This past Friday Benjamin Ingrosso released his debut album “Identification”, which streamed over 1 million full album plays on Spotify in the first day alone. As of writing, Benjamin’s album sits at the top of the iTunes album chart, edging out American pop sensation Cher and her cover album of Sweden’s beloved ABBA’s hits. If all the promo and preparation for his up coming tour with Melodifestivalen runner-up Felix Sandman wasn’t enough, the Eurovision 2018 finalist has also released a music video of the song “Paradise” which he collaborated on with French DJs Ofenbeach.
With all that wrapping up quite a busy weekend for our favourite Swedish/Italian pop star, it’s time to present 10 things you may not know about Benjamin Ingrosso.
1. Swedish House Mafia is in his blood
If the name Ingrosso sounds familiar, thats because it is also attached to one of the biggest DJs to come out of Sweden, Sebastian Ingrosso. Having been a part of the hugely successful Swedish House Mafia, DJ Ingrosso has more recently collaborated will fellow SHM member Axwell on their Axwell^Ingrosso projects. It’s not pure coincidence that this Ingrosso also hails from Sweden — he is Benjamin’s first cousin.
2. His auntie won Eurovision
Although most of us already know Benjamin as the son of Swedish pop star and Melfest legend Pernilla Wahlgren, what you might not know is that Benjamin’s aunt is Eurovision 1999 winner Charlotte Perrelli. The “Take Me To Your Heaven” singer married into Benjamin’s family and watched the young talent grow up.
3. He won Little Melfest
Benjamin was no stranger to high pressure talent shows. Even as a kid Benjamin took part in Lilla Melodifestivalen 2006 and won. We can already see his humour in the postcard before the performance, as the 9-year-old tries to sneak into a nightclub with a fake ID, and then gets his bodyguards to pay for his hot dog.
4. His sister almost sang at Junior Eurovision
Not to miss out on the show biz train, Benjamin’s sister, Bianca Ingrosso took a stab at a talent contest as she participated in a National Final to represent Sweden at the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2006. She performed a duet with Malin Eriksson called “Kan det bli vi två” which Bianca wrote herself. The pair would place second to the person who would go on to represent Sweden, Molly Sanden.
5. He won Let’s Dance with a future Melfest star
Flash forward to 2014, when a 17-year-old Benjamin would compete in Sweden’s Let’s Dance, partnering with Melfest 2018 act Sigrid Bernson. They would go on to win.
6. Michael Jackson gives him life
We won’t have to wait forever to hear a collaboration between Benjamin and mother Pernilla — they have sung together on many occasions in the past, usually involving medleys of Michael Jackson songs. We can see the strong influence the King of Pop’s music had on the young Ingrosso from this clip from 2009.
7. His bromance with Felix Sandman spawned a hit
Throughout Melodifestivalen 2018, we saw a budding bromance brew between Benjamin and eventual runner up Felix Sandman. In a promotional radio event in Sweden involving both competitors, they decided to do a fun duet of Benjamin’s song “Do You Think About Me” in Swedish. The performance received a lot of positive feedback, so much so that they decided to release it as the single “Tror du att han bryr sig” which went platinum.
8. His new album is already slaying
The song “Behave” which is the first track on his new album, had the highest debut on the Spotify charts in Sweden coming in at Number 7 on the first day of release. Four other songs debuted on the Spotify Sweden Top 50 charts along with “Behave”.
9. Penne, spaghetti, linguini…let him have it!
Benjamin likes pasta… a lot. And yes, we know this is more common knowledge than the Earth orbits the sun, but we just had such a blast with this wiwishort!
10. His mom and sis are Sweden’s Kardashians
Who better to describe Benjamin than those closest to him — his own family. In these hilarious snippets from “Wahlgrens värld”, a reality show that mainly features Pernilla and Bianca, we get a glimpse into the more private, or maybe not so private, side of Benjamin. (You can turn on English subtitles for this one, non-Swedish speakers).
You missed
– the biggest star in the family. His grandma Cristina Scolin. As a young star she almost becomes a Hollywood star, has worked whith Ingemar Bergman
– his mother and father fell i love when Pernilla sang in mello och his father was a danser. She has also been in a film that got an Oscar statuett. Fanny och Alexander by Ingemar Bergman
– his unkel Niklas Wallgren was a teenidol in the same age as Benjamin is now.
– an other unkle are a fsmous actour in Sweden
Didn’t even expect a LP, but then recalled a fairly active label, as well as him.
For the food section… Also Spätzle! Love declared live at the Eurovision final, during the results 😉 once German Jury gives Swedish 12 points
I wasn¨t interested in him Before, but after his follow up releases impressed and the response to his album were more than great I might give it a shot. In fact I¨m excited..
Excuse me wiwibloggs, but isn’t this free promotion of Ingrosse not a bit too much and obvious?…
It’s just his turn. They routinely get fixated on someone and promote them until you are sick to death of them then find a new fixation.
No one begged for you to come here and read..
Benjamin “make fun of my fellow contestants” Ingrosso. No thanks.
so butthurt