Grandson

Biography

Jordan Edward Benjamin (born October 25, 1993), known professionally as Grandson (stylized as grandson), is an American and Canadian singer, songwriter, and rapper. He released his major label debut EP, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1, on June 15, 2018, and released the follow-up A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2 on February 22, 2019. The initial EP featured the single "Blood // Water×Blood // Water27 October 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1blood // water3:36", which appeared on several Billboard charts in the United States and Canada. Benjamin's music focuses on modern-day issues that are less recognized by the media and public. On December 4, 2020, he released his debut studio album, Death of an Optimist×Death of an Optimist4 December 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Death of an Optimist // Intro2:312In Over My Head3:183Identity3:364Left Behind3:255Dirty3:286The Ballad of G and X // Interlude2:227We Did It!!!2:498WWIII3:229Riptide3:1210Pain Shopping3:1711Drop Dead3:0912Welcome to Paradise // Outro3:31, and his second album, I Love You, I'm Trying, was released on May 5, 2023. On September 5, 2025, his third album Inertia×INERTIA5 September 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1BURY YOU2:222AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT2:253BRAINROT2:454SELF IMMOLATION2:195YOU MADE ME THIS WAY4:066LITTLE WHITE LIES2:207GOD IS AN ANIMAL3:568BELLS OF WAR2:059WHO'S THE ENEMY3:1910PULL THE TRIGGER3:57 was released.

Early life and education

Benjamin was born in New Jersey, United States. When he was 3 years old, his family moved to a Jewish neighborhood in Toronto, Ontario, where his maternal relatives lived (he holds dual citizenship of both countries). He is Jewish. He has two sisters. Benjamin grew up largely in the Eglinton West area of Toronto. He attended Northern Secondary School in Toronto and, after graduation, enrolled in McGill University in Montreal. There, he studied education with the initial goal of becoming a teacher. He also spent a great deal of time DJing and playing shows in Montreal while at McGill. After two years, he transferred to Concordia University, another Montreal institution. He studied communications there briefly before dropping out and moving to Los Angeles in 2014 to pursue a music career.

Career

Benjamin began releasing music under the pseudonym grandson in late 2015. In 2016, he released several singles that accrued millions of streams, including "Bills×Bills16 September 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bills2:43", "Things Change×things change31 May 2016 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Things Change4:06", and "Bury Me Face Down×Bury Me Face Down16 December 2016 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Bury Me Face Down3:53". In 2017, he was signed to RCA Records, and continued releasing singles, including "Best Friends×Best Friends12 April 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Best Friends3:00" and "Kiss Bang×Kiss Bang3 March 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Kiss Bang2:53". He also performed at North by Northeast that year (among other festivals).
In April 2018, it was announced that grandson had signed to the Fueled By Ramen record label. He had also released two new singles, "Blood // Water×Blood // Water27 October 2017 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1blood // water3:36" and "Thoughts & Prayers×thoughts & prayers23 March 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1thoughts & prayers3:43", which offered a critique of American gun laws in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He released his first EP on Fueled by Ramen, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 1, in June 2018. That EP also featured the song "6:00" which discussed police brutality. Also in June 2018, grandson was featured on Mike Shinoda's song "Running from My Shadow", taken from his debut album Post Traumatic; the track was released also with an accompanying music video in May 2018.
Throughout 2018, grandson toured with acts like Hobo Johnson, Joywave, Nothing But Thieves, Smashing Pumpkins, and Young the Giant. He also appeared on an episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers in August 2018, performing "Blood // Water".
In February 2019, he released a new single, "Apologize×Apologize1 February 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1apologize3:19", and announced his second EP, A Modern Tragedy Vol. 2, which was released on February 22, 2019. In late May, grandson released a cover of Rage Against the Machine's "Maria×Maria31 May 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Maria3:09", a song featured on the 1999 album The Battle of Los Angeles.
In June 2019, he won the SOCAN Songwriting Prize for his song "Blood // Water", while in September 2019 the singer released A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3, the final installment of the Modern Tragedy trilogy; the record features the lead single "Rock Bottom×Rock Bottom16 August 2019 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Rock Bottom3:39", which peaked at No. 38 on the Canadian Rock Chart.
On September 23, 2020, Grandson announced on his Facebook page that his debut full-length album Death of an Optimist×Death of an Optimist4 December 2020 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Death of an Optimist // Intro2:312In Over My Head3:183Identity3:364Left Behind3:255Dirty3:286The Ballad of G and X // Interlude2:227We Did It!!!2:498WWIII3:229Riptide3:1210Pain Shopping3:1711Drop Dead3:0912Welcome to Paradise // Outro3:31 would be released on December 4, 2020. Death of an Optimist is Grandson's debut album, being his first record to have a heavier tone since the release of the last A Modern Tragedy Vol. 3.
He announced a new album, I Love You, I'm Trying in May 2022, and it was released in May 2023.
In September 2024, it was announced that Grandson would be one of the opening acts for Linkin Park on their From Zero World Tour, their first in 7 years and without former lead singer Chester Bennington following his death.
In a reply to a fan's tweet on Twitter on May 30, 2025, Grandson revealed he was now an independent artist.
On May 30, 2025, Grandson announced his third album, Inertia×INERTIA5 September 2025 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1BURY YOU2:222AUTONOMOUS DELIVERY ROBOT2:253BRAINROT2:454SELF IMMOLATION2:195YOU MADE ME THIS WAY4:066LITTLE WHITE LIES2:207GOD IS AN ANIMAL3:568BELLS OF WAR2:059WHO'S THE ENEMY3:1910PULL THE TRIGGER3:57, teasing it with the tagline "It's Never Enough Rest, Tomorrow Is Approaching", through his independent label, XX Records. The album was released on September 5, 2025.
On October 3, 2026, Grandson will perform at the Power to the People Festival organized by Tom Morello and featuring Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, and others. The festival, to be held at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, was organized as a protest against President Donald Trump.

Headlining

No Apologies Tour (2019)
The End of the Beginning Tour (2019–2020)
Death of a Tour (2022)
I Love You, I'm Trying Tour (2023)
Summer Rage Tour (2024)
Inertia Tour (2025)

Supporting

The Glorious Sons - Young Beauties and Fools Tour (2017)
Hobo Johnson - 2018 Summer Tour
Nothing but Thieves - Broken Machine World Tour (2018)
Imagine Dragons - Mercury World Tour (2022)
Avril Lavigne - Bite Me Tour (2022)
Linkin Park - From Zero World Tour (2025)