Benson Boone is an American pop artist turned global hitmaker and his angsty yet intimate debut album has finally been released.
“Fireworks & Rollerblades” was released on April 5, including 14 tracks with a running time of 49 minutes. The fiery collection of songs includes the viral hit single “Beautiful Things,” which has ruled the Billboard Pop Airplay chart at No.1 and currently holds No. 3 on Billboard Hot 100.
In an interview with Billboard, Boone talks about the inspiration behind the global hit. “It was inspired by a relationship that I had just gotten into,” Boone said. “For the first time in my life, I felt like I was extremely out of control of the way this relationship would turn out. Meaning like, in the past, I feel like I’ve always known that I could be the one to end a relationship. This one felt very different. It was the first time that I’d really been actually, genuinely terrified to lose something.”
Boone, who was born and raised in Monroe, Washington, started his career through the popular social media platform TikTok. After gaining recognition through the app, Boone was inspired to audition for “American Idol” in 2021. After, Boone’s debut single “Ghost Town” was released in October 2021 and charted in 16 countries.
This new album is both emotional and exciting, showing off the wide range of Boone’s talent. The raspy edge of Boone’s powerful vocals like in the upbeat song “Be Someone” tells the story of a consuming desire to be a part of the life of an enamored one. Other tracks like “Cry” are slower and softer, exploring the resentment in an unhappy relationship. Overall, the album covers all the complex emotions of falling in and out of love.
My favorite song on the album was track six, “Forever and a Day,” a ballad about enduring the nature of commitment to someone you love. The rich and soulful vocals emphasize the depth of Boone’s emotions in a captivating manner. “Fireworks & Rollerblades” perfectly captures the essence of feeling young, free and in love. The lyrics, sounds and vocals paint a colorful picture of adventurous and carefree moments.
