Benson Boone performs with Brian May at Coachella 2025 and fans are still buzzing. On April 11, 2025, during the opening night of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, Boone invited the Queen guitarist onstage for a surprise performance of Bohemian Rhapsody.
The moment featured a full choir and dramatic lighting, giving the performance a theatrical flair that stood out among the night’s acts.
Brian May, 77, also joined Boone for a live version of Boone’s hit song Beautiful Things. The collaboration had been teased earlier that day when May posted on Instagram with photos of himself and Boone en route to the festival. His caption read: “Look who I bumped into – on the way to the fabled Palm Springs … Maybe something will happen?! Do we look happy?!!! Gonna treasure this moment on the plane with @bensonboone – a truly golden 22-year-old prodigy.”
Boone used the Coachella set to announce his upcoming second album, titled American Heart. Addressing the audience directly, he said, “I’ve got one more announcement to make. This is less like one song and more like 10. My second album will be coming out June 20, 2025, and it is called American Heart.” He then performed the album’s title track live for the first time.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Boone described the album’s sound as heavily influenced by Bruce Springsteen and Americana themes. He said, “A lot of it is very Bruce Springsteen, Americana, like a little more of a retro vibe. It all started with me believing in the song Beautiful Things. Now, I have a whole album just about ready to go – and I’ve never believed so much in a body of work.”
The Coachella performance received attention from several major outlets. Variety highlighted the surprise factor and emotional impact of seeing a young pop artist collaborate with a rock icon like Brian May. The publication also noted the strong crowd response and theatrical setup of the performance.
Boone’s debut album helped establish him as one of the most promising new voices in pop. His breakout single Beautiful Things charted globally, and he’s since gained millions of fans through social media and streaming platforms. With American Heart, he’s aiming to showcase a more mature sound while staying true to his emotional songwriting.
Brian May’s appearance added a layer of rock credibility to Boone’s performance. Known for his iconic guitar work with Queen, May has collaborated with younger artists before, but rarely in such a live, festival setting. His praise of Boone as a “golden prodigy” signals a strong endorsement that could help Boone reach even broader audiences.
Benson Boone’s performance has since gone viral across social media, and fans are already calling it one of the standout moments of Coachella 2025. Videos from the night are circulating widely, and anticipation for American Heart is building fast.
For more on the performance, check out coverage from Variety and Boone’s latest interview with Rolling Stone.
Boone’s album American Heart drops June 20, 2025. Keep an eye on his official pages for pre-orders, tour dates, and new track previews.
