Liam Benzvi

Biography

Liam Benzvi is an American singer-songwriter and composer born and raised in New York City, where he attended LaGuardia High School. He began his music career in the early 2010s as a founding member of the Brooklyn-based new wave-pop band Strange Names alongside Francis Ximenez and Fletcher Aleckson. The band released two albums—Use Your Time Wisely (2015) and Data (2018) on Frenchkiss Records—and opened for notable New York musicians including Azealia Banks. After establishing himself in the indie pop scene, Benzvi transitioned to a solo career while maintaining his artistic vision rooted in sultry shoegaze and dream pop aesthetics.

Benzvi's solo work began with the EP Amnesia, USA (2019) on Terrible Records, followed by his debut LP Acts of Service (2022), co-produced by Wet's Joe Valle. His second studio album, …And His Splash Band (2023), marked a significant creative shift where he curated a fictional band from friends and collaborators, drawing inspiration from 1970s and 80s European boy band aesthetics and 'industry plant' imagery. The album was recorded primarily in Nick Weiss's studio in Los Angeles and features collaborations with Blood Orange, SSION, Porches, and others. In December 2024, he released his second EP, Covers, through Fat Possum Records. Throughout his career, Benzvi has performed alongside Dev Hynes on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, opened for Harry Styles's Love on Tour at Madison Square Garden, and toured internationally with artists including Janelle Monáe, Yeasayer, Porches, the Drums, Wet, and Turnstile.

Fun Facts

• Benzvi initially recorded a skeleton of every song for …And His Splash Band in his home studio in New York before bringing 9 of the 11 tracks to Los Angeles to finish with producer Nick Weiss, with the recording studio situated above a sex shop on Santa Monica Boulevard.
• For the …And His Splash Band project, Benzvi deliberately cast friends as band members before knowing if they could play instruments, inspired by 1970s and 80s European boy band aesthetics and 'industry plant' imagery. He then taught them to play guitar and bass by giving them his own instruments and having them learn the parts.
• Benzvi attended LaGuardia High School in New York and initially pursued acting alongside music before choosing to commit fully to his music career in college, where he stayed an extra year to keep Strange Names going.
• The songwriting process for his recent work marked a significant departure from his usual method—instead of starting with a bassline or drum-beat combination, Benzvi wrote most songs on guitar with lyrics simultaneously, adopting a more traditional singer-songwriter approach.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Dev Hynes (Blood Orange) - Collaborated with Benzvi on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon performance and contributed to …And His Splash Band album (The Tonight Show appearance, …And His Splash Band) [2022-2023]
• Joe Valle (Wet) - Co-produced Benzvi's debut solo LP Acts of Service (Acts of Service) [2022]
• Nick Weiss (Nightfeelings) - Producer and collaborator who recorded the majority of …And His Splash Band in his Los Angeles studio; also contributed to the album as a collaborator (…And His Splash Band) [2022-2023]

Key Collaborators

• Strange Names (Francis Ximenez, Fletcher Aleckson) - Co-founding members of the Brooklyn-based new wave-pop band (Use Your Time Wisely, Data) [2010s-2018]
• Dev Hynes - Performance collaborator on The Tonight Show and contributor to solo work (The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, …And His Splash Band) [2022-2023]
• The Splash Band (curated ensemble) - Friends and collaborators assembled by Benzvi for …And His Splash Band, including members with no prior musical experience who learned instruments specifically for the project (…And His Splash Band, touring band) [2022-present]
• Blood Orange, SSION, Porches, Lecx Stacy, Ren G - Featured collaborators on …And His Splash Band album (…And His Splash Band) [2023]

Artists Influenced

• Cyndi Lauper - Early musical influence cited by Benzvi; inspired his approach to vibrant, energetic performance (General influence on artistic sensibility) [Childhood onwards]
• The B-52's - Cited as influence for vibrant front-person energy and performance style (General influence) [Childhood onwards]
• Siouxsie Sioux / Siouxsie and the Banshees - Influence on Benzvi's artistic approach and performance sensibility (General influence) [Childhood onwards]
• The Cure - Cited musical influence (General influence) [Career development]
• Blonde Redhead - Cited musical influence (General influence) [Career development]
• Madonna (early 2000s albums) - Cited as influence on pop sensibilities (General influence) [Career development]
• Indoor Life, Lizzy Mercier Descloux, Patrick Cowley, Tuxedomoon - Listed as musical inspirations for Strange Names' sound (General influence on Strange Names) [2010s]
• Frou Frou - Cited musical influence (General influence) [Career development]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz