Popular singer Benson Boone revealed that he had never tried drugs or alcohol, but his abstinence was not due to his Mormon growth.
The 22-year-old musician was raised by a devout family in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his members were taught to avoid indulging in harmful substances.
However, in a recent interview Rolling stonesBoone, who made a fierce reputation last year with the success of his hit song “Beautiful Things”, explained that the sober choice he chose was not a motivation to adhere to religious beliefs.
“I’m just thinking personally, like, man, I’m going to die.”
Mark Zuckerberg Channel Musician Benson Boone during his wife’s birthday party
Pop star Benson Boone explains why he quit drinking and drugs. (Valery Hache/AFP via Getty Images)
“Because my character is so addictive,” Boone continued. “I feel like if I started, I would do so much that my health would only drop and I don’t like to tour either.”
When asked how he knew he had one “Addicted personality” Despite being a shaky person, Boone told the media: “Man, candy.”
“I just thought for me personally, like, man, I’m going to die.”
In addition to drugs and alcohol, Mormons are prohibited from using tobacco and “hot drinks”, including coffee and tea.
Boone admitted while talking to Rolling Stone that he had tried coffee and tried to cultivate the taste of the drink on an outing in Los Angeles with his girlfriend Maggie Thurmon.
“I really wanted to like coffee for a while,” he said. “And (I will) go to this place in Los Angeles with Maggie, and I try her coffee every day and it tastes like burning wood.”
The singer told the Rolling Stone that he grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he no longer identified it as a Mormon. (Erika Goldring/Wireimage)
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Boone also made public his beliefs, sharing that he no longer regarded it as a Mormon.
“I don’t want to be part of a religion,” he said. “I have my own point of view. Some come from this religion, some come from this religion, some come from no religion.”
The singer recalls that he was conflicted about his beliefs since childhood and questioned why he felt disconnected from the religions embraced by his family and other members of the community.
“Growing up, a lot of people in the church talk about their experiences and these personal revelations, feelings and voices. I never saw it physically like they did, so I was always confused and frustrated.”
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He added: “I’m always afraid to bring it to people because I just don’t want to accept that, like I don’t feel the other person.”
Boone remembers his relief when he finally revealed his questions during a conversation with a friend, who told him, “Thank God. I feel the same way.”
Boone discovered his musical abilities in high school. (Josh Brasted/Filmmagic)
After high school, Washington natives are recruited at Brigham Young University (BYU), a private university in Provo, Utah, owned and operated by the university. LDS Church. BYU students and staff must comply with strict guidelines for the Church Education System (CES) Honors Regulations.
Rules include abstaining from the substances that the church has forbidden, practicing chastity, abandoning the use of blasphemy, and following the dress code prohibiting men from wearing beards or goatee, and requiring that the skirt is no longer than the knee.
But Boone told the Rolling Stone that he never experienced life under BYU’s campus rules because he took classes remotely for a semester and then dropped out of school to pursue his music career.
Although his parents, Kerry and Nate Boone, remained committed to the LDS church, Boone shared that his decision’s distance from Mormonism did not affect his relationship with them.
“My parents must have their own opinions, but Religion and God, They want me to figure it out for myself,” he said. “No matter what I think, whatever I think is right, that’s what they want. ”
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In talking to the media, Boone likens his sense of religion to his position on politics.
“People think that if you have two views on the left or right, you have to be on the left or right,” he said. “And I don’t think that’s it.”
The singer became famous with his hit song “Beautiful Things.” (Jeff Kravitz/Filmmagic)
But Boone clarified that the title of his upcoming album “American Heart” is not meant to have any political implications.
“It’s not political at all,” he said. “It’s more like a personal thing. It’s just me. ‘American heart’ is my heart, it’s not my heart because it’s American. It’s my heart because I’m Benson Boone.”
In an October 2023 MTV interview, Boone shares how he discovered himself for the first time Musical ability When he was in high school, he happened to be in trouble.
“Singing never had something I thought I could do,” he recalls. “I was always busy outside, doing something that was positive about thinking about music. I played some piano, so when my friend knew I could play, my best friend asked me if I could play piano for his high school band’s band, and I agreed, everything was fine.”
Boone continued, “The girl who should be singing in our band the day before, was just me and him. We walked back and forth, arguing about who was going to sing, or if we should quit, and then I just decided I would try. I started the stage, I started singing, and my voice came out.”
Dan Reynolds of Imagining Dragon
He added: “Like I just unlocked something I didn’t know.” “I paused halfway through the first verse and looked around and was so shocked that I was just singing. I went again, and it was the best feeling in my life. We ended up winning, it was the coolest experience, my mom’s front row was bawking her eyes.”
Boone said his relationship with his parents was not affected by his choice to leave the church. (Rodin Eckenroth/Variety via Getty Images)
After finding his voice, Boone began posting videos of his original songs on Tiktok. He continued to audition through Zoom, participating in the 19th season of the 2021 singing competition series “American Idol”. After impressed by the voice of the aspiring singer, the producer invited him to the show’s Hollywood Week. Boone got a spot in the top 24, but unexpectedly withdrew from the game. He later explained that he thought participating in a show was not the best move in his musical career.
“My biggest weakness, sometimes my greatest strength, is that I have to do it when I convince my brain,” Boone told the Rolling Stones. “No backing or quitting.”
In October 2021, Boone was signed to Imagination Dragon’s lead singer Dan Reynolds’ Night Street Records and released his debut single “Ghost Town,” which was drawn in several countries and certified gold by RIAA. Boone followed up on his second “Room for 2” in 2022 and opened by Taylor Swift on June 23, 2023 at London’s Weblyy Stadium during her Times Tour.
“I don’t even know her very well,” Boone said to Swift’s Rolling Stones. “Her team reached out and I literally, like my pants. I can’t believe it. It’s crazy, so I started listening to more of her music. I don’t want to go to that show and know nothing.”
He told the media that he was blown away Swift’s talent After seeing her perform live at the concert.
“She is an incredible performer and has built an incredible world around her,” Boone said. “It’s incredible how huge her show is, just the behind-the-scenes part of the sports that no one knows.
Boone is open for Taylor Swift on her Times Tour. (Getty image of Marcelo Endelli/tas23/TAS rights management)
In January 2024, Boone released his breakthrough hit single “Beautiful Things”, which ranked second on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the rankings in more than 20 countries around the world. He was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Even though it lost Chappell Roan, Boone performed a scene of “The Beautiful Things” at the awards ceremony, wearing a glittering blue jumpsuit and standing out at the end of the song.
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Although Boone was excited about the enormous success of “the beautiful thing,” he told the Rolling Stones that he wanted to avoid being known for just one blow.
“I think I just want people to know that it’s not just that song,” he said. “I think I’ve been a little bit past. But, of course, I still love the song. I’m still proud of it. I’ll play it for a while, so I hope that feeling sticks with it.”
Boone made headlines at the 2025 Grammys performance. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images from the Recording Academy)
“I think this year has taught me a lot of things, especially it’s very easy to get my self away,” he admitted. “After ‘beautiful things, I was like, ‘Man, I can do anything.’ I can’t.”
Boone said he keeps his footsteps by having weekly “self-check” with his manager and best friend Jeff Burns.
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He explained, “It’s nice to talk about, ‘Hey, you know, I’m not the king of the world.’ “I’m not the person everyone in the world knows. I’m still a promising artist. ”
