“I’ve been doing this for 12 years”, Benny Blanco tells Apple Music. “After that long, it’s good to switch it up.” You might not know Blanco’s name, but you know his work. A prodigious songwriter from suburban Virginia who apprenticed under Dr. Luke, he’s written so many hits for so many stars (Rihanna, Sia, The Weeknd, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Kanye, Maroon 5... you get the idea) that it’s impossible to imagine contemporary pop music without him. Now, at 30, he’s stepping out from behind the curtain on his debut album—or at least the first version of it—FRIENDS KEEP SECRETS. Taking cues from Kanye West’s perpetually in-progress The Life of Pablo and 2018 G.O.O.D. Music releases, the project is an ever-evolving collection of songs that Blanco says he’ll update “whenever I want.” Here’s how he created what might be the blueprint for the modern pop album.