Benji Hughes

Benji Hughes is a cult-favorite singer-songwriter from Charlotte, North Carolina, known for his genre-blending indie pop and deadpan charm. Bursting onto the scene with his sprawling 2008 double-album debut *A Love Extreme* (which appears in your list), Hughes crafts woozy, melodic tunes that mix psychedelic rock, loungey synth-pop, and self-deprecating humor. His signature style—think Beck meets Leonard Cohen with a karaoke-machine aesthetic—has earned him a devoted following, even if he’s stayed under the mainstream radar.

Over the years, Hughes has maintained his quirky output with releases like *Songs in the Key of Animals* (2021) and *Spirit Guide* (2024), leaning into his love for absurdist lyrics and lo-fi grooves. He’s also dabbled in film/TV music, contributing to soundtracks like *Forgetting Sarah Marshall*. While notoriously press-shy, his live shows (often performed in sunglasses, Hawaiian shirts, and a cloud of dry ice) reinforce his reputation as a lovably eccentric tunesmith who treats heartbreak and hilarity as two sides of the same coin.