When the internet turns on Benson Boone, he responds in the most Gen Z way
"I'm not used to Moonbeam positivity," Boone said in a recent TikTok video, commenting on widespread support for his album "American Heart" and upcoming tour.
What do chevron mustaches, crowd-pleasing backflips and Moonbeam Ice Cream have in common? There's only one answer: Benson Boone.
The jumpsuit-wearing pop star who first gained fame on TikTok has been topping charts since the release of his single "Beautiful Things" in 2024, and is preparing for the start of his sold-out U.S. American Heart Tour on Aug. 22. But parts of the internet have been quick to criticize the 23-year-old, saying he is gimmicky and inauthentic with over-the-top performances and empty lyrics.
Boone has seen the criticism and found his own way to respond. Just look at his "Mr Electric Blue" music video, which starts with Boone walking into the office of his "manager," who wants a new "gimmick." He poses the question, "New songwriting?" To this, Boone responses sheepishly, "You know I can't do that."
On his birthday on June 25, Boone posted a video on TikTok, asking for his haters to lighten up for the day.
"It's my birthday. Stop the hate for a day and let me relax. We can continue tomorrow," Boone said in the video, which as of Aug. 8, had more than 7 million views.
Looking back at Boone's first flip on screen
Benson James Boone is a pop musician from Monroe, Washington. Before the release of his TikTok-pleasing hit "Beautiful Things," Boone attended Brigham Young University-Idaho for a semester before dropping out to pursue a music career full-time.
Around this time, Boone also auditioned for "American Idol" in 2021. Despite impressing Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan with his cover of Aidan Martin's "Punchline," Boone voluntarily pulled out of the competition after making the Top 24.
And to no one's surprise, yes, he backflipped on television.
Internet questions Boone's authenticity
The bulk of criticism Boone faces is claims that his brand is disingenuous.
TikTok user JLC said in a recent video that though Boone resembles artists like Harry Styles, Freddie Mercury and David Bowie, specifically in his sparkly, one-piece jumpsuits, he lacks their same "aura."
"Look at Harry, very comfortable in his skin. There's no hesitation. It's just another day," JLC said in a video displaying side-by-side photos of Styles and Boone. "Benny Boone over here, he looks like he's in a costume. It looks like it's a screenshot from Halloween."
Content creator and podcast host Sam Murphy went a bit further in analyzing the persona of Boone's new album, "American Heart," which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's 200. Murphy and others have ripped the album's cover, which features a shirtless Boone holding an American flag.
"'American Heart' could kind of give like Bruce Springsteen, 'Born in the U.S.A.,' but Bruce Springsteen wasn't using the flag as this symbol of patoritism," Murphy said in a recent video. The cover of "Born in the U.S.A." features Springsteen standing in front of an American flag, ballcap in his back pocket.
"He was using it to critique the country, the treatment particularly of the working class and veterans of the Vietnam War," Murphy continued. "Using this (American flag) as your cover at this very time without saying anything at all really is kind of the equalivalent of a white Australian wearing a 'Straight Out of Compton' T-shirt."
Murphy argues that Boone doesn't make reference to the United States in his album, other than a mention of being young and free in the album's concluding track, "Young American Heart."
Critics take aim at Boone's albums, too
Pitchfork Deputy Director Jeremy Larson gave "American Heart" a 3.7 out of 5 and The Needle Drop's Anthony Fantano ranked it a "light 3" out of 5. Both reviewers spent a significant amount of time (and word count) diving into Boone's lyrics.
Of course, everyone is curious about what exactly is "Moonbeam Ice Cream" in Boone's "Mystical Magical," but Fantano appeared more bothered by the song's story as a whole.
"A lot of the lyrics on this song are all about pestering a woman that's rejecting you again and again and again and again until what? She just like drops the will to resist you and just let's your love, that you're so convinced is going to be amazing, happen?" Fantano said in his review. "Ew."
For what it's worth, Boone has explained where "Moonbeam Ice Cream" came from. During his appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jimmy Fallon, Boone said the lyric was actually crafted up by his songwriting partner Jack LaFrantz.
"As we get on through the session, we kind of came to what's called writer's block. Jack's sitting there and we're kind of goofing off and he just goes, 'You know, what if you just did this?' And it looked like he was going to say something really good, and we've been sitting there for an hour. I'm like, 'This is it,'" Boone said of LaFrantz. "And he goes, 'Moonbeam Ice Cream, taking off your blue jeans.' It was a placeholder for the day and then we went home and listened to it and I was like, 'You know what? Moonbeam Ice Cream. Hell yeah.'"
Boone spins internet hate to his benefit
Boone's go-to tactic seems to be responding to criticism with sarcasm and humor, especially with how he pokes fun at the hate in the "Mr Electric Blue" music video.
More recently, the pop artist posted a TikTok video expressing sarcastic confusion for a "switch up" in more widespread support.
"I'm not used to Moonbeam positivity," the video's on-screen caption read.
In June, Boone partnered with Crumbl Cookie to create the "Moonbeam Ice Cream Cookie," a chocolate cookie with cookies and cream pieces, "Moonbeam Ice Cream-inspired" lemon, berry and marshmallow toppings, and a sweet, white drizzle. Though the internet didn't hesitate to create memes about the partnership – mostly questioning just what Moonbeam is – the cookie also inspired a TikTok trend.
Countless content creators flocked Crumbl stores to purchase the limited-edition cookie for a video, backflipping in the lobby after taking a first bite or leaving the stores with jeans around their ankles, an ode to the chorus of "Mystical Magical."
Even in his own TikTok video promoting the partnership, Boone took a single bite of the cookie before backflipping for the camera.
Fans come to Boone's defense
Not everyone online is a Benson Boone hater. They couldn't be, because he sold out every show on the U.S. leg of his tour within nine seconds, per Boone's Instagram.
Comedian Emily Wilson, cohost of the podcast "All Body No Brains," questioned why so many people have an issue with Boone's backflips.
"Let the man flip. It's cool. If you could flip ... you'd be flipping around town," Wilson told her cohost Chloe Richman in a recent episode. "Every podcast episode would start with you doing a flip and sitting down."
A few days after "American Heart" released, content creator Kaitlyn Ventenilla posted a TikTok expressing her surprise for how good the album was, citing that it invoked nostalgia for One Direction.
In Gen Z lingo, she was hesitant to admit the album exceeded expectations.
"Am I allowed to say Benson Boone kinda ate with this one?" the video's on-screen caption read.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at Paste BN. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.