It starts with a simple piano chord, but for millions scrolling through TikTok in Kenya and beyond, Benson Boone’s In the Stars has become the definitive soundtrack of modern mourning.

While the track has dominated social media feeds, few realize the raw reality behind the lyrics. Boone penned the ballad not as a generic breakup anthem, but as a searing tribute to his late great-grandmother, capturing the paralysis that follows the death of a matriarch.

A Tribute to a Matriarch

The Washington-born singer-songwriter did not write the song to chase charts; he wrote it to process a void. According to the artist, the lyrics were born from the deep depression and emptiness he felt following his great-grandmother's passing. It is a sentiment that resonates deeply in Kenya, where the grandmother often holds the family fabric together.

Boone officially confirmed that the track serves as a memorial to her influence on his life. Rather than focusing on the grandiosity of death, the song zooms in on the mundane, painful silences left behind—the empty chair and the quiet kitchen.

Decoding the Lyrics

The power of In the Stars lies in its specificity. Boone avoids vague platitudes, instead anchoring his grief in tangible memories that listeners can instantly visualize. The song breaks down the experience of loss into specific, haunting moments:

• The Sunday Routine: Boone sings of everyday rituals, like setting the table or making coffee, which now feel hollow without her presence.
• The "Six Feet" Reality: The lyrics reference the physical distance of burial, a stark acknowledgement that while memories remain, the person is physically unreachable.
• The Celestial Metaphor: The chorus suggests that while she is "in the stars"—watching over him—the distance is agonizing rather than comforting.

The Universal Language of Loss

The song’s viral success on platforms like TikTok is not accidental. It speaks to a generation that often processes trauma publicly and communally. By articulating the feeling that "time stands still" while the rest of the world keeps turning, Boone has given a voice to anyone who has ever felt out of sync with reality after a funeral.

Ultimately, In the Stars is about the persistence of memory. It acknowledges that while loved ones may leave the physical realm, their influence remains woven into the daily habits of those they leave behind. As Boone croons about the struggle to navigate life after loss, he reminds us that grief is simply love with nowhere to go.