Date of Birth

8 December 1979, Scotland, UK

Birth Name

Benjamin Ivan Jelen

Height

6' 1¼" (1.86 m)

Mini Biography

Benjamin Ivan Jelen (pronounced Yellin) was born on July 8th, 1979 in Scotland, UK. He has lived in Scotland, England, Texas, New Jersey, and New York. He plays the piano, violin, and guitar. In college he earned a biology degree from Rutgers University... but instead, he decided to be a singer.

After graduation, he committed entirely to music and made the move to Manhattan. Joseph Janus was very impressed by Ben's music. So he listened to Ben's demo. Within days, Janus signed on as Ben's manager and a scheduled a meeting to with Guy Oseary, the head of Madonna's Maverick Recording Company.

Few young artists possess the ability to write, produce, and perform their own material on their first album, but Jelen was offered the opportunity to do just that. He partnered with respected producers like The Matrix (Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera, Liz Phair) and the Berman Brothers. Legendary mixer, Jack Joseph Puig (No Doubt, Beck, Black Crowes) heard Ben's rough cut only once before moving the singer/songwriterís project to the top of his long waiting list.