Benny Blanco Reveals Sia Wrote Rihanna's Hit Song 'Diamonds' in 15 Minutes While Waiting for a Cab

• Benny Blanco told Howard Stern that watching Sia work was “the craziest thing”
• The producer revealed that she wrote “Diamonds” in five minutes while waiting for a taxi she ordered
• The song eventually went to Rihanna and became a huge hit

Sia is one of the fastest songwriters in the game!

The 48-year-old hitmaker wrote one of her most famous songs, Rihanna’s “Diamonds,” in the time it took her to hail and wait for a cab, according to Benny Blanco.

While appearing on SiriusXM The Howard Stern Show On May 14, Blanco (who witnessed the moment and co-produced the 2012 hit with production duo Stargate) recalled the thin window in which Sia wrote it — and, apparently, her other songs as well.

“Sia writes a song in less than five minutes,” the producer, 36, told host Stern. “It’s the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

Sia revealed that she got a face lift: ‘I’m a pop star who normally hides my face’

“She was waiting for a cab — this was before Uber — and they said it would take 15 minutes,” he recalled. “And she said, ‘Oh, well, just upload one more thing.'”

And that’s all it took to write a cult song. “The song, the melody, the lyrics, the harmonies, it’s all done before the cab comes,” Blanco said. “And she’s like, ‘Yeah, that’s pretty good.’ ”

If Sia’s cab had arrived earlier, the world may never have heard “Diamonds,” which became Rihanna’s 12th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, spending three weeks there, according to Billboard.

Sia announces new album Sensible woman as he unveils Kylie Minogue’s ‘Dance Alone’ collaboration

And, after Stern questioned why Sia — who is the vocalist on hits like “Chandelier” and “Cheap Thrills” — would give a hit like “Diamonds” to another artist “like it’s a throwaway,” the producer defended the decision .

“You have to remember, a lot of people are songwriters,” Blanco told the host, adding that “you never know how a song is going to feel or how it’s going to hit you.”

Added Blanco: “Rihanna is such a special artist that as soon as her voice touches something it’s like fireworks. It has so much tone and personality.”

Benny Blanco visits SiriusXM’s ‘The Howard Stern Show’ in Los Angeles on May 14, 2024.

Emma McIntyre/Getty

Timeline of Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s relationship

The producer and cookbook author also recalled the moment he first experienced those fireworks himself, telling Stern, “When we first did the demo, I was like, ‘This is great. I do not know.’ Because we wanted to give the song, at the time, to Kanye or Eminem.”

“And actually, Eminem recorded a song on it, but he didn’t say anything until about a year later when it was about to come out. It was crazy. And I just remember at that point being like, ‘Oh, this is great.'”

“But when Rihanna sang it, I was like, ‘Oh my God, this is something,'” he added.

Benny Blanco with Sia and her husband Dan Bernard in Los Angeles in June 2023.

Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Blanco, who has produced songs for artists including Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and Selena Gomez, who he is currently dating.

Elsewhere in the conversation with Stern, he said he sees marriage in his future as a pop star, adding, “I’ve got to pull myself together.”

Also taken over and busy, Sia is currently executive producing an album for Paris Hilton. Talking to Board last month, the “Stars Are Blind” singer opened up about the joint project.

“Nobody really knows this, but I’m actually a very shy person, painfully shy,” Hilton said. “But with [Sia]I just feel so comfortable so I’ve really been singing in ways I didn’t know were possible.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education