Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Benson Boone

Benson Boone has quickly emerged as one of pop music’s most exciting up-and-coming artists. Don’t take our word for it, though. Just ask the millions of listeners who have streamed Benson’s debut single “GHOST TOWN“.

Hard to believe that the rising singer-songwriter only recently discovered his talents, right? But don’t worry, he’s making up for lost time with his hard work and authenticity. It’s that dedication and his soulful vocals that have struck a chord with listeners around the world.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Benson about “GHOST TOWN“, collaborating with Imagine Dragon’s Dan Reynolds, and discovering his voice and message as an artist.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Benson: Growing up, I was never really a music guy. I always did sports. I was very focused on that. I just liked being outside. But there were two things that started it.

I went to a Jon Bellion concert with some of my friends to see him perform. I had never been to a concert before. It was the coolest thing ever. I look up to Jon Bellion a lot. He’s an amazing artist. So that was really cool for me.
Shortly after, right before COVID hit, my friend asked me to sing in his little band for this battle of the bands competition he was in.

Originally, I was just going to play the piano, but the singer backed out at the last second, so they asked me to try it. It was something I had never tried to do well before, but I gave it a go and something clicked.

It was like I had been missing something my whole life and then it was there. It was a great experience. Performing is what I love. I love being with people, so that was a great way to kick that off.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Benson: Probably my best friend, Eric. I have four sisters and he has five sisters. We grew up together. We met when we were six months old. He’s my Day 1 brother. He always loved music. He listens to it constantly. I wouldn’t have even figured it out if it weren’t for him asking me to try to sing. He’s the reason I’m doing all of this. It all started with Eric.

PC: You’ve got a new single out. Can you tell us about “GHOST TOWN” and the inspiration behind the song?
Benson: “GHOST TOWN” is the first song that I ever wrote. It was my first official session in LA, just a couple of months ago. When I wrote it, I was in the middle of a lot of things. I had just packed up my things and moved to Vegas on the fly.

I had just stepped out of American Idol. I was moving away from my family and friends. My life was really changing. There’s a part of “GHOST TOWN” that’s about my friend’s relationship, but a lot of it is about me developing my emotional maturity—about me moving away from my childhood and everything that I know. I’m starting something new and I have to let go of what I had before and realize that that’s what’s going to be best for me. That’s what “GHOST TOWN” is. It’s a reflection of what I was going through mentally.

PC: Speaking of American Idol, you were an early front runner. How difficult was that decision to leave the competition?
Benson: It was very hard. I was asked to audition and I was so excited. It sounded like such a cool opportunity, so I obviously took it. I never thought about myself and my career.

Once I was on the show, I didn’t really know who I wanted to be as an artist or what music I wanted people to hear from me. That’s when I decided to take some time for myself to think about what was best for me. It was really hard to step down from that position because it was a lot of upfront publicity and it’s a fantastic show. All the contestants are super nice.

I have great parents and they taught me to always do what’s going to be best for me in the long run. I decided to step down because that’s what I thought was best for me. It was very difficult, but it had to be done.

PC: Like you were saying earlier, you didn’t start singing until recently. What has that response meant to you to see the streams that you have on your debut single?
Benson: It’s a reflection that no matter how long you’ve been doing something, it’s all about the passion. Although this hasn’t been my dream for my whole life, it has been for the last two years. It’s been a dream ever since.

I didn’t grow up singing. I’m not your typical singer. I didn’t start when I was two and perform at little gigs. I just picked it up. But it’s something that I absolutely love. If you really want something and you work hard enough to get there, then it’s possible.

PC: What was the process like deciding what would be your debut single? I’m assuming you have written tons at this point. What was that process like?
Benson: It was right at the beginning stage of my writing. I’ve only been writing for about six months now. “GHOST TOWN” was one of the first ones that I wrote. A lot of the time the newest or earliest things you write in a writing session, the melodies you think of off the top of your head at the beginning of the session, are sometimes the best.

Some of the first things that I’ve ever written are probably some of the best things that I will write as I develop. “GHOST TOWN” is so reflective of my personality. It’s me expressing myself.

PC: Has anything surprised you in the last two years as you embark on this exciting chapter in your career? What’s been the biggest lesson you’ve learned about your craft?
Benson: The most surprising thing was having the opportunity to work with Dan Reynolds. First of all, he’s an amazing human being. He cares so much about everyone. One of the things that he taught me is that it’s important to do what makes you the happiest and do what you want to do.

In the music industry, there are big labels and big expectations from people. Things are usually run in a certain way. The most important thing is that no matter what you do what makes you happiest in the long run. But yeah, working with Dan has been the craziest thing for me.

PC: As we look ahead to the rest of 2021 into 2022, what can fans expect from you?
Benson: I’m focusing a lot on fine-tuning the artist that I’m trying to be. It’s a lot of writing right now and getting a lot of songs ready. You can definitely expect much more than one song from me.

PC: What do you hope to say as an artist? What do you hope listeners take away when they listen to “GHOST TOWN”?
Benson: I hope that people can understand that I’m putting myself out there. I want them to be like, “Wow. I understand a part of Benson Boone and I love it.” That’s what I want to see because I drew my own artwork. I wrote the song and I’m doing the marketing.

It’s very personal to me. When I do videos on TikTok or when I post on Instagram, I’m doing it so people can understand me, not just my music. Because something I love when I listen to artists like Adele, Sam Smith, and Jon Bellion is that they’re putting their hearts and souls into the song. You connect with them. That’s what I want people to experience with my music.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Benson: That’s a really good question. One of my favorite artists is Stevie Wonder. He’s been one of my all-time favorites for a while.

PC: First album you bought?
Benson: It was probably Adele’s first album. I’ve always been into soul music, so I didn’t even start listening to a lot of music until a couple of years ago. Adele is one of the first people that I really got into.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Benson: Lewis Capaldi’s Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent. He’s one of my favorite artists. He released his album two years ago, right when I was starting to get into music. He and Jon Bellion are my biggest musical inspirations.

Lewis Capaldi is the male Adele. He has such a unique voice. When you hear him, you automatically know it’s him. Every song he writes is a banger. He puts a lot out there and a lot into his music. His album changed my perspective on music.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Benson: Madison Square Garden.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Benson: There’s an idea that I recently had. JT, the producer of “GHOST TOWN,” used to tour. He was on tours for years and years. He said one of his favorite things to do after a concert day was to ride his motorcycle for a couple of hours. I’ve always loved dirt bikes and four-wheelers. So I think that would be sick.

To keep up with Benson, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and Apple Music. Pick up or stream “GHOST TOWN” today.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Weiner