When Benson Boone Met Brian May (Sort Of) at Coachella
So apparently, cardboard Brian May is the new Coachella accessory. Benson Boone — the breakout pop phenom fresh off his EP drop — decided to up the festival stakes by hauling a life‑sized Brian May cutout onto the Sahara stage on April 19, 2025. According to TMZ, the singer-songwriter had fans double‑taking as he introduced his “special guest” before launching into his chart‑topping single. Over at People, festivalgoers flooded Instagram with side‑by‑side selfies featuring Boone and his plastic‑strapped rock star, all set against the pulsing desert lights.
It wasn’t just about grabs for the ‘Gram, either. Rolling Stone notes the prank nods to Boone’s cheeky sense of humor—one that contrasts with his earnest ballads. “It’s a wink at rock royalty,” a source told Rolling Stone, “and the fans ate it up.” Social media lit up with memes of the Queen guitarist sporting “Benson Boone for President” stickers, while Twitter polls debated whether the cutout should’ve played guitar solo instead of Boone himself.
Beyond the selfies and memes, Boone’s stunt underscores a bigger festival trend: blending big‑name nostalgia with fresh pop acts. Billboard points out that younger audiences crave these mashups, and Boone delivered by riffing on one of rock’s most iconic faces. The cutout move follows hot on the heels of his sold‑out world tour announcement, suggesting Boone’s ready to play with expectations as much as he plays with chords.
Camera crews swooped in when Boone paused mid‑set to high‑five the cardboard legend, sparking cheers and a few puzzled looks. Some hardcore Queen fans at Coachella’s Who stage even pointed out they came for Brian May’s guitarist son, Spike, only to find this cheeky stand‑in. Boone’s team spilled to Variety that the cutout was last‑minute: “We sourced it in five hours flat,” they claimed, “talk about festival adrenaline.”
If there’s a takeaway, it’s that Benson Boone’s brand of playful trolling pairs well with his moody pop anthems. Next time you spot a cardboard icon at a music fest, you might want to check the track list. Anyway, that’s the tea—cascade those clips wherever you please.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, People, Rolling Stone, Billboard
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
