Watch: Benson Boone Queens Out at Coachella
Benson Boone performs onstage for Capital One JamFest® during the 2025 NCAA March Madness Music Festival on April 06, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas Source: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images for 2025 NCAA March Madness Music Festival

Watch: Benson Boone Queens Out at Coachella

Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 2 MIN.

Benson Boone went full Queen at Coachella, giving Freddie Mercury vibesand sharing the stage with Brian May for a wild rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody."

"The up-and-coming pop superstar, with his signature dark mustache and flamboyant stage presence, is frequently compared to Freddie Mercury online," USA Today noted. "But on Friday evening at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, the Grammy nominee really leaned into the comparison during his set."

From his sexy sleeveless jumpsuit to "ask[ing] the crowd to repeat after him as he briefly sang Queen's 'Ay-Oh,' as Mercury did at the legendary Live Aid concert in 1985," Boone gave seemed to be channeling the iconic Queen frontman.

"But it turned out that Boone's 'Ay-Oh' cover was just a tease for the show-stopping performance that ended his set," Entertainment Weekly said. "After leaving the stage, he returned wearing a royal fur cape and began playing 'Bohemian Rhapsody' on the piano with a choir singing behind him. Boone then shed the cape to reveal his viral Grammys jumpsuit underneath and did one of his signature flips off the piano."

Boone welcomed Queen OG guitarist Brian May to the stage as the song gained momentum, and the pair delivered an electrifying rendition of the classic song.

"The crowd erupted, then collectively sang along," the newspaper said. Then, "May stayed on and played guitar as Boone closed with his biggest hit, 'Beautiful Things,' as pyrotechnics shot into the sky."

May took to social media to post a photo of himself with Boone and praise the singer.

"Do we look happy ? !!!" May captioned the photo. "Gonna treasure this moment on the plane with @bensonboone - a truly golden 22 year old prodigy."

"I'm proud and happy to say we are now officially pals," the legendary guitarist added.

"Boone even managed to fit in one final flip – this time, into the crowd – to cap off his Coachella debut, which will no doubt be remembered for years to come," EW enthused.

Watch the moment below.


by Kilian Melloy , EDGE Staff Reporter

Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.

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