The emotions that fueled “GHOST TOWN” were pulled from observing a friend’s toxic relationship and the development of his own emotional maturity. “I saw the situation from an outside perspective and wondered what they could have done differently.” Ultimately, the song is about making tough decisions. “Love can hurt more than it can help,” the rising pop artist says. “Sometimes the best way of showing someone you care is by letting them go.”
Incredibly, “GHOST TOWN” was one of the first songs Boone ever wrote. “I was in an Uber on the way to my first recording session in Los Angeles,” he remembers. For inspiration, the newcomer skimmed through texts from his unlucky-in-love friend. “The melody and lyrics just popped into my head.” Afraid to lose his train of thought, the teenager sang the chorus into his phone in the back of the car. “It was a little embarrassing,” he laughs. “The driver wondered what I was doing.”
It turns out Boone has a habit of being very, very good at things without realizing it. Growing up in Monroe, Washington, the budding hitmaker spent most of his time outdoors. In fact, his latent musical talent only emerged by coincidence. “I went to a Jon Bellion concert right before COVID,” he remembers. “I watched him perform and felt like I understood him. It had a huge impact on me.” Around the same time, Boone was asked to sing in a friend’s band and wowed everyone including himself. “It’s a once in a lifetime event to discover a hidden talent. It was so freeing to be able to express myself.”
Now, the singer/songwriter is making up for lost time. “I want people to see that I take music seriously,” Boone says. So much so that he plays multiple instruments on “GHOST TOWN” including the drums, guitar and piano, an instrument that he picked up by ear. Boone even drew the cover art. “I used white charcoal on black paper,” he says. “The drawing took about five hours.”
That DIY approach is also reflected in the “GHOST TOWN” video. “I didn't want to go with a typical love story,” he says. Instead, the breakthrough artist went back to his hometown and hung out with friends. “We went cliff jumping and hiking, we went to lookouts,” he says. “Just the normal things I did growing up.” It’s the kind of highly personal content he shares with fans on TikTok. “I started out posting funny videos and daredevil stuff,” Boone says. Once the late bloomer discovered his singing voice, he started using the platform quite differently.
“Social media is the biggest opportunity to get people to know you personally,” he says. “Hopefully, they will not only like my music, but they'll understand and like me as a person, so I'm more than just a song to them.” That desire to connect with fans authentically is why he stepped away from American Idol, despite wowing judges at auditions. “It was a very hard choice,” Boone admits. “I didn't really know who I wanted to be as an artist yet, and I didn't want to show the world someone I'm not.”
It turned out to be a wise move. Shortly thereafter, he connected with Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and was invited to collaborate with the chart-topping rock star in Las Vegas. “It was really scary and intimidating,” he remembers. “But it was the greatest three days of my life.” Before long, Boone had signed to his Night Street label in conjunction with Warner Music. “I knew Benson was special when I met him, he just draws you in,” Reynolds says.
“It was our first writing session together when I realized he's a once in a generation talent,” the Imagine Dragons hitmaker continues. “He has this innate sense of melody and vocal ability that blew me away.” Reynolds has since become a mentor, sharing advice from his journey to the very top of the music industry including the importance of growing and evolving as an artist.
“As I develop, I'm going to move towards self-production,” Boone says. “It's going to be an expression of what I feel, what I go through and what I'm thinking. I hope my music changes over time because I'm always changing.” One thing that will remain the same is his emphasis on vocals: “The voice carries so much emotion.” Citing artists like Lewis Capaldi and Adele as influences, the rising star wants to move people with his powerful pipes.
While Boone is still at the very beginning of his music journey, he’s in it for the long haul. “Working hard and writing good songs are the most important things to me,” he says. “I'm trying to learn as much as I can about who I am and what kind of music I want to write.” His goal is to engage with fans authentically and make songs that stand the test of time. With “GHOST TOWN,” the singer/writer takes an auspicious first step towards achieving it.
In the Stars
Benson Boone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to meet you down on Woods Creek Road
You did your hair up like you were famous
Even though it's only church where we were going
Now Sunday mornings, I just sleep in
It's like I've buried my faith with you
I'm screaming at a God I don't know if I believe in
'Cause I don't know what else I can do
I'm still holding on to everything that's dead and gone
I don't wanna say goodbye 'cause this one means forever
Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far
Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers
Oh, it hurts so hard for a million different reasons
You took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces
Diggin' through your old birthday letters
A crumbled twenty still in the box
I don't think that I could ever find a way to spend it
Even if it's the last twenty that I've got
Oh, I'm still holding on to everything that's dead and gone
I don't wanna say goodbye 'cause this one means forever
Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far
Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers
Oh, it hurts so hard for a million different reasons
You took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces
I'm still holding (on), holding (on), holding on
I'm still holding (on), holding (on), holding on
I'm still holding (on), holding (on), still holding on
I'm still, ooh, still holding on
I'm still holding on to everything that's dead and gone
I don't wanna say goodbye 'cause this one means forever
Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far
Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers
Oh, it hurts so hard for a billion different reasons
You took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces
The lyrics to Benson Boone's "In The Stars" explore the pain and sadness felt after a loved one's death. The song is addressed to someone who has passed away, specifically a woman who was once very important to him. He reflects on how they used to spend Sunday mornings together, getting ready for church. However, since she has passed, he no longer attends church and feels like he has lost his faith in a higher power. He talks about how he is still holding onto everything that reminds him of her, including old birthday letters and a crumpled twenty-dollar bill. He admits that it hurts deeply to be without her and that he doesn't know how to move on.
The chorus repeats the line "I'm still holding on to everything that's dead and gone," showing how he is struggling to let go of the past and move forward. He also acknowledges that he doesn't want to say goodbye because he believes that this is forever. The sentiment is echoed in the lines "Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far/ Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers," which evoke a sense of distance created by death. Despite the sadness of the song, there is also a sense of hope in Boone's determination to continue holding on to the memories of his loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunday mornings were your favorite
She loved starting her Sundays with a cheerful spirit
I used to meet you down on Woods Creek Road
We used to meet and travel to church together
You did your hair up like you were famous
She took the time to look her best for church
Even though it's only church where we were going
She didn't feel she needed a reason to look her best
Now Sunday mornings, I just sleep in
Ever since she's been gone, I can't feel the same joy for Sunday mornings
It's like I've buried my faith with you
I have lost my faith since she's been gone
I'm screaming at a God I don't know if I believe in
I am angry with God for taking her away, and I am not sure if I believe in Him anymore
'Cause I don't know what else I can do
I am lost without her and without my faith
Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far
She is gone, and I feel like she is impossibly far away
Here I am alone between the heavens and the embers
I am trapped between the hope of heaven and the sorrow of grief
Oh, it hurts so hard for a million different reasons
Her loss is painful in countless ways
You took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces
She was the most important part of my life, and now I am left broken without her
Diggin' through your old birthday letters
I am looking through her things to feel close to her again
A crumbled twenty still in the box
I found a twenty dollar bill that she saved, and it serves as a reminder of her
I don't think that I could ever find a way to spend it
I value the object more than the money itself because it was hers
Even if it's the last twenty that I've got
I would rather keep it as a connection to her, even if I have nothing left
I'm still holding (on), holding (on), holding on
I am desperately clinging to any part of her that I can find
I'm still, ooh, still holding on
I am at a loss for how to move on, so I hold onto anything that reminds me of her
Oh, it hurts so hard for a billion different reasons
There are countless reasons why her loss is painful
You took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces
She was the most important part of my life, and now I am left broken without her
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Benson Boone, Jason Gregory Evigan, Michael Ross Pollack
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind