Benson Boone turned opening night of his Wanted Man Australia tour into a birthday party for one very special fan. On Nov. 6 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boone brought 13-year-old Kenzie Riddle onstage and told the crowd of roughly 10,000 that her birthday wish was to sing“Beautiful Things”with him. Then they sang it together.
Riddle has Ewing’s sarcoma and is facing a second round of cancer after about two and a half years of treatment. Her family bought the concert tickets in July as a 13th birthday present, and a local musician named Fergus Hogan shared her story in an Instagram video, which helped her campaign to meet Boone reach him. After the duet, Riddle summed up her fandom in the most Gen Z way possible, praising his over-the-top energy:“He’s kinda crazy and I love it.”
“Beautiful Things”peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its January 2024 release, and it found a whole new meaning in a Brisbane arena on Tuesday night. Some birthday gifts you wrap. Some you share with 10,000 witnesses. If you had one birthday wish and one artist to share a stage with, who would you pick?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.