Benson Boone Trolls Coachella with Brian May Cardboard Cutout
In a bold move, pop sensation Benson Boone trolled the Coachella crowd on Friday night by featuring a cardboard cutout of legendary Queen guitarist Brian May during his performance. The stunt came just a week after the crowd’s underwhelming reaction to May’s live appearance at the festival.
According to eyewitnesses, Boone, known for his hit song "Beautiful Things," staged the cardboard cutout of May to appear onstage during his flashy cover of Queen’s iconic song "Bohemian Rhapsody." The crowd was in for a surprise as Boone, dressed in a fur cape to honour Queen’s iconic frontman Freddie Mercury, began the song at the turquoise piano and performed his signature flip off the Yamaha instrument. As he sang, "I sometimes wish I’d never been born at all," the cardboard cutout of May rose into view, with a real guitarist, Sus Vasquez, playing the first guitar solo.
As reported by the New York Post, Boone excitedly shouted "Brian May!" as he grabbed the cutout during the song’s bridge and walked it around the bottom part of the stage during the second guitar solo. The crowd seemed to be entertained by the spectacle, with some fans taking to social media to express their amusement. However, others were not so impressed, with one fan quipping, "He really said this crowd doesn’t deserve Brian again." Another fan expressed their disappointment, saying, "I honestly don’t understand how you brought out one of the best guitar players of all time and THATS how they reacted I would have been screaming my head off."
The incident earlier in the week, where May appeared live on stage with Boone, was met with a lukewarm response from the crowd, which may not have recognised the 77-year-old rocker. Just seven months after suffering a stroke and being temporarily unable to move his arm, May’s appearance was a significant moment, but it seems the crowd didn’t quite react as expected. In response to the moment, May shared a video of the performance on Instagram, saying, "Well, I’m still processing that moment in Coachella – seems like the world is, too. Mr Boone — you gave us all a gift. Bri."
Boone’s decision to feature the cardboard cutout of May on Friday was a clever move, considering the legendary guitarist was not present due to a NASA Asteroid mission. "I’m here to take part in an encounter with an ASTEROID that has never been seen by human eyes," May wrote on Instagram. "Wanna see how the scientists here are thinking it MIGHT look on Sunday when the fly-by happens ? I’ll show you (next post). Meanwhile I’m enjoying Historic Boulder Colorado in the snow ! Bri."
The New York Post reports that Boone teased the surprise guest on social media earlier in the day, posting a TikTok video with the caption, "Just wait till you see who I bring up for Bohemian Rhapsody today …" After the gig, Boone playfully lip-synced the famous tune alongside the massive cutout, with some fans expressing their disappointment at not seeing the real Brian May. However, it’s clear that Boone’s performance was a memorable one, and the use of the cardboard cutout was a clever way to pay homage to the legendary guitarist.
In conclusion, Benson Boone’s decision to feature a cardboard cutout of Brian May at Coachella was a bold move that has sparked a lot of discussion. While some fans were not impressed, others enjoyed the spectacle and the nod to Queen’s iconic music. As reported by the New York Post, Boone’s performance was a memorable one, and his ability to think on his feet and come up with a creative solution was impressive.
The artist told the crowd as he finished his set with his popular song "Beautiful Things," “I would like to let you all know, on Brian’s behalf, he would’ve loved to have been here, but he unfortunately had to fly out so, we came up with that idea and he sends his love,”
This story was originally reported by the New York Post, and can be read in full here: https://nypost.com/2025/04/19/entertainment/benson-boone-trolls-coachella-with-brian-may-cardboard-cutout-week-after-horrible-crowds-reaction/.
