NorthSide Benji The Calculated Voice of Toronto
There’s a certain type of artist Toronto understands without explanation. They don’t speak loudly. They don’t rush. They don’t force moments.
NorthSide Benji is one of those artists.
Calculated in his movement. Intentional with his words. Quietly confident in a way that only comes from really living the stories behind the music. That’s what makes him work, and why the city listens when he speaks. When we sat down with Benji in an undisclosed location, the energy wasn’t performative. It was calm. Reflective. Honest. Just conversations about life, fashion, loss, patience, and the long road it takes to make music that actually means something.
“I think my music just comes from a place that’s so real that I kind of have to go through life first. I have to actually endure things, learn stuff, and mess up a little bit.”
That line alone explains why Benji has never rushed his process, and why his music lands differently.
Taking Time Is the Point
Benji is known for being patient. Almost too patient, depending who you ask. But for him, that delay isn’t hesitation. It’s intention.
“It comes from a deeper place than just going to the studio and saying anything.”
As an independent artist, he’s not only creating. He’s navigating strategy, timing, and meaning all at once. Standing out requires restraint. Releasing music requires readiness. And you can hear it. Nothing feels forced. Nothing feels empty. His songs feel lived in, like snapshots pulled from different moments of growth.
Misery Loves Company Growth in Real Time
When the conversation turned to Misery Loves Company, Benji didn’t frame it as an era or a reinvention. He framed it as life continuing.
“Not everybody around you wants to see you win. Sometimes they’ll do just enough to make sure you don’t get where you need to be.”
That realization shaped the album. Not bitterness, but awareness. The content matured because the experiences did.
“The traumas are different from then until now. It’s been years.”
This wasn’t about chasing features or moments. It was about capturing where he actually is. Still, when the time came, he made it count. Keeping it homegrown, intentional, and rooted in relationships that mattered.
Fire in the Booth and the Moment the City Shifted
Every Toronto conversation eventually comes back to Fire in the Booth. Not just because it was big. Because it felt like a moment the city collectively claimed. Benji credits the move to patience, timing, and trust.
“We redid it in one take. Put him in the thumbnail, and that was it. It blew up.”
No overthinking. No excess. Just instinct. Sometimes that’s all it takes.
Legacy Brotherhood and Carrying Names Forward
One of the most grounded moments of the interview came when Benji spoke about Houdini. Not as nostalgia, but as responsibility.
“I wouldn’t even be here today if it weren’t for that kid.”
Their relationship wasn’t just music. It was competition, motivation, and mutual growth.
“He was my battery in my back.”
That energy still fuels Benji today. Carrying the name forward isn’t branding. It’s respect.
What He Wants People to Feel
When asked what he hopes listeners feel when they play Misery Loves Company years from now, Benji kept it simple.
“I want people to feel the same thing I was feeling when I recorded it.”
No overexplaining. No forced messaging.
“Just to show people you’re not the only person going through this.”
That’s the quiet power of his music. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t chase validation. It just sits with you, the same way Toronto winters do.
Final Thought
NorthSide Benji isn’t trying to be everywhere.
He’s trying to be real.
And that’s exactly why his voice carries weight.
Calculated. Mysterious. Humble.
A reflection of the city itself.
