What we can learn from Benny Blanco
Write off pop music to your own peril.
The Selena Gomez-Benny Blanco press tour is going really well. There are many theories about why this press tour is happening; some speculate that Selena’s people are using the new album as an excuse to endear fans to her new fiancé. Oh, and how endeared they are. As Bethenny Frankel put it: “If Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez don't last forever, I'm never going on another date as long as I live.”
There’s good reason people are swooning. One of the notable things about Benny Blanco is how he speaks about the music he makes. Benny primarily writes and produces pop hits; he’s worked with Kesha, Maroon 5, Rihanna, Katy Perry. He produces bangers, the kinds of songs that dominate the radio, shoot up to number one, and find homes on playlists for years.
It’s also the kind of music that a lot of people look down on. But not Benny. He brings warmth and excitement to interviews when he’s talking about writing and producing songs. He values the listeners who love the song of the summer, and he adores the artists that sing his songs. Not only is he not too good for pop music, but you can tell that he loves what he does.
Why is this noteworthy? Because women are the majority of pop music listeners, and things that women enjoy are historically devalued. We see this across media beats, as well. When USA Today came out with the job descriptions for Taylor Swift and Beyonce reporters, there was critique and confusion. But I’m old enough to remember the conversation back in 2014 when the LeBron James beat was announced with far fewer blog posts and tweets questioning its reasoning.
Obsessions, whether its pop music, bird watching, or the Kansas City Chiefs, are opportunities for news organizations to build communities, provide information, and spark joy. Taking passions seriously allow for audiences to feel seen in the work, and it builds trust. It’s also an opportunity to unlock revenue dollars through events and sponsorships from companies who are trying to reach a specific and engaged audience.
So find those headphones, and jam out to Benny Blanco songs while you consider what obsessions you can incorporate into your editorial strategy.
What I’m reading
Things You’ll Learn The Hard Way: Are you boring enough to be successful?
Goodnight, Commenters: In defense of cheese
The Marshall Project: These States Have Investigated Miscarriages and Stillbirths as Crimes
CUNY: New JESS AI tool seeks to democratize journalist safety guidance
Amanda Litman: Influencers are leaders and leaders are influencers
The best thing I made this week
It’s Spring Break in NYC, and with my son home all week and free from the peanut-free life at school, I made these peanut butter muffins.
One more thing
I wrote a piece for The Verge on the rise of secondhand clothing resellers utilizing Instagram to sell thrifted clothing. “For me, it’s the community there that is the primary thing. I’m connected with people via their Instagram. I get to see people’s kids grow up,” one reseller told me.
See you next week,
Rachel
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