How Benson Boone Trains to Pull Off Those Wild Onstage Flips
At this point, whether you’re a superfan or just a casual consumer of pop culture, chances are you’ve heard the name Benson Boone. Maybe you caught Heidi Klum and Nikki Glaser literally tearing his clothes off during the Best New Artist medley at the Grammys, or stumbled upon clips of his Emporio Armani fragrance performance on your TikTok For You page. There’s a chance you’ve seen his name in headlines thanks to his relationship with creator Maggie Thurmon—and an even bigger chance you’ve heard his viral hit “Beautiful Things” approximately a million times. He’s a full-blown, flipping pop star, with the kind of meteoric rise most musicians only dream about. And now, Boone is set to kick off the U.S. leg of his American Heart World Tour tomorrow.
Below, he shares why he started doing backflips, the songstresses who make him nervous, and his unexpected love of reality TV—including a soft spot for The Kardashians.
You’re known for your flips. How do you keep your legs and muscles strong?Because I do it all the time, I’ve just kind of built up strength in my legs to do it every night. It’s like practicing for a sport. I don’t just do flips onstage. Of course, not randomly in public either—more on my own with my friends doing crazy things.
Was there just a day where you were like, “I’m going to do a backflip”?Honestly, not far off. I was very young, like 4. I watched my dad do a backflip, and I thought it was so cool. I was like, “Man, I’ve got to do that.” I went and flipped off my couch, surprisingly landed, and then started doing flips all over the neighborhood.
Benson Boone for Armani’s Strong With You fragrance.
Red Bull. It’s so good. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what they put in that—and honestly, I don’t want to know—and I think that’s why I like it. I’m not even trying to promote Red Bull here, but it’s very distinct.
How do you prepare for a show?I don’t actually think about it. A whole lot of getting ready for a show is just drinking your yerba maté. The Red Bull is for after. I just get excited with my friends, family, or girlfriend. I don’t get super nervous, so it’s still really fun for me to feel my heart beat a little faster. I’m just ready to put on a show.
You don’t get nervous?The only time I’ve really been nervous was at the Grammys. I was singing in front of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Olivia Rodrigo. I was kind of peeing my pants a little bit for sure.
You’re known for your outfits. Who are your style icons?I love Elton John’s style, Freddie Mercury’s style, Michael Jackson’s style, even Elvis Presley and Bruce Springsteen. I’m just someone who loves to have fun and be expressive. But I’m not always wanting to do the craziest, most intricate outfits. Sometimes I like just a tank top and jeans. I just do what I’m feeling. Being onstage is an opportunity to elevate my style, but what I wear onstage isn’t always what I would wear every day going to a gas station.
What’s a reality show you’d star in if you had the time in your schedule?The Kardashians—that’s the only answer.
Lately, honestly, I get so many dog videos. It actually confuses me, because I usually scroll past them. A couple of them were really cute, and maybe I watched them too long.
How has your relationship with social media changed over time?I’ve tried to be on social media less. Lately, there have been a lot of people expressing their opinions of me. Whether it’s good or bad, I don’t like to be constantly watching videos of myself.
What can fans expect from your tour?It’ll be the most thought-out show I’ve ever played. I’ve spent the last six months thinking and planning every song—what’s going to be on the screens, what I’m going to be doing, and what I’m going to be wearing. It’s a whole world that I’ve built in my head. I’m really excited for people to see it.
A version of this story appears in the September 2025 issue of ELLE.
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