The Untold Truth Of Maddie Ziegler's Boyfriend Eddie Benjamin
Dance Moms alum Maddie Ziegler was just 11 years old when she starred in singer Sia's hugely popular music video, "Chandelier." The video, which features Ziegler performing a complicated dance routine, has since amassed a staggering 2.2 billion views on YouTube. Even Sia herself didn't foresee the song's popularity — or Ziegler's meteoric rise to fame! "I had no idea 'Chandelier' was going to be so massive," Sia told the Zang Sang Show. "I just had no idea she [Maddie] would blow up and be this famous little teenager."
Now, at age 18, Ziegler has garnered an impressive net worth thanks to her growing list of licensing and merchandising deals. The famous dancer has even begun to try her hand at acting! In March 2020, she also officially added "girlfriend" to her long roster of accomplishments, as she and Australian singer-songwriter Eddie Benjamin went public with their romance (via Instagram). But aside from the fact that he's an Australian-born,18-year-old Capricorn, what do we really know about the man who's captured Ziegler's heart? Here is the untold truth about Eddie Benjamin.
Eddie Benjamin has a rare neurological condition
While most humans understand and experience the five basic senses, Maddie Ziegler's boyfriend, Eddie Benjamin, has a neurological condition known as synesthesia. According to Live Science, approximately 2 to 4 percent of the general population naturally experiences this neurological phenomenon that causes the brain to process data by blending two or more senses together. For example, synesthetes may hear colors, feel sounds, and taste shapes.
Discussing his synesthesia with Sia for Interview Magazine, Benjamin shared that he had first read about it as a teenager. "I was like, 'Oh s**t, that's kind of how I see things,'" he told the pop star. "I see colored numbers with pitch. I relate colors to certain pitches and notes. The 12 notes that we have in the musical Western world, I see certain colors to them, and it's fun and also quite tiring."
The same Live Science article explains that color-grapheme synesthesia, which is what Benjamin has, is caused by an increased number of connections between sensory regions of the brain. As a result, it's unsurprising that synesthesia is purported to be seven times more common in artists, poets, and novelists than in the rest of the general population, according to National Geographic.
Eddie Benjamin is a singer, songwriter, and bassist
Eddie Benjamin first gained recognition through his work in the band Haze Trio, a group which won multiple competitions across Australia. Like many up-and-comers, he uploaded covers to YouTube that featured his upright or electric bass, including a reimagining of Sia's "Chandelier" that attracted the interest of Sia herself.
Of his love for the bass, he told Sia (via Interview Magazine) that he started playing the guitar at 12 and f**king hated it. "Then I saw Prince live, I went to one of his concerts which I'm very blessed to have done," Benjamin explained. "I saw him slapping the bass and I'm like, 'That is what I want to do.' I asked my dad if I could have a bass and he bought me one. Every day in the living room just practicing, countless hours. That's when the love really started." Harkening back to Eddie's synesthesia, Sia wisely added, "Because the tone [of the guitar] isn't right for your color system probably."
Since relocating from Australia to Los Angeles, Benjamin has attracted the likes of Justin Bieber, who dubbed him "the next generation," according to 360 Mag. In addition, Benjamin co-wrote and performed on "Funk" and "Here to Stay" from Meghan Trainor's most recent album Treat Myself. His first single, "F**k My Friends," dropped in April 2020, followed by another single, "Speechless," in September. Next up, Benjamin plans to release his much-anticipated debut EP before the end of the year.
Sia approves of the relationship, and so does Maddie Ziegler's mom
When it comes to his relationship with Maddie Ziegler, It looks as though Eddie Benjamin has the seal of approval from both Sia and Ziegler's mom. After Sia saw him playing the upright to "Chandelier," she soon learned of his connection to Ziegler. "You're my Australian son," Sia said in conversation with Benjamin for Interview Magazine. "You didn't have your family in town when we met, and I was like, 'Oh, I'm going to have to be your mom here.' I just got extremely protective, as I'm over Maddie. I was basically like 'any deal anyone tries to give you I will research myself and make sure nobody's going to take advantage of you.'" Later on in the article, Sia fondly referred to him as "my little pixie son who is bright, awesome, humble and a real dingus."
Similarly, Ziegler's mom appears to like Benjamin, too. The couple initially sparked backlash when Zieglet uploaded an Instagram photo of the two of them snuggling in bed, prompting some people to voice negative opinions. "This pic looks a little inappropriate," one follower commented. Luckily, Ziegler's mom, Melissa Gisoni, swooped in to Benjamin's defense, replying "He has his shirt off for god's sake! He's a boy!" In another sweet show of support, she made her feelings known by commenting "Such a beautiful picture!" on the post. We're certainly wishing the talented duo all the best!