Will Young | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Young performing atGlastonbury in 2016 | |
| Born | William Robert Young (1979-01-20)20 January 1979 (age 46) Wokingham, Berkshire, England |
| Alma mater | University of Exeter |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | |
Musical artist | |
| Website | willyoung |
William Robert Young (born 20 January 1979) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He came to prominence after winning the 2002inaugural series of theITV talent contestPop Idol, making him the first winner of the worldwideIdol franchise. His double A-sided debut single "Anything Is Possible" / "Evergreen" was released two weeks after the show's finale and became the fastest-selling debut single in the UK. Young also came in fifth place inWorld Idol performing the single "Light My Fire" written by the bandthe Doors.
As a teenager, Young studied politics at theUniversity of Exeter before moving to London, where he studied musical theatre at theArts Educational Schools inChiswick. Young put his studies on hold in late 2001 to become a contestant onPop Idol. After winning the competition the following year, he released his debut albumFrom Now On (2002) which went straight to number one.Friday's Child (2003) followed and enjoyed greater success, eventually going platinum five times in the UK and spawning three top five singles on theUK singles chart. His following albumsKeep On (2005),Let It Go (2008) andEchoes (2011) also went multi-platinum and85% Proof (2015) became his fourth UK number-one album on theUK Albums Chart. His albums have spawned many songs that have achieved top ten positions in the UK, four of which went to the number one spot. Young has also undertaken numerous concert tours, and has accumulated multiple honours, including twoBrit Awards from 12 nominations, and the estimated worldwide sale of over eight million albums.[1]
Alongside his music career, Young has acted in film, on stage and in television. For his performance in the2013London revival of the musicalCabaret, he was nominated for theLaurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. He has also participated in philanthropy and released booksAnything is Possible (2002),[2]On Camera, Off Duty (2004), his autobiographyFunny Peculiar (2012),To be a Gay Man (2020), andThe A–Z of Wellbeing (2022). In January 2022, he appeared in thethird series ofThe Masked Singer as "Lionfish" and in May issued the compilation album20 Years: The Greatest Hits.
Young was born on 20 January 1979 inWokingham, Berkshire, and is the second-oldest child of Robin Young, acompany director of an engineering firm, and Annabel Young (née Griffith), aplant nursery gardener. Born six weeks premature, he was ten minutes older than his twin brother, Rupert who died in July 2020.[3] He also has an older sister Emma.[4][5][6]
Young's grandfather, Digby Aretas Young (1916 - 1966) was aflight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force,[7][8] and features inThomas D. Calnan's memoir. His great-great-great-great-grandfather was Colonel SirAretas William Young,[8] who, in 1795 at seventeen years old, joined theBritish Army and served in Ireland andEgypt before fighting in thePeninsular War. Aretas was later stationed inTrinidad and eventually took charge of the Trinidadian government, before moving toDemerara where he was appointed Protector of Slaves. Aretas became the sixthGovernor ofPrince Edward Island in 1831, and three years later wasknighted byKing William IV.[9][10][11] One of Aretas's sons was SirHenry Young, fifthGovernor of South Australia, later firstGovernor of Tasmania.[12][13]Hugh Le Despenser is Young's his 18-times great-grandfather.Edward I was his 20-times great-grandfather.[14] Edward was the great-grand son ofWilliam the Conquerer.
Young was brought up inHungerford,West Berkshire, and was initially educated at Kingsbury Hill School inMarlborough, Wiltshire, before attendingHorris Hill Preparatory School,Newbury, between the ages of eight and thirteen.[15] His first appearance on stage was at the age of four when he played afir tree in a school production and had one line to speak.[16] At Horris Hill, Young was head chorister in the school choir, and at the age of nine he learned how to play the piano.[17] Young recalls that at Horris Hill, pupils were taught that they were more privileged than pupils from state schools, and that one day he wrote a letter stating, "I must passcommon entrance to take me to public school, otherwise I'll be going to state school and everyone will be very disappointed."[18] At thirteen, Young and his brother were enrolled asboarders at thepublic schoolWellington College inCrowthorne, Berkshire.[19] Young appeared in several school productions and often gave speeches in assembly, despite later admitting that he never felt completely comfortable being the centre of attention.[20]
It was during this period that he became interested in sports and for a time he dreamed of competing in theOlympic Games in the 400-metre sprint, which he could run in under fifty seconds – the Olympic average is forty-three seconds.[19] He became captain of the school's basketball and athletics teams, and also represented the school in the triple jump, long jump, football and rugby.[20] The only sport he says he felt uncomfortable playing was cricket.[19]
Young left school with tenGCSEs,[20] but achieved disappointingA-Level results and had to enrol ind'Overbroeck's College, Oxford, to re-sit his exams. He took a part-time job as a waiter at the Grand Café in Oxford, and became interested in environmental issues and local campaigning, joining a group called the Eco Society.[21] He passed his A-Levels the second time, earning As in Politics and Ancient History, and a B in English.[22] In 1998 Young began studying politics at theUniversity of Exeter,[23] choosing the subject because, "I thought I should know more about what was going on in my country."[24] He also tookwomen's studies at university and considers himself afeminist.[25] His interest in performing arts continued, and he joined a theatre group called Footlights where he eventually landed the lead role of Curly in their production ofOklahoma! "I really enjoyed it and doing that gave me a lot of confidence", he later said of the show.[26] He also took awork experience position atSony Records to gain insight into the music industry.[18][27] Other work included runway and photographic modelling, gardening, tearing labels off T-shirts in a clothing factory, and being a waiter.[28] He graduated in 2001 with a2:2bachelor's degree.[18][27] After leaving university, Young knew that he wanted to be a professional singer, but wanted training and experience. In September 2001 he became a student at theArts Educational Schools, inChiswick, London.[29]
In 1999 during his second year at university, Young watched an episode ofThis Morning and learned that the show was holding a competition to find members for a new boy band. He mailed the producers an audition tape and received a letter back from the show telling him he had been selected as one of seventy-five competitors, and that he had to appear in London for an off-camera audition.[30] The 75 auditionees were whittled down to 9 finalists including Young, who were then invited to perform on the show. On 29 May 1999, Young appeared on the programme and performed a short rendition ofthe Jackson 5 song, "I'll Be There",[31] in front of a panel of judges that includedSimon Cowell, anartists and repertoire executive atBMG,[32] andKate Thornton, a former editor ofSmash Hits, turned television presenter.[33] One week later, Young was selected into the boy band alongside three other competitors. They wereLee Ryan who later joined the boy bandBlue,Declan Bennett who joined the boy bandPoint Break, signed to Danielle Barnett, the current lead singer ofUrban Cookie Collective and Music Manager who contacted him directly following the This Morning audition, andAndy Scott-Lee who went on to compete in the second series ofPop Idol.[34][35][36] Cowell said of the group, "We've tried to find people with star quality and these guys can sing and dance",[37] but the band failed to find any success and it soon dis-banded.[37] Young's next audition was at theGuildhall in London to be ajazz singer, but he accidentally arrived on the wrong date.[38]
On 20 June 2001, one of Young's university classmates showed him an advertisement in theNews of the World for auditionees ofPop Idol, a planned nationwide televised talent show to find a solo pop artist in a similar way thatPopstars had created the pop bandHear'Say the previous year.[39] The winner was guaranteed a£1 million recording contract withBMG and representation by19 Management.[40] He printed out an application form from the website, filled it out and posted it on 28 June.[39] On 7 August 2001, he received a reply which told him he had been accepted for an audition atExCeL London on 5 September 2001.[41] On the day of the audition, Young performedAretha Franklin's "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" in front of an assistant producer, and was deemed good enough to be given a second audition two days later.[42] For his second audition, Young sang "Blame It on the Boogie" by the Jacksons in front of a show producer and won a place to the third round to perform before the show's judges:[43] Simon Cowell;Nicki Chapman, aPopstars judge who also worked as a publicist at19 Entertainment, the company that was producingPop Idol;Pete Waterman, a music producer who had written or produced twenty-one singles that had charted at Number One in theUK Singles Chart, 200 Top Tens, and sold over 500 million records for the artists such asKylie Minogue,Rick Astley,Bananarama,Steps andWestlife; andNeil "Dr Fox" Fox, a disc jockey who presented thedrivetime show onCapital FM and the nationally syndicatedPepsi Chart.[44] He was the final contestant the judges saw, and after a day of watching mostly poor performances they were not in the best spirits. Again, Young performed "Blame It on the Boogie", but the judges thought his overall performance was merely average. Chapman told him that his dance moves had let him down, but his vocal was good. Fox described him ascheesy, Waterman was unimpressed by his stage presence and image – Young was wearing baggy and faded jeans, scuffed shoes and his grandfather's jumper which was stained with egg yolk – but conceded that his voice was "nice". Despite their uncertainty, however, they advanced him through to the next round.[45] The following week, auditions were held at theCriterion Theatre, and Young sang "All or Nothing" byO-Town,the Drifters' "Up on the Roof" and "Fast Love" byGeorge Michael. Still not completely convinced by his performances, he was made to wait in the "Maybe" room until the judges decided to send him through to the Final 50.[46][47]
The first episode ofPop Idol was broadcast on 6 October 2001 onITV, and Young's audition aired on the third show on 20 October 2001.[45] The next round of the competition was split into five heats that aired every Saturday between 3 November 2001 and 8 December 2001. Each show featured ten of the fifty competitors singing one song in thePop Idol studios in front of the judges and an audience, but unlike previous rounds, the viewing public decided who would advance to the next round byinteractivetelevoting voting using their telephones, theRed Button ondigital televisionremote controls, and thePop Idol website. The two singers with the highest number of votes in each heat advanced to the final rounds of the competition. Young competed in Heat 4, broadcast on 24 November,[48] and sang a jazz/lounge interpretation of "Light My Fire" bythe Doors.[49] Judges Chapman, Fox and Waterman were all enthusiastic about his performance, but Cowell was unimpressed and called it "distinctly average", adding, "I just thought it was totally normal. In the context of the show I honestly didn't think it was good enough."[50] The other judges and contestants all expressed shock at his comments, and Young responded, telling Cowell that while he was entitled to his opinion, it was wrong.[51]
Young: "I love disagreeing with Simon because I do it every week, but all of us [the contestants] have been dying to say things to you.—"
Cowell:"Well I just spoke how I felt, so you do the same."
Young: [Interrupting Cowell]"Sorry, can I finish? Thank you. It's nice that you've given opinions in this show. In previous shows you haven't, you've just projected insults and it's been terrible to watch... It is your opinion, but I don't agree with it. I don't think it was average. I don't think you could ever call that average, but it is your opinion and I respect that, so thank you very much."
This incident has often been cited as the moment when Young's pop career truly began, standing out to viewers and endeared himself to them.[52][53][54][55][56] It appeared that the voting audience agreed with Young and disagreed with Cowell, because he was voted through to the next round, in first place, with 41.5% of the overall vote.[57] During Young's next appearance on the show on 15 December 2001, Cowell stated that he had previously made a "huge mistake", and that Young had conducted himself with a dignity that had humbled him.[58] Young later stated that his proudest moment of the entire competition was this incident.[59]
Young easily progressed through each subsequent round by performing jazz, lounge andsoul versions of songs such as "Wives and Lovers",[60] "Ain't No Sunshine"[61] and "Beyond the Sea".[62] In the first four weeks of the Live Finals, he received the highest percentage of votes. In weeks five, six and seven, he received the second highest percentage of votes, losing out on first place toGareth Gates each time.[63] In the Semi-final, competing against Gates andDarius Danesh, Young again received the most votes (39.8%). Gates received 39.3% of the votes and won the other place in the Grand Final, while Danesh received 20.9% of the votes and was eliminated from the competition.[64]
Throughout the following week, Young and Gates embarked on separate whistle-stop tours of the United Kingdom in large tour buses adorned with their faces, in an attempt to canvass for votes. In election-style campaigns, they made numerous radio and television appearances, were interviewed in magazines, national and local newspapers, and met and performed for their fans.[65][66] Celebrities such asNoel Gallagher,Robbie Williams,Posh and Becks, Kylie Minogue,Myleene Klass,Michelle Collins,S Club 7 andJenny Frost announced their support for Young, while Gates was backed byDuncan James,Natasha Hamilton,Richard and Judy, Westlife,Faye Tozer,Denise Van Outen,Ben Adams,Neil Tennant,Andrew Lloyd Webber,Claire Richards,Boy George,Ricky Gervais andFrancis Rossi.[66][67][68][69] The media pitted Young and Gates against each other, publishing false news articles claiming that the two contestants were bitter rivals and their parents were bickering and fighting backstage, stories which both camps denied.[64][70][71] Although for a brief moment earlier in the series Young was favoured to win,[72]bookmakers gave Gates better odds on the eve of the Grand Final, pointing to his angelic voice, good looks and displays of emotion that appealed to a younger audience, compared with Young's soulful crooning and maturity appealing to housewives and intellectuals.[73][74] Gates was given various odds of 1/5, 2/9 and 2/7, while Young's odds were quoted at 100/30, 11/4, 3/1 and 5/2 at different times in the week.[66][75][76][77]
On 9 February 2002, 13.34 million viewers watched Young and Gates battle each other in the Grand Final for the title of "Pop Idol".[78] Both acts sang "Anything Is Possible" and "Evergreen", which were to be released as adouble A-side single by the winner. Young also sang "Light My Fire" a second time as his favourite performance from the series.[79] 8.7 million votes were registered over the two-and-a-half hours that the voting lines were open, which set a newworld record.[80] However, some voters complained that their votes had not been registered and that ITV,British Telecom and Telescope (the company responsible for operating the phone system) had not prepared well enough for the volume of calls because the system crashed at one point during the evening. It was also alleged that the phonelines had been fixed and they were involved invote rigging.[81][82][83] Nevertheless, Young was announced the winner of the competition after receiving 4.6 million (53.1%) votes, just 500,000 more than Gates.[84] Young's shock at hearing the news was obvious to viewers as his jaw dropped and he clasped his hands to his face. "When he [Ant McPartlin] said what the votes were, I thought, 'I am second, and I have lost by that much. Oh well, that's not bad'," Young recalled. "When I heard I'd won ... I felt like I'd been hit. I stepped backwards. I could not believe it."[85][86] In 2011, Young describedPop Idol as "a huge starting point and ... the best ever experience for me, ever."[87]
| Week | Theme | Song performed | Original artist | Result | Percentage of public votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audition | Idol's Choice | "Blame It on the Boogie" | The Jacksons | Advanced | N/A |
| London Rounds | Day 1, first performance | "All or Nothing" | O-Town | Advanced | |
| London Rounds | Day 1, second performance | "Up on the Roof" | The Drifters | Advanced | |
| London Rounds | Day 2 | "Fastlove" | George Michael | Advanced | |
| Top 50 | Semi-finals | "Light My Fire" | The Doors/José Feliciano | Safe (1st) | 41.5% |
| Top 10 | Pop idols | "Until You Come Back to Me" | Aretha Franklin | Safe (1st) | 27.3% |
| Top 9 | Christmas songs | "Winter Wonderland" | Richard Himber and his Hotel Carelton Orchestra | Safe (1st) | 22.6% |
| Top 8 | Burt Bacharach music | "Wives and Lovers" | Jack Jones | Safe (1st) | 21.3% |
| Top 7 | Music from the movies | "Ain't No Sunshine" | Bill Withers | Safe (1st) | 29.8% |
| Top 6 | Songs ofABBA | "The Name of the Game" | ABBA | Safe (2nd) | 25.2% |
| Top 5 | Big band night | "We Are in Love" | Harry Connick, Jr. | Safe (2nd) | 24% |
| Top 4 | Performers' choice | "Night Fever" "There Must Be an Angel (Playing with My Heart)" | Bee Gees Eurythmics | Safe (2nd) | 27.9% |
| Top 3 | Judges' choice | "Beyond the Sea" "I Get the Sweetest Feeling" | Bobby Darin Jackie Wilson | Safe (1st) | 39.8% |
| Top 2 | Idol single (A-side) Idol's favourite Idol single (AA side) | "Anything is Possible" "Light My Fire" "Evergreen" | Will Young The Doors/José Feliciano Westlife | Winner | 53.1% |
Young's first single was a double A-side featuring Westlife's song "Evergreen" and "Anything Is Possible", a new song written for the winner of the show byChris Braide andCathy Dennis. In March 2002, this became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history, selling 403,027 copies on its day of release (1,108,659 copies in its first week). It went on to sell over 1.7 million copies, and on the official list of the all-time best-selling singles in the UK issued later that year, it was ranked eleventh. In 2008,Official Charts Company released the Top 40 Biggest SellingSingles of the 21st century (so far) in which Young's version of Evergreen topped the chart.[88] On 31 December 2009,Radio 1 confirmed that "Anything Is Possible"/"Evergreen" was the biggest selling single of the 2000s decade in the United Kingdom. This was again confirmed on 7 May 2012 when Radio 1 played a countdown of the top-selling 150 songs of the millennium so far.[88] "Anything Is Possible" won anIvor Novello Award for Bestselling Song of 2002.
In October 2002, Young released his debut album,From Now On, which included "Evergreen", nominated in theBest British Single category at theBrit Awards 2003, and "Anything Is Possible". It produced three singles: "Light My Fire", "The Long and Winding Road" (a duet with Gareth Gates, released as a double A-side with Gates's song "Suspicious Minds") and "Don't Let Me Down"/"You and I" (released in aid ofChildren in Need). He won his firstBRIT Award in February 2003 asBest British Breakthrough Act.[89] Young sang "Try Again", a song featured inDisney's101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure, the 2003direct-to-video sequel toWalt Disney's 1961 featureOne Hundred and One Dalmatians.[90]
Young's second album,Friday's Child, was released in December 2003. It features the singles "Leave Right Now", nominated in the Best British single category of the past 25 years at theBrit Awards 2005 and winner of theIvor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 2004, "Your Game" (which won Young his second Brit Award in 2005 for Best British Single of the Year)[91] and "Friday's Child" In November 2005, Young released his third album,Keep On, which included the single "All Time Love", nominated in the Best British Single category at theBrit Awards 2007. Other singles from the album were "Switch It On" and "Who Am I".
In May 2006, he sang atthe Prince's Trust 30th Birthday, which took place at theTower of London.[92] From 12 September until 2 October 2006, Young toured the UK with his Keep On Live Tour, which included the songs taken from his albumKeep On and a selection of past songs. The official merchandise range for the tour, highlighted by the press, included a "tip and strip" pen which, when turned over, reveals Young in his underpants. In October 2006, Young sang atNitin Sawhney's concert in theBBC Electric Proms series of concerts. He followed this by performing in South Africa forNelson Mandela's Unite of the Stars charity concerts.[93]
In July 2007, he appeared at theConcert for Diana at the newWembley Stadium. Young was the headline act at theProms in the Park,[94] which took place inHyde Park in September 2007 as part of theLast Night of the Proms. In September 2007, Young performed atRonnie Scott's Jazz Club with the Vanguard Big Band. Young took part in theLittle Noise Sessions, a series of intimate, acoustic gigs for the learning disability charity,Mencap. He performed in November 2007 with special guests atIslington'sUnion Chapel.
On 29 September 2008, Young's fourth album,Let It Go, was released. It peaked at No.2 on theUK Albums Chart, having been preceded by the single "Changes", which was released on 15 September and peaked at No.10 in theUK Singles Chart. His next single "Grace" was released on 1 December 2008, and peaked at No.33 on the UK Singles Chart.[95] The third single taken from the album, "Let It Go", was released on 2 March 2009 in the UK, and peaked at No.58 on the UK Singles Chart.[96][97] The fourth and final single, "Tell Me the Worst", was released in the UK only, on 5 July 2009. It served as a club promo, and featured someFred Falke remixes.[98]
In April 2008, Young again appeared at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club with the Vanguard Big Band. Young is to perform at various festivals during mid-2008, includingGlastonbury,T in the Park[99] in Scotland andBestival[100] on theIsle of Wight.
On 24 August 2008, Young appeared at the Olympic Party which took place inthe Mall, London. He performed his latest single "Changes" and "I Can See Clearly Now", which was originally sung byJohnny Nash.[101]On an interview withDigital Spy, Young revealed that he was working on adance-pop album, which might be released in late 2009. He also confirmed that he was working with British duoGroove Armada, Superbass, who remixed his UK Top 10 single "Changes", andGregg Alexander, who has previously worked with British pop singersSophie Ellis-Bextor andGeri Halliwell. He also confirmed that he is working on an album covering songs byNoël Coward, which is as yet in its very early stages and he "doesn't know if it will end up".[102] Young performed in a sell-out theatre tour, commencing on 16 November 2008 and continuing until 13 December 2008 with two dates at theRoundhouse inCamden, London.
Young was the featured singer on theX-Factor programme onITV1 on Saturday 1 November 2008. He also mentored the remainingseries five contestants.[103] On 31 December 2008, Young was featured as a guest onElton John's Live New Year show at theO2 Arena in London along with that year'sX Factor winnerAlexandra Burke. He joined John on the song"Daniel". Young was one of the performers on theLive at Blackpool programme onBBC Radio 2 on Saturday 5 September 2009.[104]
Young's greatest hits collection,The Hits, was released on 16 November 2009. It included two brand new songs, one of them the single "Hopes & Fears". The album was a success on the charts, being certified Platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry.[105] In 2010, Young collaborated with Groove Armada on their albumBlack Light, singing vocals on the track "History". As part of his 2010 outdoor summer tour, it was announced that he would be a special guest and play on theQueen'sSandringham Estate,Sandringham in Norfolk.[106] Pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor was his supporting act for his 2010 The Hits Tour.[107]
His 2003 song "Leave Right Now" was featured onAmerican Idolseason 9 as the "departing song".[108] He also performed live on the programme on 25 May 2010. Young gave his first US concert on 26 May atWest Hollywood's Ultra Suede nightclub.[109] He was also featured on the cover of the US magazineInstinct.[110]
Young was told by someone at the record company to re-record his hit single "Leave Right Now" because he sounded too gay on the track. He didn't realize this but he was made to re-record the song until the record executives were satisfied with it.[111]
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In early 2011, Young tweeted teaser clips of tracks from his new album,Echoes, which was subsequently released on 22 August 2011 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one on 29 August 2011 making it Young's first number one album sinceFriday's Child in 2003. The first single "Jealousy" premiered on BBC Radio 2, between 9.00am-12noon, Monday 11 July 2011. The single was released on 21 August 2011, preceding the album by 1 day with the single peaking at No.5.A Night with...Will Young was aired two days before the release ofEchoes onITV1 presented byKate Thornton charting all of Young's greatest hits plus performing a few new tracks from the album. Young appeared on the third episode ofThe Jonathan Ross Show performing "Hearts on Fire" from Echoes to further promote the album. Young undertook a 23 dateEchoes Tour in the UK including 2 nights at London'sShepherd's Bush Empire in Autumn 2011. The second single from Echoes was "Come On" released in November 2011, with the accompanying video featuring Young performing at a dog show. It was confirmed that Young would appear as one of the four judges on thefirst series of the singing competition seriesThe Voice UK although on 12 December 2011 it was reported that Young had been replaced byDanny O'Donoghue at the last minute. He performed a special Christmas concert at theLondon Palladium in December as the final night of his 2011 performances. The following day it was announced that he would be undertaking summer shows as part of theForestry Commission's summer concert programme, also at Cornbury Festival. 2012 singles releases were "Losing Myself" and "I Just Want a Lover" with accompanying videos.
On 8 November 2012, it was announced Young had left his record company after being with them since winningPop Idol over ten years ago and signed withIsland Records.[112]
OnGood Morning Britain, Young announced that he was recording his sixth studio album. On 25 March 2015, he announced on hisInstagram account that the title of the new album will be85% Proof. It was released on 25 May.[113]
The final single from85% Proof was "What the World Needs Now", written byBurt Bacharach, which he released towards the end of 2015 as part ofWWF's campaign to raise awareness for declining wildlife populations across the globe.[114]
Young's albumLexicon was released on 21 June. Young also released the lead single "All the Songs" from the album the same day and announced he would be embarking on a tour in October 2019 in support of the album. Young had stated in an interview he had no intentions of releasing any more records as he was focusing on acting and his podcast series, however after going into the studio with friend and producerRichard X, the lead single was recorded and the album naturally followed.[citation needed]
On 26 March 2021 Young announced the release of his eighth studio albumCrying on the Bathroom Floor, which was released on 6 August 2021. Following the release, Young said: "I loved the idea of creating an album that celebrates some of the modern female artists I so admire in pop. In today's times it's so much easier and accepted to occupy other genders, ideas and explore new avenues. I wanted to understand what it might be like to sing their lyrics. A song about a boy called Daniel; crying on the bathroom floor, feeling likeElizabeth Taylor. I wanted to bring songs from female artists who I admire into a new arena. I wanted to work with Richard X again and create a true pop record."[115] "Daniel", the lead single taken from the album, was released on 26 April 2021, with the official video released on the same day.[116] The second song to be lifted from the album was "Elizabeth Taylor", a cover of aClare Maguire track which was released on 28 May.[117] The title track (a cover of the 2017Muna single) was released on 8 July 2021.[118][119]
On 25 October 2021, Young announced the compilation20 Years: The Greatest Hits for release on 27 May 2022, marking 20 years since he wonPop Idol. The album included his greatest hits alongside two new tracks, "Why Does It Hurt" and "Breaking Free". Young also announced the 20 Year Tour in support of the album in October 2022.[120]
In January 2022 Young competed in thethird series ofThe Masked Singer as "Lionfish". He was unmasked in the third episode.[121]
From 22 February 2023 to 11 March 2023, Young starred in the playSong from Far Away, which was staged atHOME in Manchester.[122] Mark Fisher, reviewing the play forThe Guardian, praised Young's performance, writing that he "act[ed] with melodic grace".[123] In June 2023 Young performed, again on the Avalon Stage, at the Glastonbury Festival.[124] Young confirmed in an interview withSky News that he had begun work on his next studio album and that it would be released in 2024.
In February 2024, Young posted a series of videos on Instagram, showing him working on a music video shoot.[125][non-primary source needed][126] On 18 April 2024, Young released the single "Falling Deep", alongside an accompanying music video.[127][128] A second single, "Midnight", was released on 7 June 2024.[129][130] The singles' parent album,Light It Up, was released 9 August 2024;[131][132] it debuted at number 5 on the UK Albums Chart.[133] To accompany the album, Young toured the UK in September and October 2024.[134]
Young added acting to his repertoire when he accepted a role in theBBC filmMrs Henderson Presents, starringJudi Dench andBob Hoskins, in which he played Bertie.[135] The film was released in the UK in November 2005 to positive reviews.[citation needed] Young was an executive producer forRalph Fiennes' production of Shakespeare'sCoriolanus filmed inSerbia, and his documentary on the making of the film features on its DVD release. He was to have a small role in the film as a reporter on the conflict as well as being executive producer,[108] but it was decided that his appearance was a "distraction" and it did not make the final cut of the film.
Young trod the boards in theRoyal Exchange Theatre's production ofThe Vortex by Noël Coward. This production ran from January to March 2007 and Young played the leading role of Nicky Lancaster. Critics, includingNicholas de Jongh, were positive.[136] In 2012, Young appeared in the musicalCabaret in London, after a short nationwide tour. This marked hisWest End debut. He was awarded theWhat's on Stage Award for London Newcomer of the Year.[137] He was also nominated for the 2013Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, but lost out toMichael Ball forSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the2013 Laurence Olivier Awards.[citation needed]
Young also appeared in the 2010Marple drama "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" and guest starred in a 2010 episode ofSkins.[138][139] In 2011, he starred in a new drama series onSky Living calledBedlam, about supernatural happenings taking place at a disused asylum being converted into loft-style apartments. The £3 million six-part series began airing on 7 February 2011. It was distributed byBBC Worldwide.[140] Young was a guest onTop Gear during season 12 episode 2 and set the fastest wet lap around the track in theChevrolet Lacetti. On 31 October 2011, Young was also the guest host ofNever Mind the Buzzcocks.
In November 2004, Young presented a documentary entitledRunaways[141] as part of theChildren in Need campaign, highlighting the problems facing distressed teens who run away from home, and the plight they were in being picked up off the streets and railway stations by pimps who offered them work and drugs. The children did not know where to go for immediate help unless they were picked up by the police and sent to a refuge centre. During June 2007 a series of documentaries entitledSaving Planet Earth was shown onBBC Television. Young filmed an episode about saving the gorillas of West Africa during his visit to Africa earlier in the year.
In March 2009, ITV1 arts programme,The South Bank Show presented an hour long fly on the wall documentary about Young that they had been filming over the course of the year as he returned to promote theLet It Go album. It showed him inIceland filming the video for the "Let It Go" single, backstage before his performance onThe X Factor and on his UK theatre tour from November 2008 among other segments.[142] In August 2011, ITV based an hour-long programme on Young, entitledA Night with.... Will Young. This was to promote the release of his most recent albumEchoes.
In October 2007, Young narrated an audio version of theRoald Dahl novelDanny, the Champion of the World.
Young was made a "Companion" of theLiverpool Institute for Performing Arts in 2009.[143]
In January 2023, Young returned to the theatre with the one-man showSong from Far Away, byOlivier Award winnerSimon Stephens andMark Eitzel, at the HOME Theatre in Manchester.[144]
On 27 October 2008, Young spoke on Celebrity at theOxford Union, where he showed an interest in forming a band named 'Will Young and the Credit Crunchers'.[145] He was invited to appear onQuestion Time after he revealed he was a fan of the show.[146] He participated in the edition fromDunstable, Bedfordshire, in February 2009 and March 2012.[146]
Young supports the charityWomen's Aid, about which he wrote, "I am proud to put my name beside this cause, and hope that I might be able to help more people affected by the terrors of domestic violence, as well as help to create a wider awareness within our society."[147]
Young also supports Mencap, about which he wrote, "I'm very much in this for the long term, and I'd like to help continue to break down peoples' misconceptions and prejudices". He also supportsThe Children's Society Safe and Sound Campaign, andPositive Action Southwest (PASW), for which he performed at his first solo concert, in July 2003, atKillerton House,Exeter.[citation needed]
Young has been an ambassador for the Prince's Trust since 2002, and performed at the 30th anniversary concert in the grounds of theTower of London.[citation needed]
Together with DameHelen Mirren,Helena Bonham Carter andMartin Freeman, Young appeared in a series of advertisements during the Christmas period of 2007 forOxfam, called "Oxfam Unwrapped".[citation needed]
Young is the ambassador for Mood Foundation, a charity which aims to build a database of private therapists and alternative therapies to treat various types of depressive conditions. It was set up by Young's twin brother Rupert Young.[148]
Young is an ambassador forCatch22,[149] a UK young people's charity, which supports young people in tough situations. The young people may come from tough upbringings or districts, where poverty, crime and unemployment are common features. They may be leaving care, truanting, or have been excluded from school. Some of them have started getting into trouble with the police or may have got as far as custody.[150] In April 2011 Young ran theLondon Marathon forCatch22,[151] competing again for the charity in 2012.
On 18 April 2012, Young confirmed he would be releasing his first autobiography. The book was published by Sphere on 11 October 2012 entitledFunny Peculiar.
In August 2016, Young was announced as a contestant participating in thefourteenth series ofStrictly Come Dancing. After having competed, with professional dancerKaren Clifton, over the first three weeks of the show, on 11 October he announced that he was quitting the show for "personal reasons".[152]
Young is a longtime supporter of wildlife charities, including WWF. He released "What the World Needs Now" in late 2015, from the album85% Proof, to raise awareness and funds for declining wildlife populations around the world, saying, "It's shocking to think that in my lifetime global wildlife populations have declined by over 50% and our forests and oceans remain at risk." The music video, produced by WWF, was aired on UK television in late 2015.[153]
Young confirmed on 1 September 2020 duringBBC2'sNewsnight interview that his new bookTo Be a Gay Man would be published byVirgin Books on 3 September 2020. In it, he writes of theChris Moyles "rampage of homophobia" in 2009, live on BBC Radio 1, which left Young "aghast" and unable to speak out against it at the time.[citation needed]
In November 2021, Young handcuffed himself to a gate, joining a protest atCamp Beagle.[154]
Following the death of his twin, Rupert, Young presented aChannel 4 documentary, titledWill Young: Losing My Twin Rupert.[155][156] The documentary, airing on 10 May 2022, was rated 4/5 stars byThe Guardian.[157] Young was praised by critics for being open and honest about Rupert's addiction and suicide.[158]
In March 2002, after winningPop Idol, Young publiclycame out as gay, pre-empting a tabloid newspaper fromouting him. He also stated that he had never hidden it and was comfortable with his sexual orientation. As of 2017, Young was in a relationship.[159][160]
Young's main home is a house inDalston,East London. He also owns a 17th-century cottage in the middle ofBodmin Moor, Cornwall,[161] where he is a keen gardener.[162] He also owns aGeorgian townhouse worth around £1 millionCalne,Wiltshire[163].
On 30 July 2020, it was confirmed that Young's twin brother, Rupert, had died, aged 41.[164] A spokesperson for the family said, "Will's relationship with Rupert had been tough over the years at times, and they had both spoken about the mental health problems which had made it challenging... there were hopes he had turned a corner and they are a very loving family — and utterly devastated by his passing."[165]
In 2020, Young adopted two dogs which had faced euthanasia in America.[166]
In April 2021, Young spoke about his experiences at his prep school, Horris Hill Preparatory School in Newbury, saying he had hadPTSD. He said, "I've been thinking a lot about prep school, and wondering if any of those institutions will be brought to justice for the things that I saw happen... kids thrown against radiators. Other things I can't talk about." Young also remembered drunk teachers "rolling around dormitories", and one "you wouldn't go for a ride with... Teachers looking at our penises in the shower, in the bath... There was such a sense of injustice from things that I experienced and witnessed... I think I escaped — not that it didn't damage me."[167][168]
In an August 2024 interview withAttitude magazine, Young expressed his desire to start a family, specifying fostering children. He shared, "I think I'd be very good at being emotionally available and emotionally validating. That's the key for kids or young people."[169]
Headlining
Co-headlining
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mrs Henderson Presents | Bertie | |
| 2008 | Top Gear | Himself | Appeared as theStar in a Reasonably Priced Car |
| 2010 | Skins | T Love | Episode: "Freddie" |
| Marple | Casey Croft | Episode: "The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side" | |
| 2011 | Bedlam | Ryan McAllister | 6 episodes |
| A Night with... Will Young | Himself | Television special | |
| 2012 | Code Words | Real Mr. Smith | Short film |
| 2013 | Highland Park | Seamus | |
| 2016 | Strictly Come Dancing | Himself | Series 14 contestant |
| 2019–2021 | Gardeners' World | 2 episodes[179][180] | |
| 2019 | Cbeebies Bedtime Stories | Television Special | |
| 2022 | The Masked Singer | Lionfish | Series 3 contestant |
| Will Young: Losing My Twin Rupert | Himself | Television special | |
| 2024 | McDonald & Dodds | Greg | Episode: "Jinxy Sings The Blues" |
Launched in 2002, theBT Digital Music Awards were held annually in the United Kingdom.[181]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Himself | Artist of the Year | Won | [182] |
| 2004 | Won | [183] | ||
| "Friday's Child" | Best Music Video | Nominated | [184] |
TheBrit Awards are theBritish Phonographic Industry's (BPI) annual pop music awards.[185]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Anything is Possible" | British Single of the Year | Nominated | [186] |
| Himself | British Breakthrough Act | Won | ||
| Best Pop Act | Nominated | |||
| 2004 | British Male Solo Artist | Nominated | [187] | |
| 2005 | Nominated | [188] | ||
| "Leave Right Now" | British Song of 25 Years | Nominated | ||
| "Your Game" | British Single of the Year | Won | ||
| 2006 | Himself | British Male Solo Artist | Nominated | [189] |
| 2007 | "All Time Love" | British Single of the Year | Nominated | [190] |
| 2009 | Himself | British Male Solo Artist | Nominated | [191] |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Himself | Music Artist | Nominated | [192] |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Brave Man" | Best Transgender Music Video | Won | [193] |
| Best Song/Music Video with a Message | Won | |||
| Best Song | Nominated | |||
| Best British Music Video | Nominated |
Camerimage is a Polish film festival dedicated to the celebration ofcinematography.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Changes" | Best Cinematography | Nominated | [194] |
Design and Art Direction (D&AD) is a British educational charity which exists to promote excellence in design and advertising.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Changes" | Best Music Video | Wood Pencil | [195] |
| Best Cinematography | Yellow Pencil | [196] |
ThePopjustice £20 Music Prize is an annual prize awarded by a panel of judges organised by music websitePopjustice to the singer(s) of the best British pop single of the past year. To qualify, a single must be by (a) British artist(s) and have been released within the 12 months before the award nominations in July.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Leave Right Now" | Best British Pop Single | Nominated | |
| 2006 | "Who Am I" | Nominated | ||
| 2012 | "Jealousy" | Won |
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Himself | Artist of the Year | Won | [197] |
TheSmash Hits Poll Winners Party was an awards ceremony held annually by British magazineSmash Hits, and broadcast onBBC One.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Himself | Best Newcomer | Nominated | [198] |
| Best Live Act | Nominated | |||
| Most Fanciable Male | Nominated | |||
| Best Male Solo | Nominated | |||
| "Evergreen" | Best Single | Nominated | ||
| From Now On | Best Album | Nominated | ||
| 2004 | Friday's Child | Nominated | [199] |
The Record of the Year was an award voted by the UK public. The award began in 1998, and was televised on ITV before being dropped in 2006 after disagreements over the phone voting element. Since then it has been an online poll, administered through the Record of the Year website. In 2013, it was axed, signaling the end of the award.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "Evergreen" | The Record of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2004 | "Leave Right Now" | Nominated |
The Top of the Pops Awards were awarded annually by television programmeTop of the Pops.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Himself | Top Fan Site | Nominated | [200] |
| Best Pop Act | Nominated | [201] | ||
| Best Newcomer | Won | [202] | ||
| "Evergreen" | Best Single | Won | [203] | |
| 2003 | Himself | Singer of the Year | Nominated | [204] |
| Best Newcomer | Nominated | [205] | ||
| Best Official Site | Nominated | [206] | ||
| Best Fan Site | Won | [207] | ||
| "Leave Right Now" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [208] | |
| Video of the Year | Nominated | [209] |
TheUK Music Video Awards is an annual award ceremony founded in 2008 to recognise creativity, technical excellence and innovation in music videos and moving images for music.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | "Changes" | UK Music Video Awards – People's Choice Award | Nominated | |
| 2009 | Best Pop Video | Won | ||
| "Let It Go" | Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography in a Video | Nominated | |||
| 2012 | "Losing Myself" | Best Choreography in a Video | Won | |
| Best Pop Video – UK | Nominated | [210] | ||
| Best Telecine in a Video | Nominated |
TheLaurence Olivier Award is presented annually by theSociety of London Theatre (SLT) to recognize excellence in professional theater. Named after the renowned British actorLaurence Olivier, the awards are a UK equivalent ofBroadway'sTony Awards.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Cabaret | Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical | Nominated | [211] |
