On an uncharacteristically cool summer evening in Melbourne, the air was thick with anticipation as fans packed into John Cain Arena for the first of three music-filled nights presented by the Australian Open.
The headliners for this year's AO Live line-up read like a festival dream: Kaytranada, Kesha, and Armand Van Helden. However, kicking it all off (23 January) was Benson Boone – a 22-year-old breakout star with a knack for turning heartbreak into pop gold and an energy that could light up the night sky.From the moment the stage burst to life in a flash of white light, Benson made his presence known. Projected in black and white on towering screens, his image flickered like an old movie reel before he emerged, dressed in a sleek, all-black ensemble: vest, pants, and no shirt, his curly hair and signature moustache illuminated by the glow of the spotlights.
His mischievous grin was met with deafening screams as he launched into 'Be Someone', his voice soaring over the arena as fans sang along to every word. If first impressions matter, Boone nailed it.
His next move? A gravity-defying backflip that immediately endeared him to the crowd. 'Coffee Cake' followed, serving as a sweet, upbeat crowd-pleaser. By the time he introduced 'Drunk In My Mind', giving a sly backstory about someone who "screwed up his life," the audience was hanging on his every word. Boone's vocals shone here: raw, commanding, and tinged with just the right amount of heartbreak.
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Between songs, his natural charisma and genuine connection with the crowd were impossible to ignore. When he introduced 'Cry' – a ballad-turned-pop-rock explosion about manipulation and gaslighting – it felt like a communal catharsis. More flips (of course) kicked things off, and the crowd roared the chorus back at him with palpable emotion.
He kept the energy high with 'Pretty Slowly', rallying the audience to clap along and sing back its lovelorn refrain. There's a showmanship to Boone that feels almost old-school – think Freddie Mercury levels of commanding the crowd, mixed with Gen Z's TikTok-fuelled authenticity. He thrives in moments of togetherness, and the fans love him for it.
However, Boone also knows when to dial it down. 'Slow It Down' saw him seated at the keyboard, bathed in a single spotlight. His voice was tender, the atmosphere intimate – until, of course, he punctuated the performance with yet another acrobatic backflip, sending the arena into a frenzy.
The night's emotional high came with 'In The Stars', a deeply personal song about the loss of his grandmother. Boone asked the crowd to put their phones away and simply listen – a tall order in 2025. Yet, somehow they did, and the moment felt sacred.
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As the night reached its crescendo, Boone's shirt came off, and the screams reached ear-splitting levels. 'Young American Heart', his latest single, filled the arena with blue light and hope for the future. He closed with the TikTok smash 'Beautiful Things', his voice cutting through the night with all the raw emotion that's become his signature.
Even a slight slip-up – he mistakenly thanked Brisbane before shyly correcting himself – only made him more endearing.
Benson Boone may be young, but he's a force. With star power, acrobatics, and a voice that can silence even the loudest of arenas, it's clear this isn't the last we'll see of him. If the energy of John Cain Arena was any indication, his rise is only just beginning.
