Tashi Sherpa, better known as Lil Benziey, just dropped his third album. This 18-year-old San Francisco-based artist released the EP entitled Next Year from his own recording label, Benziey Records.
A solo artist taking on the recording and producing process
Not even one year ago, in July 2021, Lil Benziey released his debut album Pain & Melody. His second EP, Bandemic, followed months later. His third and latest release from April of this year is gaining even more traction than the previous two. Currently, Next Year is peaking at #17 on the UK’s top 100 charts. This third work proves Benziey is an independent artist on the rise.
“If you want something done well, do it yourself” is an old adage this independent artist has taken to heart. Lil Benziey’s latest project is a study in the possibilities of home recording. Entirely on his own, he engineered and produced a polished album indistinguishable from studio recordings.
Highlights from the new release permeate every song. For example, the tranquil track entitled “The Old Me” provides just the right foundation for Lil Benziey’s subtly syncopated rhythms. “When You Land” typifies the characteristically authentic and vulnerable lyrics fans have come to expect from him. “How You Feel” showcases his smooth, understated, and effortless vocals. “Just 1 Shawty” features the intricately woven instrumental and vocal layering today’s home recording studios can deliver. Finally, “Out of Time” highlights Lil Benziey’s combined know-how and instinctual feel for tech-driven mixing.
“My newest album has a total of 9 tracks,” Lil Benziey says. “I engineered all of them myself. I choose to have no features and come up in the rap game alone.”
The path to becoming a one-man recording label
Lil Benziey’s promising career opened with the debut release of Pain & Melody. As sole creator and sound engineer, he retained complete creative control over the project. This first release earned him a devoted following. Fans were drawn to his lyric’s relatable stories, creative arrangements, and driving rhythms.
When performance opportunities and concert bookings dried up during the months of lockdown, Lil Benziey could have complained. Instead, he became determined to take advantage of the alone time in quarantine by learning everything he could about recording and engineering.
“During the pandemic, I was able to explore the full capabilities of my home studio and recording equipment,” he remarks. “I learned so much by experimenting on my own. I know if I had not made the most of that time, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Rising up out of lockdown with a third album to share
After those months of experimentation and learning, Benziey is confident the Hip/Hop, Rap, and R&B mix on the tracks of Next Year will pleasantly surprise listeners. He has attained the sound he hoped to capture and is ready to share it with the world.
“Every year brings new advancements in the engineering and recording process,” he says. “This era allows us to take charge of our musical journeys as artists and to record entirely on our own. This process is so much more exciting and rewarding than anything before it.”
Lil Benzey values time to create, but he knows artists cannot work in a vacuum. Live events are finally opening up again, and he is thrilled to share the new tracks.
“Live events provide a connection that isn’t possible through social media,” he remarks. “The people who listen to the music keep it real for me. I don’t ever want to forget why I started this musical journey in the first place.”
