Ben Jelen

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Ben Jelen
Background information
Born (1979-07-08) 8 July 1979 (age 44)
Edinburgh, Scotland
OriginNew York City, United States
GenresPop, pop rock
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano, violin
Years active2004–present
LabelsMaverick (2003–2004)
Fearless Management (2004–2005)
Custard (2006–present)

Benjamin Ivan Jelen (born 8 July 1979) is a

Under The Elephant
.

Early life

Jelen attended high school in

San Antonio, Texas briefly, as a freshman at Northside Health Careers High School. He completed high school at Princeton High School in Princeton, New Jersey and graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in biology. After that, he moved to New York City to work as a producer and sound engineer at a local recording studio.[1]

Music career

2004: Give It All Away

Jelen was discovered by Joseph Janus of

Top Heatseekers chart.[8]

Debut single "Come On" was a hit, reaching the MTV top 20. It also debuted at No. 58 on the

Hot Singles Sales chart.[9]
Apart from "Give It All Away" being included as a B-side to the "Come On" single, no other track from the album was released as a single.

2005–2006: Independent period

Following his debut album, Jelen left Maverick Records and independently released the

RAINN organization[10] and joined the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Wildlife Works. Jelen also appeared on the compilation album Breaking for the Holidays in 2006 with his self-produced cover of Joni Mitchell's "River" through Breaking Records.[11]

2007: Custard Records deal and Ex-Sensitive

Jelen performed at the 2007

Martina Topley Bird, The Fratellis, Bloc Party, Paolo Nutini, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Mogwai and Spoon.[12]

Jelen's second full-length album, Ex-Sensitive, was released on 17 July 2007. The album, formerly titled East[13] and Pulse,[14] was produced by Linda Perry and mixed by Bill Bottrell.

2009 – Under The Elephant

Main article: Under the Elephant

Jelen has placed his solo career on hold to focus on a new group Under The Elephant. The band consists of Jelen, Josh McMillan, Lisa McMillan, Tina Mathieu and James Darwin "Jimmy" Stull. The group is, as of 1 March 2010, unsigned.[15]

Personal life

Jelen met model Fern Palmer in a New York City night club on 6 January 2004. The couple married on 28 June 2009 in a private garden wedding in Palmer's hometown of Cleveland, Georgia. Jelen and Palmer have one child together, a daughter named Tallulah Rose Jelen born in 2013. As of April 23, 2019, the couple is separated.

In November 2018, Jelen completed a Ph.D program in Environmental Science at Rutgers University, successfully defending his dissertation titled, "The Evolution of Microbial Electron Transfer on Earth."

Television and film

Jelen's music has been featured on the TV shows

Fired Up.[16] In 2013, Jelen's single "Come On" was used in promotions for the film Monsters University
.

Jelen, a graduate of

"Kids"
.

Discography

Albums

Digital-only albums

  • Sessions@AOL
     (2004)

Singles

  • "Come On/Give It All Away"
    Hot Singles Sales
    )
  • "Where Do We Go" (2007)
  • "Wreckage" (2008)

Other contributions

  1. "Come On" on the compilation "CG Vibes: Music That Gives Back", available for five months in 2004 and supplied free with
    Brandy's Afrodisiac and his own Give It All Away[18]
  2. "Truth" on the compilation "For the Next X: A Benefit CD for RAINN" (2004)[10]
  3. "
    Talking About A Revolution" (cover of Tracy Chapman's song of the same name) on the Russell Simmons/Babyface
    compilation Wake Up Everybody (2004)
  4. "Forever in Our Hearts" (playing keyboards and violin), a single for tsunami relief (2005)[19]
  5. "River" (cover of the Joni Mitchell song of the same name) on the compilation Breaking for the Holidays (2006)
  6. "Woman" (cover of John Lennon's song of the same name) on Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur (2007)

References

  1. ^ "Music Emissions interview". Musicemissions.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Breaking and Entering: Ben Jelen". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Billboard Bits: Rock The Vote, Mellencamp, Linkin Park". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Billboard Bits: 'Por Vida,' Loeb/Mitchell, AOL Breakers". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  5. ^ Chart positions by Billboard.com
  6. ^ Chart positions by Billboard.com
  7. ^ "Top 200 Albums | Billboard 200 chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Heatseekers Albums: Up and Coming Musicians Chart". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  9. ^ Billboard.com chart positions
  10. ^ a b "Artists Shower Tracks on RAINN Benefit". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Breaking Records website". Breakingrecordsmusic.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  12. ^ "SXSW Finally Confirms First Round Of Artists". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  13. ^ "Jelen Breaks Free With Linda Perry". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Ben Jelen Inks With Perry's Custard Label". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  15. ^ "Under The Elephant | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Ben Jelen". IMDb.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  17. ^ Single listing at Billboard.com
  18. ^ "CoverGirl Launching Record Label". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  19. ^ "'Forever' Unites Artists For Tsunami Relief". Billboard.com. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ben_Jelen&oldid=1150100124"