Who Is Benson Boone? 6 Things to Know About the Grammy-Nominated Singer

Rising singer Benson Boone was born in Monroe, Wash., on June 25, 2002. He is the only boy of five siblings, but he considered growing up with his sisters a "blessing."

"They teach you the more emotional side of life," he told Boys by Girls in January 2022. "I don't think I'll ever really understand women and I'll never fully try to, but my sisters helped me know how to treat a woman."

Before pursuing music, Boone impressed his peers at Monroe High School with his diving skills, earning a spot as one of the youngest divers of the swim team.

In February 2020, the school uploaded a video of him flipping off a diving board before landing in the pool. He also revealed in a self-penned biography he enjoyed "singing, sports and backflipping."

In addition, Boone is passionate about rollerblading, sharing videos of his landing tricks and stunts on TikTok.

"Behind the scenes, I'm a kid from Washington just trying to be happy," he said. "I've never wanted to do something that wouldn't be fulfilling, so behind the music and the singing, I love being happy. I love feeling happy. I love making other people feel that way as well. Really, that's all I want to do — make people feel happy. Behind the screen, I'm just a regular kid who likes sports, the outdoors and enjoys life."

After his high school graduation, he briefly attended Brigham Young University in Idaho before leaving to pursue a career in music.

Boone previously told Warner Music New Zealand he would probably be an architect or interior designer if he was not a musician.

The "Slow It Down" singer grew up listening to several A-listers, including Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Adele and Elvis Presley. However, he only discovered his singing talent when a friend asked him to play piano for a battle of the bands when he was in high school.

"I went out on stage and I started singing, and my voice kind of just came out of me. It's just like I unlocked something I didn't know I had," he recalled in an interview with MTV.

He added, "And I stopped, like, halfway through the first verse and just looked around, and I was so shocked that I had just sang. ... It was, like, the best feeling of my life."

From there, he started uploading his music on TikTok until he got the attention of American Idol producers.

In 2021, Boone auditioned for American Idol Season 19 after his friends urged him to do so. While he advanced through Hollywood Week, he shocked his fans when he announced his decision to leave the show.

"The reason I quit American Idol is because I wanted to do music," he revealed on The Zach Sang Show in 2022.

The "Cry" hitmaker added, "I don't want people to be like, 'Oh, Benson Boone, American Idol blew him up. Like, that's where he comes from. No. I want to be Benson Boone 'cause I write smash hits and they love my music. I just didn't want that label on me."

Shortly after his American Idol stint, Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds signed Boone to his label, Night Street Records.

In an interview with Billboard after finalizing the deal, Reynolds spoke about his impression of Boone.

"We sign artists so rarely at Night Street — it was one of those moments where you know you have no choice," said Reynolds. "That's how I felt when I first sat in a recording booth with Benson. I'm excited for the world to get to know him the way I have these last months."

Indeed, Boone has continued to rise in the music industry after the release of his debut single, "Ghost Town," in 2021. He later dropped two EPs before presenting his hit debut album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, which features his hit track "Beautiful Things."

Although Boone was not able to bring home the Grammy for Best New Artist, he has already received accolades that further solidify his music empire.

Among his awards include Best Alternative award at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, Top Billboard Global 200 Song at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards and the Best New Artist Video (International) at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.