people down and uh and uh, seeing 220 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: you know Katie and Lionel and Luke, I was my 221 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: mouth was so dry. I needed some water. They didn't 222 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:08,880 Speaker 1: They wouldn't let me have the water because at the 223 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 1: film and like there's a lot of stuff and yeah, 224 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna crap my pant. Yeah I'm crapping my pants now, 225 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 1: but I do that daily. But wait, so, uh was 226 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:20,599 Speaker 1: there ever a moment on American Idol? I mean you 227 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 1: actually had momentum going into American Idol. And like a 228 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: lot of artists, I like you and like you, but 229 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,080 Speaker 1: going into American Idol, you had some momentum in a 230 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: career that was developing. You did i'd right, I mean yeah, 231 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: but on the other kids, you're right exactly. But while 232 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:39,319 Speaker 1: you're an American Idol, did you like look in the 233 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: mirror at one point and go, oh God, maybe this 234 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,720 Speaker 1: is tougher than I thought. I mean, I don't know. 235 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: I think I think they The problem was that I 236 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: had so much time with it in my head, right, 237 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: because if I had just if they had said cooler 238 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: audition and I went the next day and did it right, 239 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 1: then it would have been fine. But I had, like 240 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,679 Speaker 1: I probably had like four or five, like probably four 241 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: months before I did it, and I was just thinking, 242 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: and everybody's just kind of thinking about, Okay, I'm gonna 243 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: sing this song first, and everybody's like, cool. So when 244 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: you sing that and you make it through and I 245 00:10:05,360 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: kind of built it up in my head Morse And 246 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: and also they I think they prepped me a lot 247 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 1: for it, Like even Charlie was saying that, you know, 248 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: they're saying the competitions really fierce this year, which it was, 249 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 1: and I might have underestimated it a little, like I 250 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 1: wasn't as nervous, But then when it actually happened, I 251 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,319 Speaker 1: was like I was dying it. Maybe it's good to 252 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: kick yourself in the answer n a while. That for real. 253 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: And you know in Charlie, of course it gives the 254 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: world's best advice and he makes it effortless because he 255 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: just knows the right thing to say because it's real. 256 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 1: But what about like my friend Katie Perry. I know 257 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: she gave you some good advice, Yeah, but what did 258 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 1: she tell you? And what's some other advice you got 259 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 1: from those judges? So in my audition, I mean they 260 00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: didn't show all of it. They showed like fifteen seconds 261 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: of my auditions, quick little flash in the thing, and 262 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,719 Speaker 1: then they didn't show the next round or whatever. But 263 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: in the first audition, when I was singing my song, 264 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: I actually had to sing two maybe three songs because 265 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: and they only showed the one. They told me to 266 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: prepare three, and I say my first song. She was like, cool, 267 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: that was nice. Do another one. And then I did 268 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 1: another one and she said do another one, and I 269 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 1: did three, and then she was like, Okay, no, do 270 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 1: this for me, and she had me singing like this, Uh. 271 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 1: I think it's a Shawn Mendees song or something that 272 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: she had me like sing a line of. And then 273 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 1: right after she did that, she was like, coolest vote 274 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 1: when I got you know, they voted. But I don't 275 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: know what she was looking for. I think she was 276 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: looking for me to kind of just push it more 277 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: because I might have been a little bit of a 278 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: comfort zone, right, so I think she just wanted me 279 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 1: to push it a little more. So Best advice you 280 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: received on American Idol, Best advice I received and from 281 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 1: whom did you receive it? I think it's it's probably 282 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: that from Katie, I mean Lionel and uh Luke. I 283 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 1: feel like had more of the of the like thepraisal side, 284 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 1: whereas Katie had more of the like advice towards me 285 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 1: and which was mostly just like you know, I mean, 286 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: I'm sixteen, and it's obvious, um when you listen to 287 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: the clip of me at twelve that you played and mean, 288 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: now I don't sound the same, um, So you know, 289 00:11:50,280 --> 00:11:52,320 Speaker 1: the voice changed, and that's kind of you know, one 290 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: of the main things we've been working on so it's 291 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: kind of that. Like the main advice she gave me 292 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: was to have the confidence to just go for it, right, 293 00:11:58,120 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: you know, you have to work through the breaks. There 294 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: just no way if if you don't work through those, 295 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: they're just gonna be there forever. You kind of have 296 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: to like smooth it out, punch the ceiling every day. 297 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: So I guess it's kind of just she told me 298 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: to just go for it and not worry about what happens. 299 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: Where you're about to hear Stefan Ben's perform like boom. 300 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: I love how people are going to just do that 301 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: at this hour in the morning. How do you do that? 302 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: But you know, life lesson one on one, Charlie, I 303 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 1: mean for artists, for anyone, people in the insurance business, 304 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: people who want to raise a family. Advice that you 305 00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,559 Speaker 1: can receive from the superstars of music that got them 306 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 1: where they are. What's the advice that's universal for everyone 307 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,440 Speaker 1: in your opinion? Well, I always say we can't want 308 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: it more than the artist. I can't make him get 309 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: up and sing, I can't make him rehearse. And you know, 310 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: when you think about like Malcolm Glowell's ten thousand Hours, 311 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:43,520 Speaker 1: it is ten thousand hours of work that he asked 312 00:12:43,520 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 1: to do. We're talking about idle. Before I was thinking, 313 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: you know, fifty percent of it is singing and fifty 314 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: percent of it is being a star. It's not so idle. 315 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: Somehow leans towards amazing singers, but are they really stars? 316 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: When you think about the biggest stars in the world 317 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: today that you see, you know, Harry Style is my 318 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:00,480 Speaker 1: Harry Style is one of my favorites. It is he 319 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 1: the best thing in the world. No, but damn he's 320 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: the biggest star in the world. So people want star 321 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: and they want voice, and they want show, and they 322 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: want that brand that they can connect to. And I 323 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 1: think it's a mixture of what he's doing that sort 324 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: of puts him in the category to have the opportunity 325 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: to plan on that big stage. But what's the drive 326 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: that makes the star? I mean what I'm getting at 327 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:23,440 Speaker 1: is what's the drive that makes the best first grade teacher? 328 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: It's the same. It can have something in common, emerge 329 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 1: with the same drive it takes to be a star. 330 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: What do you think that drive is. It's called DNA. 331 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: What's that It's called? Guy? Given DNA that makes you great? 332 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 1: And it's when you identify it. And if you ever 333 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: identify it, the biggest stars that we see and play 334 00:13:39,400 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: too and go to all together across this network all 335 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: had that special sauce and that DNA developed early where 336 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: they can go and perform at a younger age versus 337 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 1: and they're like, you know, stars, most big stars aren't 338 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: breaking at thirty years old, right right? They figured it 339 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: out early. Well, So if you want to be a 340 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,439 Speaker 1: superstar in any field, you have something in your DNA. 341 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: It's in there. You need to identify it and go 342 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:04,959 Speaker 1: with it. And sometimes we're on the wrong path in life. 343 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 1: We gotta go to the path that's right for us 344 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 1: because it's predetermined. It's never too late. But Elvis, when 345 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: were you first on the radio when I was fourteen 346 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: years old? I mean, it's the same exact thing. He's 347 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 1: a star, he got on at fourteen. But how do 348 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: you what was the road to get there from fourteen? 349 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: I don't know. You can't answer it. So I gets 350 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: in closing. Then we gotta get the music one because 351 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: we're dying to hear what you're sounding like today's Stefan. 352 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 1: The bottom line is this, you need to take some 353 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: time with yourself, get to know yourself, trust yourself, trust yourself, 354 00:14:34,600 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: trust your instincts, whatever it is you have that was 355 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: baked in without you, without your control. That's your destiny. 356 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: And so many people are going to go from birth 357 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: to grave without ever without ever cracking into that and 358 00:14:47,280 --> 00:14:49,960 Speaker 1: your FF and yourself. You gotta you gotta realize what 359 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 1: you have. I say it on my podcast. I say 360 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: it on my podcast. Make a decision, figure out who 361 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: you are and go for it. Okay, we're gonna change 362 00:14:56,640 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: We're gonna change chairs. Okay, Charlie, you're gonna move to 363 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: Chare three. Now you've been staying that Chare. Wait, who's 364 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 1: on the guitar over here? We got mister Dean pot 365 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: over here. Hey Dean, welcome, Dean guitar playing. Is that 366 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: your DNA? Is that it? That's Dean's That's for sure, 367 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: Dean's DNA right there? Is that the d d Deanna? 368 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 1: All right? Is this gonna be the first performance for 369 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: you live on a big show? Yeah, I mean pretty much, Yeah, 370 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: one of the first. I mean, I'm glad it's clad 371 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: clad I'm on Elvis durand for it. You know, it 372 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: was the first for that first for this. Let's let's 373 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: get let's get a cracking. So this is the song 374 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,120 Speaker 1: I'm singing. Actually, Um, it's a song I've been listening 375 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 1: to a lot. I love it. It's called People by Libyanka. Um. 376 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: You know, I've really been getting into like afrobeats, and 377 00:15:41,240 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: I guess something we're trying to develop right now is 378 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: afropop like kind of having that mixture, because um, you know, 379 00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: I have the pop like in me and then the 380 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: R and B and then some of the afro that 381 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,200 Speaker 1: I'm like naturally like culturally kind of listened to as 382 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 1: a kid too. So this is a mashup, actually people, 383 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,480 Speaker 1: and then calm down, So, uh yeah some afro scary 384 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: You're you're you're the mixer, got it all right, You're 385 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: in charge of mixing, you got it? So don't score 386 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: this up. I won't. Okay, you're gonna have a guitar. 387 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 1: You got everything going on here here Stefan, Ben's listen 388 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: to this. Thank you very much, kind of great. Those 389 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: words were a bit haunting. I've been drinking a lot 390 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: of alcohol. Drinking. Didn't even call me. You can make 391 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: me mac out to hold them stut there, I'm sit there. 392 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 1: You sound good. Thank you sound great. I mean there's 393 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: like it's like vel great. I was just listening to 394 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 1: your voice as of minor. I was like, he really 395 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: hasn't made for the radio. You just listen to it 396 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: all My face is for radio. Yeah, true, stop it true. 397 00:16:36,800 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: It is true. The shirt, the shirt, face, the voice, 398 00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: it all works together. My god. Anyway, Uh, you gotta 399 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: listen to Stefan's work, just you know, go on and 400 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: find it. You know, it's it's everywhere. Oh oh, you 401 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: have a limp microphone, Charlie, Dang. We got to fix 402 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: the microphone disease. We gotta get a pill for that. Anyway, look, 403 00:16:57,480 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 1: you sound awesome. I'm actually gonna play a cut of 404 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: yours in a few minutes. We have what is it now? 405 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: Our next? Now I'm gonna play fastened right in a seconds. 406 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: What are you doing next? Where's you going next? Where 407 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 1: are you going next? Afropop? Baby, that's what we got next. Um, 408 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: I'm I'm really pursuing this afropop stuff. I mean, it's 409 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: what I wanted to do from the beginning. We just 410 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: weren't sure that was the path. You know, I've always 411 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 1: listened to it. It's like if you if you go 412 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: on my Spotify playlist of just what I listened to 413 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: every day, like fifty percent to sixty percent, it's probably 414 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: all Afro afrobeats and stuff. That's what I listened to, 415 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: and then some Chris Brown R and B Robin Thick stuff. 416 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: So it's all leans more to the soulful. But I 417 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 1: guess just my image and kind of more of my 418 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: voice leans towards the pop. That's why it's kind of 419 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: that afropop on B mixture sounds great. Yeah, thank you 420 00:17:37,119 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: very much. Thank you for spending time with us. Thank Charlie. 421 00:17:40,359 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: Thank you so when gooden you, me and Rosanna were 422 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,679 Speaker 1: good for a dinner very soon. Yes, thank you for 423 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: having Thank you. I'm gonna drink a lot alcohol and 424 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: you won't even call me funny. I know how that 425 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:56,000 Speaker 1: works anyway. Stefan Benz in the Mercedes Benz and you're long. 426 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 1: This is fastened Scar