19-year-old Benson Boone is in the midst of a major breakthrough moment with his stunning debut single ‘GHOST TOWN’, which is out via Night Street / Warner Records. In just two weeks, the song has amassed a remarkable global total of 22.5 million global streams, over a million of which have been in the UK.
A poignant ballad with unflinchingly honest lyrics and soaring vocals, ‘GHOST TOWN’ is the calling card of a major new talent. “Maybe you’d be happier with someone else, maybe lovin’ me is the reason you can’t love yourself,” he sings over melancholy keys. “Before I turn your heart into a ghost town, show me everything we built so I can tear it all down.”
A newcomer from Monroe, Washington, Benson wrote ‘GHOST TOWN’ having been inspired by the emotions he observed during a friend’s toxic relationship and realizing development in his own emotional maturity.
Benson says, “I saw that from an outside perspective and wondered what they could have done differently. Love can hurt more than it can help. Sometimes the best way of showing someone you care is by letting them go.”
Incredibly, the teenager was completely unaware of his prodigious talent until he was asked to join a band for his school talent show. Benson wowed everyone in the audience including himself and suddenly found his purpose. An audition for ‘American Idol’ followed, but he withdrew despite being lavished with praise from judges. “It was a very hard choice,” he admits. “I didn’t want to show the world someone I’m not.”
That desire for authenticity fuels every aspect of Benson’s artistry. From the hand-drawn ‘GHOST TOWN’ cover to the black-and-white music video, which was filmed in his hometown with a little help from his real-life friends, the singer/songwriter doesn’t want there to be any buffer between him and the listener. Signed and mentored by Imagine Dragons superstar Dan Reynolds, Benson Boone promises to be one of the breakout artists of 2021.
