Benson Boone is no stranger to criticism. Particularly on the internet, the man has been the subject of so much ridicule online this summer, and it’s only grown with time.
In case you don’t know who Benson Boone is, he’s a singer (and occasional flipper). He was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammys, and first gained mainstream success through his 2024 hit “Beautiful Things” (which you’ve definitely heard before).
And although lots of people criticized him at this point — there were lots accusations of him being an “industry plant” — it wasn’t until his song “Mystical Magical” went viral that he really started getting hate. You know, the “moonbeam ice cream” song. (If you don’t know it, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN THIS SUMMER?!)
In an interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Benson mentioned he intended to just start some discourse about what exactly moonbeam ice cream is…but those conversations spiralled into hate. “It went downhill quick,” he said. “You know, people started doing, like, ‘What’s moonbeam ice cream? I HATE BENSON BOONE!'” he joked.
Anyway, the point is, while Benson does have a loyal fanbase, his haters have been exceptionally loud. But as someone who lives on the internet (and knows what it’s like to get tons of hate, thanks to my lovely BuzzFeed commenters), I’m very, very, pleased to report that the internet is totally backtracking, and Benson is finally getting his flowers.
Lemme explain. Benson is currently on his American Heart World Tour, named after his recently released album. In addition to performing his own songs, he normally covers 1–2 songs from other artists — and on Aug. 25, he chose “When We Were Young” by Adele.
If you’ve ever heard the song, you know (or if you’re the slightest bit aware of Adele, you could infer) that it’s an incredibly difficult song to sing. Not only is it high, but it’s just technically very challenging…and that makes it near-impossible for most men to sing, because their voices are typically deeper.
Not only did Benson absolutely NAIL the song, but he sang it in the ORIGINAL KEY. It’s truly jaw-dropping: He hits those notes with such grace and ease. Not to mention, that’s after performing his whole setlist (and flipping a bunch). Dare I say it? He Kelly Clarkson’ed that song. AKA, his version is better than the original. And the internet did NOT expect that from the moonbeam ice cream kid.
So while you listen to the video and let it absolutely bless your ears, let me fill you in on everything the internet is saying:
Finally, a note to Mr. Benson Boone on behalf of the internet: I’m genuinely sorry. You’re freakin’ talented. You’re a mini Freddie Mercury. And although it sucks that it took a bit of time, hey, I’m thrilled everyone’s on your side now!
What are your thoughts on Benson Boone? This cover, and his music in general? Tell me in the comments below!