‘American Idol’ Dropout and Budding Superstar Tabbed to Open for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

Benson Boone's 'Beautiful Things,' a TikTok hit we can't quit : NPR

Many viewers saw Benson Boone’s victory as a slam dunk when the then 18-year-old auditioned for season 19 of American Idol. He scored a “yes” from all three judges, with Katy Perry telling him, “I see you winning American Idol if you want.” Inexplicably, however, the “Beautiful Things” singer stepped down after making the Top 24. Later, Boone explained that he wanted to forge his own musical path, rather than have his success forever associated with Idol. The decision paid off, as Boone will now open for Taylor Swift’s insanely successful “Eras” tour in London.

Taylor Swift: “Welcome to the Eras Tour, Benson Boone”

Boone, 21, will open for the “Fortnight” singer during her June 23 “Eras” tour stop at Wembley Stadium in London, England. The Washington native will take a break from his own sold-out world tour, Fireworks &Rollerblades. Boone wraps up the tour’s European leg June 11 in Helsinki, Finland. Fireworks &Rollerblades resumes Sept. 14 in Auckland, New Zealand.

Swift, 34, announced earlier this week that she was adding three opening acts to her London shows. METTE will take the stage June 21 before pop-punk outfit Paramore. British singer-songwriter Griff is the June 22 addition.

“I chose artists whose music I love listening to, and I can’t wait for them to add an extra jolt of excitement to our shows at Wembley Stadium in June,” Swift said in a post to her Instagram Stories.

Did Benson Boone Spill The Swiftie Secret Early?

Not everyone was surprised by Taylor Swift’s big announcement. On Monday (May 27,) the TikTok user @meganripple01 shared a video of an encounter she had with Boone after his April 15 show in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“pov: you’ve been keeping Benons [sic] secret since April,” she wrote in the text overlay.

The video shows a woman handing the “Ghost Town” singer an invitation to her summer wedding. “Oh, you guys want to know something super top secret?” Boone asks. He then tells the fans (and others off-camera) that he would be in Europe with Taylor Swift.

After the news went public, the video began making the rounds on social media. “And the fact that they actually kept it, oh, they’re real,” one fan wrote on X/Twitter.

The consensus was much the same on TikTok. “i love the amount of trust he had in yall (rightfully so!!)” one user commented.