Benson Boone Embraces Australian Tradition with On-Stage ‘Shoey’

Benson Boone’s Australian tour reached a memorable peak on Jan. 20 when the 22-year-old pop sensation embraced one of the country’s most infamous traditions: the shoey.

During his sold-out performance at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, Boone paused the show to drink water out of a cowboy boot, sending the crowd into a frenzy. For the unfamiliar, the shoey—a ritual involving drinking from a shoe—has become a hallmark of Australian concerts.

While typically involving beer and a fan’s shoe, Boone opted for a sanitized twist, using bottled water and a clean cowboy boot. In widely shared TikTok footage, Boone was seen pouring bottled water into a cowboy boot, pausing to ask the owner, “How much water do I put in it? Do you want me to put water in your shoe?”

With the crowd cheering him on, he quipped, “Okay—when in Australia,” before raising the boot to his lips. After downing the water, Boone returned the boot, adding, “Not bad, not bad. You have very good hygiene, miss, thank you.”

Boone’s shoey also places him among a growing list of international stars who have embraced the peculiar tradition. Harry Styles kicked off his 2023 Australian tour by sipping from a sneaker, calling it “one of the most disgusting traditions” he’d encountered. Post Malone and Stormzy have also participated, much to the delight of their fans, while Kylie Minogue famously performed a shoey out of a high heel at the Brit Awards.

The moment came as part of Boone’s Fireworks and Rollerblades World Tour, which includes performances in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Auckland throughout January. The tour comes amid a remarkable year for Boone, whose single “Beautiful Things” dominated Billboard’s charts in 2024, spending seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and eight weeks atop the Global Excl. U.S. chart.

The single earned Boone the Top Billboard Global 200 Song and Top Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Song accolades at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.

“What’s up? Billboard, it’s Benson Boone. Thank you so much for this award. The most streamed song of 2024 is pretty ridiculous. This is the award right here. I cannot believe you guys,” Boone said in a virtual acceptance speech for his awards last month. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I’m sorry I could not be there in person. You caught me right in the middle of tour, but I love you guys more than you know, and I hope that you love the music that continues to come this year. So thank you so much. Enjoy the rest of the show. Peace.”