American Idol season 19 alum Benson Boone was thrilled when Taylor Swift gave him a shoutout after he opened for her on the third night of her Eras Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Benson began his music career as a viral TikTok star before he auditioned for American Idol season 19 in 2021. He earned a golden ticket to Hollywood after he sang “Punchline” by Aidan Martin. Benson made it to the Top 24, but he withdrew from the competition in order to pursue music in his own right. He’s since gone on to become a global superstar.
“Give it up for Benson Boone!”
According to People, Taylor praised Benson on stage, saying, “What’s also a dream come true for me, personally, is getting to tour with artists who I’m a huge fan of.” Taylor told the crowd to “give it up for Benson Boone,” saying that he was “so legit” and “such a showman.”
Taylor also noted that Benson was “out here doing flips for you” after the Idol alum did two backflips before he exited the stage. In an X post shared by The Eras Tour, Benson was thrilled to hear Taylor’s shoutout.
Reality TV is more popular than ever. With so many to choose from, here are some of the best reality TV shows to stream or watch right now.
Benson Boone Made The Right Call Quitting American Idol
Benson Has Had So Much Success Since Leaving The Show
Benson definitely made the right decision when he quit American Idol, even though he was considered a frontrunner to win the whole competition. He was able to pursue music in his own way, without the constraints of the show holding him back. His song “Beautiful Things,” which is the lead single from his debut studio album, Fireworks & Rollerblades, is the most-streamed song of 2024 so far. The song also reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In addition, Benson’s first two EPs, Walk Me Home… and Pulse have had tens of millions of streams.
It’s thrilling to see Taylor, who’s arguably the biggest star in the world right now, shout out an American Idol alum such as Benson after having him open for her on her tour. While American Idol stars from the FOX era of the show have gone on to become superstars, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, and Adam Lambert, the ABC version of the show hasn’t had as much success. Although Benson self-eliminated, American Idol still has bragging rights about giving him the exposure he needed to jump-start his music career.
By opening for Taylor, Benson has surely caught the attention of Swifties everywhere. Taylor is a powerful influence in the music industry, so Benson will certainly have even more success after she complimented him on stage. He’s a very talented singer and performer. At 21 years old, his music career is just getting started. Benson is one of the brightest lights in the galaxy of stars from American Idol.
