Benson Boone’s Cardboard Brian May Roast Lights Up Coachella
Here’s the kind of artistic bravery no one asked for: Benson Boone, fresh off a lukewarm reception for his Queen cover, decided the answer to festival jitters was to haul a life‑size cardboard Brian May onstage at Coachella. According to People Magazine and Billboard, Boone kicked off his set on April 14 with a painfully sincere rendition of “Last Horizon” before confessing, with zero irony, that the desert crowd’s reaction reminded him of a flat soda. Cue the world’s saddest magic trick: out popped a tall cutout of Queen’s legendary guitarist, complete with curly wig and red guitar strap.
Boone’s deadpan delivery hit a new apex as he “introduced” cardboard Brian with the solemnity of a TED Talk speaker. The camera cut to bewildered festivalgoers, many of whom were still repositioning their crop‑top scarves. Rolling Stone observed that the stunt felt like a modern art piece titled “Public Humiliation, Live.” One fan told Billboard they thought it was part of a guerrilla theater act—until Boone started talking to his cardboard companion about setlist logistics. Genuine? Absurd? Both. That relentless sincerity is exactly what you crave when you’ve paid three figures for a weekend in the sand.
It wasn’t all slapstick, though. What began as a cheeky punch at his own missteps turned into an unexpectedly moving tribute: Boone dedicated his final song to Queen and dropped a nod to Brian May’s charity work. Variety noted that this blend of self‑deprecation and respect shifted the mood from “awkward open‑mic night” to “internet gold.” Every third line of Boone’s banter felt like a one‑liner from a seasoned comic—if that comic had a side gig as a festival performer.
Is Boone a musical genius or simply the King of Cardboard? The jury’s still out. But one thing’s certain: this stunt will be trending longer than any EDM drop. If nothing else, he’s reminded us that sometimes the best backup is made of paper and a pinch of gallows humor. Stay tuned to see if Boone’s next encore involves a papier‑mâché Freddie Mercury or a foam‑rubber John Deacon.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, April 15, 2024
Billboard, April 16, 2024
Rolling Stone, April 17, 2024
Variety, April 18, 2024
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
