Benson Boone had flips — and a big surprise — ready for Coachella fans on Friday night. During his evening set on the festival’s main stage, Boone welcomed Queen‘s Brian May for a high-octane rendition of “Bohemian Rhapsody” and his hit “Beautiful Things.”
Dressed in a Freddie Mercury-esque white and light blue outfit and a regal cape, Boone started playing the Queen classic on piano before May appeared on top of a stage structure riffing on guitar.
Bone thanked the Queen legend, who stood around with the singer’s band to play the show closer, “Beautiful Things,” adding Queen-style guitar riffs to the chart-topper. “It has changed my life this year and I hope you enjoy it,” Boone said before the performance, filled with pyrotechnics and some flips.
Earlier in the night, Boone announced his sophomore album, American Heart, out June 20 after playing the title track in front of a patriotic display.
May teased the big moment, sharing a photo of the two of them atop a private plane. “Look who I bumped into – on the way to the fabled Palm Springs … 💥💥💥💥 Maybe something will happen?!” the Queen icon captioned the post. May then shared a poster for Boonechella and hyped Boone by saying he “will shake the world” with his show.
Over the past few months, Boone has woven Freddie Mercury-inspired showmanship into his performances — leading the crowd in call-and-response vocal riffs and engaging them with instances reminiscent of the Queen frontman. The same could be said about his extravagant, tight-fitted attire, including his sky blue Grammys look.
Boone mentioned Queen during his Future of Music cover of Rolling Stone last month, calling the Seventies “a very incredible era of music.” His hit “Beautiful Things” pushes the star’s vocal range toward Freddie Mercury territory: “ It’s not really a song you can half-ass, you know?”
As for the comparisons to other iconic singers, including Mercury himself, Boone said: “I don’t want to be the same as Harry Styles, and the same as Freddie Mercury, and the same as Justin Bieber, and the same as One Direction, like, because it’s not me. I’m Benson Boone! I’m completely different.”
