Benson Boone

Benson Boone (born June 25, 2002, Monroe, Washington, United States) is an American singer-songwriter who came to prominence after accumulating a strong following on the social media app TikTok and appearing on the singing competition show American Idol. Boone is known for his chart-topping singles and evocative performance style, which often involves such acrobatics as backflips and jumps onstage.

Early life and American Idol

Born to Nate and Kerry Boone, Benson Boone is one of five siblings. He grew up in Monroe, Washington. In his youth Boone “didn’t know [he] could sing,” and he spent much of his high-school career as a competitive diver. He was raised as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but stated in a 2025 Rolling Stone interview that he no longer identifies exclusively with the church. After briefly attending Brigham Young University, he left to focus on music.

In 2021, at age 18, Boone appeared as a competitor on American Idol. At his audition, during which Boone performed a rendition of British singer-songwriter Aidan Martin’s “Punchline,” judge and pop star Katy Perry told Boone, “I see you winning American Idol, if you want to.” Despite the glowing review, Boone dropped out of the competition after earning a spot among the top 24 competitors. In a 2022 interview on The Zach Sang Show podcast, Boone said he had exited the show because he wanted to pursue a music career without feeling that he owed it to the show. Later he told The Scott Mills Breakfast Show that Perry had supported his choice to leave.

Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.

SIGN UP

By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

“Ghost Town,” American Heart, “Beautiful Things,” and “Mystical Magical”

Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds soon discovered and signed Boone to his label, Night Street Records. Boone released his debut single, “Ghost Town,” in 2021. Described scathingly by The New York Times as a “poreless ballad designed to show off his husky, nominally soulful voice,” the song was a rousing success in Europe, hitting number 1 in Norway and appearing in the top 10 in Belgium and Denmark. In the United States, however, the single barely cracked the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 100. “Ghost Town” appeared on Boone’s debut album Fireworks & Rollerblades (2024), released by Night Street and Warner Records. The album itself went unreviewed by many major American publications, including Pitchfork and The New York Times.

In 2024 Boone released “Beautiful Things,” the first song from his debut album. The song, as described by The New York Times, became one of the year’s “inescapable hits.” It spent 80 weeks on the Billboard Hot 200 and peaked at number 2. Boone performed the song on the 2025 Grammy Awards show, including his signature backflips in the presentation. His sophomore album, American Heart, was released in 2025 by Night Street and Warner Records, and 3 of its 10 tracks appeared on the Billboard Hot 100.

An early magnet for brand collaboration, Boone boasted more than nine million followers on the short-form content app TikTok as of August 2025. (As reported by The New York Times, “If you asked a social media executive to design a pop star with maximum virality in mind, they might show you someone like Benson Boone.”) In 2025 Boone collaborated with dessert chain Crumbl to create the “Moonbeam Ice Cream Cookie,” named after a line from Boone’s song “Mystical Magical.” The cookie became the first limited-edition dessert to appear two weeks in a row in Crumbl’s rotating flavor lineup, and fans performed the song (and assorted backflips) at Crumbl locations as part of a social media trend.

Reception

In Boone’s case, commercial success has not always aligned with critical favor. Music magazine Pitchfork rated American Heart a 3.7 out of 10 alongside a particularly harsh review: “I have to break one of the chief rules of criticism: faulting an artist for not doing something they didn’t attempt—in this case, faulting Boone for not writing good songs.” In its coverage, The New York Times described Boone’s persona as a mess of contradictions: “political and apolitical at the same time, flamboyant but God-fearing, wildly successful and, somehow, pretty unremarkable.”

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

SUBSCRIBE

Online, Boone has drawn vitriol from users, who criticize him as “inauthentic.” Boone addressed such criticism in the music video for his single “Mr. Electric Blue,” released in 2025. Presenting more of a skit than a music performance, the video shows Boone confronting executives at Industry Plant Records (referring to the accusation that Boone was “planted” by the music industry rather than being an authentic success) while wearing a T-shirt that features the phrase “One Hit Wonder.” (See also 7 One-Hit Wonders That Kept Us Wondering.)

Personal life

Boone has been in a relationship with actress and influencer Maggie Thurmon since early 2024. In an interview with Billboard, Boone spoke about how a recent romantic relationship had inspired the lyrics of “Beautiful Things”: “For the first time in my life, I felt like I was extremely out of control of the way this relationship would turn out.” Though Boone did not specify Thurmon by name, many fans assume the song refers to Boone and Thurmon’s relationship.