Benson Boone released his debut single “Ghost Town” after quitting American Idol to further pursue his music career. The 19 year old singer/songwriter made a tough decision leaving the show as he explained, “It was a very hard choice. 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.”

Boone was a bit in doubt about where to start, but he knew he wanted to take music seriously. It’s safe to say that all is going well for him as his “Ghost Town” music video is currently sitting at 11 million views on YouTube since being uploaded on October 13, 2021. It also has 54 million streams on Spotify.

He drew inspiration from his friend’s toxic relationship. The song is also about the effect a toxic relationship can have on someone. Boone goes on to explain his reasoning for the song. “I saw that from an outside perspective and wondered what they could have done differently. Love can hurt more than it can help. Sometimes the best way of showing someone you care is by letting them go.” he states.

Throughout the song he repeats “Before I turn your heart into a ghost town.” He makes it known that a toxic relationship can take a toll on someone’s mental health. In the first verse Boone says “You fill me up till you’re empty. I took too much and you let me” implying that one can go far to satisfy a person even if they’re getting treated badly. It seems as though every lyric has some meaning behind it. His second verse starts with “You know I’ll stay, don’t you tempt mе” and ends with “Been holding up what wasn’t mеant to stand I turned this love into a wasteland.” Again he implies how someone is willing to stay in a toxic situation because of the love and attachment one can have to someone. 

This pop single is sung on a gloomy beat. It heads into a sad direction as the lyrics play well with said beat. It can be compared to songs such as “Love is Only a Feeling” by Joey Bada$$ or “Catch the Sun” by Lil Baby. All three songs share the same kind of sad beat. “Ghost Town” and “Catch the Sun” share similar lyrics as they both talk about toxic situations. Although “Love is Only a Feeling” has completely different lyrics in terms of meaning, the beat and chorus are similar to Boone’s song. 

The song is good for anyone in a down mood or someone who might be stuck in a similar situation. It’s also not bad for a debut single. It’s better than some debut singles I’ve heard, but it’s far from perfect. Personally, I give the song a 7/10. I will definitely be following Boone’s career. He is oozing with potential and I’m here for it.