Benson Boone was candid about his Mormon upbringing in an interview with Rolling Stone.
The singer, who is known for his hit song, "Beautiful Things," and for backflipping on stage during performances of the song, opened up to the magazine about growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and what has helped him stay grounded.
" I don't want to be a part of one religion. I have my own opinions. Some are from this religion, some are from this religion, some are from no religion," Boone told Rolling Stone.
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He continued, " Growing up, a lot of people at church would talk about these experiences that they've had and these personal revelations and feelings and voices. I never felt it as physically present as they did, and so I was always confused and frustrated."
"I was always scared to bring that up to people because I just didn't want to accept that, like, I wasn't feeling what everyone else was feeling," he added.
Boone said that he shared his experience with a friend, who told him, "Thank goodness. I feel the same way."
The singer, who was nominated for a Grammy this year for best new artist, spent a semester at Brigham Young University before dropping out to pursue music. He said that despite his views on Mormonism, it hasn't gotten in the way of his relationship with his parents.
" My parents definitely have their own views, but when it comes to religion and God, they want me to figure it out on my own," he said. "And whatever I come to, and whatever I feel is right, that's what they want for me."
Boone added that his mom has also taught him a way to stay grounded by telling him to write down what he's grateful for. He said the lesson came after he had said something "really snappy" to her.
"I hung up the phone. I was like, 'What am I doing? I just snapped at my mother, the sweetest angel of a woman,'" he said. "And I felt so bad and I called her like 20 minutes later and I was like, 'I'm so sorry. I don't know what has gotten into me.'"
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"You're going through a lot right now as a 21-year-old kid," his mom said, "and it's not normal. Not everybody goes through this. Just take it in for a second."
Boone is finishing up his album, "American Heart," which is slated for the spring or summer. But he says he won't stop performing "Beautiful Things."
"I think I'm getting to the point where I just want people to know that there's more than just that song," he said. "I think I'm a little past that point. But of course I still love the song. I'm still proud of it. And I'll be performing it for a while, so I hope that feeling sticks around."
