Queen guitarist Brian May made a surprise appearance at Coachella after facing health challenges late last year.
May, who shared on Instagram about her experience with “minor strokes” in September 2024, appeared on stage with Benson Boone at the Coachella Set on Friday, April 11th.
Towards the end of the set on the main stage, Boone temporarily left the stage, changing her outfit and reappearing in a deep V-neck paired with a gorgeous furry cape and a sparkly jumpsuit in tight blue.
Sitting with the cape draped behind him, Boone sat on the piano and began to play the Queen’s hit “Bohemian Rhapsody,” accompanied by his band and a full choir.
Suddenly, May grew up on high equipment behind the stage. Boone kneeled beneath him, jamming into the second chorus of the iconic song and the first electric guitar solo.
May later joined the song’s epic bridge and final guitar solo Boone Center Stage. The pair enveloped the production of a 1975 hit. Boone jumped off the piano in May, and the crowd erupted with applause.
For Boone’s final song, May stayed on stage to accompany the singer and his band on his hit “Beautiful Things.”
Prior to the performance, the guitarist teased fans about a potential collaboration with Boone. On Instagram, in a post shared Friday, Boone was filmed on a plane facing each other in May.
“Look at who I bumped into – on the way to the legendary Palm Springs,” captioned the post. “Maybe something will happen?”
Boone commented on the post “What are you doing with Pedro Pascal,” and jokingly mentioned the actor.
“The perfect combo here” P! nk commented.
Meimei soon shared another Instagram post. This includes a selfie with Boone.
You may have captioned the post “Do we look happy?!!” “I’m going to cherish this moment on the @BensonBoone plane. I’m truly a golden 22-year-old genius. I’m glad we’re proud to be officially our mate.”
Before the performance, May gets candid about his emotions before Showtime, writing in the caption of an Instagram video from the festival grounds.
“And now, just plan a dive and fly around the plan!!!” he added. “Now, let’s go!!!”
It opened up about his health struggle in September 2024, bringing “good news” to his fans after experiencing what he described as a “minor stroke.”
“The good news is that you can play the guitar after events over the past few days,” he shared in a video from the time. “And I had doubts about this because that little health problem I mentioned happened about a week ago and it was a small stroke that they said it.”
He explains the stroke, sharing, “All of a sudden – suddenly – I couldn’t control this arm,” referring to his left side.
“That was a bit scary, I have to say,” he added. “I didn’t want anything to say at the time because I didn’t want anything to surround it. I really don’t want any sympathy.”
At the time, May shared after the stroke, “I’m just doing what I was told” including driving, getting on a plane, and raising my heart rate.
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