Benson Boone, a 21-year-old from Monroe, Washington, is an indie pop artist who has recently exploded in popularity. His song “Beautiful Things” has garnered attention on TikTok and other social media platforms, launching him into the public eye. 

Boone’s music career had an unlikely start; he signed up to be a pianist at a Battle of the Bands event at his high school in 2019. Boone stepped up to the mic when the lead singer was not able to. From there, he went on to pursue music more seriously, performing on the popular singing show American Idol in 2021. Boone made it to the top 24 contestants before dropping out to focus on his career. He went on to begin sharing parts of his music on TikTok, before being signed to Night Street Records by Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds. Paired with this massive deal and his large social media presence, Boone’s music has spread rapidly, approaching 60 million monthly listeners and top 30 in the world. One of his biggest hits, “Beautiful Things,” gained notoriety on social media en route to reaching hundreds of millions of streams. 

FHS students have varying opinions on Boone’s music. FHS freshman Agastya Raja, for one, is not a huge fan.  He expressed his dislike for both Boone’s discography and album names. 

“Honestly, I have listened to better,” Raja said. “To start with, his titles are just not working for me. ‘Fireworks and Rollerblades’? Why would you name [an album] like that?” 

Raja asserts that the Beatles remain superior to Boone’s music, despite their fundamental differences. Listeners like Raja agree that Boone’s lyrical choices pertain to the romance subgenre of pop music. 

“I don’t like romance,” Raja said. 

As any artist has their critics, they also have their diehard fans. FHS freshman Vidyuth Pasumarthi is among them. 

“I’m madly in love with him,“ Pasumarthi said. “You know, I’ve heard Fireworks and Rollerblades and what [do] I think of that? He can create a firework in me. I’d like to roll my blade on him.”

Boone’s persistent use of themes such as love, hope, and determination leaves a mark on his listeners. Fans of Boone have expressed how his passionate lyrics have motivated them and, at times, even altered aspects of their lives.

“It’s his keen taste in what he creates music about that really inspires me to be better at whatever I can. I’m a very romantic person after listening to his music,” Pasumarthi said. “I think he’s had a very profound impact on my life, and he has increased the amount of women that go into my DMs.“

Benson Boone has recently caught the attention of The Phoenix staff in a unique manner. Utilizing the service GoMoxie, Boone paid to send his merchandise to high school journalism publications, including The Phoenix. We received calendars and bookmarks with Boone’s face on them, creating a newly founded class culture surrounding Boone and his music. 

Boone is currently on a world tour, performing his newest album “Fireworks and Rollerblades” in major cities, including in The Masonic in San Francisco.