Benson Boone has hit out critics for saying they hate him without any “good reason”.
The US singer-songwriter, 22, who recently performed with Queen guitarist Sir Brian May at the California festival Coachella, had the world’s best-selling digital single of 2024 with Beautiful Things.
He has also been nominated for best new artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards after the release of his debut album Fireworks And Rollerblades last year.
On his TikTok account, he shared a video of himself with a statement saying: “If you hate me or my music at least have a good reason for it.”
He said this followed comments from people saying they do not know why they “hate Benson Boone but it feels right”.
Boone added: “Like what!!? how am I supposed to improve after reading that?”
He then suggested “something valid like ‘he low key just flips everywhere can he doing anything else?’ or even ‘I just don’t like his songs even though I’m basing my opinion off the only one that I’ve heard over and over’ (super valid)”.
The post also said he was “literally giving you ideas” to post hate messages to him.
Washington-born Boone’s Beautiful Things topped the UK singles chart, and in February the International Federation Of The Phonographic Industry (IFPI) awarded him the global single award For 2024 for the biggest selling track across digital formats.
He beat Sabrina Carpenter, who came second with Espresso, Teddy Swims, who finished third with Lose Control, Billie Eilish in fourth, with Birds Of A Feather, and Shaboozey, who came fifth with A Bar Song (Tipsy).
In November, Boone won best new act at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) after a performance in which he appeared to be suspended in the air playing a golden piano.
This month, his Coachella set featured Sir Brian on a rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Sir Brian called him “a truly golden 22-year-old prodigy”, and said he was “proud and happy to say we are now officially pals” on his Instagram.
Boone’s second album, American Heart, will be released on June 20.
His flashy dress sense has also become a pop culture phenomenon, with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg wearing a tear-away suit to reveal a sequinned blue jumpsuit similar to the one Boone wore at the Grammys.
Zuckerberg was celebrating his wife’s birthday when he performed as Boone.
He wrote in the February post: “Your wife only turns 40 once! Shoutout to @bensonboone for the jumpsuit and new single.”
