Benson Boone is an American singer-songwriter from Monroe, Washington, who rose from near-obscurity to global pop superstardom with his emotionally charged music and one of the most viral songs of 2024, “Beautiful Things.”
A former competitive diver who didn’t discover his singing ability until high school, Boone’s trajectory has been anything but conventional: he auditioned for American Idol in 2021 and voluntarily walked away from the competition after earning a coveted spot in Hollywood Week, having decided he wasn’t ready to commit.
What followed was a rapid, self-driven ascent powered by TikTok, a record deal with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds’s Night Street Records label, and a debut album that reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200.
As of 2025, Boone has become one of the most compelling young pop artists in the world, with a second studio album released and a Grammy nomination already to his name.
| Benson James Boone | |
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Benson James Boone: History · Bio · Photo
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Full Name: | Benson James Boone |
| Born: | June 25, 2002 |
| Age: | 23 years old |
| Birthplace: | Monroe, Washington, USA |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Singer, Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist |
| Parents: | Kerry Boone (mother), Nate Boone (father) |
| Siblings: | Four sisters: Kaylee, Natalee, Emma, and Claire |
| Relationship: | In a relationship with Maggie Thurmon |
Early Life
Benson James Boone was born on June 25, 2002, in Monroe, Washington, a small city located northeast of Seattle, to Kerry and Nate Boone.
He grew up in a close-knit family with four sisters, Kaylee, Natalee, Emma, and Claire. Unlike many musicians who show an early affinity for singing or instruments, Boone was initially far more focused on sports than music.
He was a member of Monroe High School’s competitive diving team as well as the tennis team, and displayed the physical fearlessness and discipline that would later characterise his acrobatic live performances.
Music entered Boone’s life almost by accident. He has described discovering his voice during his junior year of high school, when friends encouraged him to try singing.
What began as an experiment quickly revealed an extraordinary natural talent, a powerful, emotionally raw voice with remarkable range. Once he had that first glimpse of what he could do, he began writing songs and teaching himself piano. He graduated from Monroe High School in 2020.
Education
After graduating from Monroe High School in 2020, Boone briefly enrolled at Brigham Young University–Idaho, a private university in Rexburg, Idaho, operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He left the university to focus on music, a decision that proved pivotal when his American Idol audition in early 2021 set his professional trajectory in motion.
Career
In early 2021, at age 18, Boone auditioned for Season 19 of American Idol. His performance of “Punchline” by Aidan Martin so impressed judges, particularly Katy Perry, who told him she could see him winning the competition, that he advanced through the early rounds and earned a spot in Hollywood Week. Then, in a move that surprised nearly everyone, Boone chose to withdraw from the competition voluntarily. He later explained the decision with candid self-awareness: unlike many of the other contestants who had waited their whole lives for that moment, he wasn’t sure music was his calling. He wanted to discover that for himself, not on a televised competition.
The instinct proved correct. Back home, Boone began posting videos on TikTok, where his vocal performances quickly attracted millions of views. His raw emotional delivery and the striking quality of his voice created a groundswell of online attention that reached Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds, who was so impressed that he signed Boone to his Night Street Records label in 2021, a label that releases music through Warner Records. Reynolds later told Billboard that signing artists was something Night Street did rarely: “It was one of those moments where you know you have no choice.”
Boone’s debut single “Ghost Town,” released on October 15, 2021, was a rousing success in Europe, reaching number one in Norway and cracking the top 10 in Belgium and Denmark. It was followed by “In the Stars” in 2022, which climbed into the UK Singles Chart top 40. By 2023, Boone had built a substantial international following with a string of emotionally confessional pop singles that earned him comparisons to artists across the pop-rock and soul-influenced spectrum.
Everything changed in January 2024 with the release of “Beautiful Things.” The song, which Boone has said he wrote at three in the morning at his grandmother’s house in the early stages of a new relationship, terrified of losing what he had just found, became a global phenomenon. It peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, reached number one on the Billboard Global 200, and topped charts in multiple countries. It also set a record on the Adult Contemporary chart with its 55-week climb to the top spot. The song propelled Boone to superstardom and earned him one of the year’s most prestigious touring slots: as an opener on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.
His debut studio album, “Fireworks and Rollerblades,” was released on April 5, 2024, through Night Street and Warner Records, debuting at number six on the Billboard 200. It received positive reviews praising its sincere, emotionally direct pop sound. A second studio album, “American Heart,” followed in 2025, drawing on influences from Bruce Springsteen and Americana music and demonstrating the continued growth of Boone’s artistic ambition and sonic range.
Awards and Nominations
- 2024, Grammy Award, Best New Artist, Nomination
- 2024, MTV Video Music Award, Best Alternative Video, Win
- 2024, MTV Europe Music Award, Best New Artist, Win
- 2024, Billboard Music Award, Top Billboard Global 200 Song (Beautiful Things), Win
- 2024, Billboard Music Award, Top Billboard Global (excl. U.S.) Song (Beautiful Things), Win
- 2024, NJR Music Award, International Song of the Year, Win
- 2024, NJR Music Award, International Revelation of the Year, Win
- 2024, Los 40 Music Award, Best New Artist, Win
- 2024, Los 40 Music Award, Best Song, Win
- 2024, Melon Music Award, Best Pop Artist, Win
- 2025, iHeartRadio Music Award, Best Song of the Year, Win
- 2025, MTV VMA Japan, Best New Artist Video, Win
- 2025, Premio Odeón, International New Artist, Win
Social Media
- Instagram: @bensonboone
- TikTok: @bensonboone
- Twitter/X: @bensonboone
- YouTube: Benson Boone
- Official Website: bensonboone.com
Personal Life
Benson Boone is in a relationship with Maggie Thurmon, an actress and social media influencer from Atlanta. The couple made their relationship public at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Boone has confirmed that “Beautiful Things” was inspired by the early stages of his relationship with Thurmon, specifically the fear he felt of losing something so good when it was just beginning. The song’s emotional authenticity, rooted in lived experience, is widely credited as a key factor in its global resonance.
Boone is known for his adventurous personality. Outside of music, he is an avid cliff jumper and leads a sober lifestyle. He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though he speaks about his faith rarely in public contexts. He is also known for incorporating acrobatics into his live performances, including backflips, a reflection of his athletic background as a competitive diver. His live shows have been praised for their energy, emotional intensity, and Boone’s willingness to connect directly with his audience.
Net Worth
Benson Boone’s net worth is estimated at approximately $5 million, built through touring, streaming royalties, record sales, and brand partnerships.
His profile has risen sharply following his Taylor Swift Eras Tour opening slot, and his second album “American Heart” (2025) is expected to further consolidate his financial position. No verified figure from a definitive source is currently available, but his rapid commercial ascent makes him one of the fastest-rising young earners in pop music.
Discography
- Fireworks and Rollerblades (2024), debut studio album
- American Heart (2025), second studio album
Conclusion
Benson Boone’s story is one of the most compelling in contemporary pop music, a young man from a small town in Washington state who stumbled into singing, walked away from a major televised opportunity, and then built his own audience from scratch through authenticity, emotional transparency, and sheer talent.
“Beautiful Things” is the rare kind of song that connects with people across age groups, cultures, and languages because it gives voice to something universally felt.
At 23, Boone has already outpaced the expectations that followed him out of Monroe, Washington, and the trajectory of his career suggests that the world has only just begun to hear what he’s capable of.
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