Liam Benzvi on Madonna, Karaoke, and Losing His Virginity to My Bloody Valentine

Photo courtesy of Liam Benzvi.

This is SOUND ADVICE, a weekly destination for playlists curated by Interview’s friends, enemies, and lovers. Over the past few weeks, we’ve gathered playlists from Sophie Thatcher, Patch+, and Amar Ediriwira. This week’s playlist was curated by New York native and Blood Orange collaborator Liam Benzvi, whose new album …And His Splash Band drops this week. The project was born of Benzvi’s obsession with 70’s Euro-glam rock aesthetics and the album’s glittery pop tracks feature Ren G of Club Eat, Aaron Maine of Porches, and of course, Dev Hynes. Before we pressed play, we subjected Benzvi to our Sound Advice questionnaire, in which he discusses losing his virginity to My Bloody Valentine and dancing in the median of the highway.

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Where do you dance? The median of a highway.

What was the inspo for the “Other Guys” music video? I picked the top three spots where I talk to myself the most: the park, the street, and on bridges.

What song is your national anthem? Nine Inch Nails, “Closer.”

What artist, dead or alive, would you love to collaborate with? Pete Burns, dead or alive.

Favorite venue in New York? TV Eye. I’m having my album release show there on October 2. I’m also playing at Bowery Ballroom in December for the first time, and I’ve always loved it there.

What music do you associate with high school? M.I.A., anything produced by Timbaland, Shiny Toy Guns, the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack, My Bloody Valentine (losing my virginity).

Who is the queen of pop? It’s Madonna.

What’s the best setting to listen to …And His Splash Band? Live. At my show.

What was on the mood board for your album cover art? We combed through a bunch of really great art from the City Pop icons in Japan. Yukihiro Takahashi and Kazumi Watanabe, among others. Frazier Chorus, Savage Garden, Paul Weller, and P.M. Dawn’s album art as well—all extremely top-tier.

Go-to karaoke song? I don’t like karaoke! Sorry!!!

What was the Song of the summer? In the interest of my campaign to write for her, which I very much want to do, I’m going to say Sabrina Carpenter. PLZ PLZ PLZ. I really like Sabrina. I think she’d like me too!

Favorite decade of music? The 80s. It is what it is.

What song do you wish you wrote? “Rain” by SWV. It’s the most beautiful song. “I’m caught in a storm that I don’t need no shelter from” is the sexiest lyric. Chills.

Favorite fit you’ve worn onstage? Friends still mention this one outfit that I wore in 2019, which was a tight, white, tattered thermal shirt with a velvet tank top on top of it. Paired with some slacks that kind of looked like yoga pants. And boots. Boots on stage give me the fire.

Which Sex and the City character do you identify with? Car…*gets hit by car*

What album is playing in heaven? Blonde Redhead’s 23. I fainted from dehydration the first time I saw them play and it’s the closest to heaven I’ve ever felt.