Will Young

Pop polymath Will Young announces 2022 UK tour
British pop royalty Will Young has announced a tour for autumn 2022, bringing new album Crying On The Bathroom Floor as well as his timeless hits to some of the UK’s most treasured venues.

In many ways Will Young is a symbol of a specific era in pop history, a turning point that ushered in the TV music competition that is today part and parcel of the cultural landscape. As the winner of the first ever Pop Idol in 2002, the wide-smiled and bright-eyed singer broke records when his double-single Evergreen / Anything Is Possible became the fastest selling debut single in UK chart history. But that Young remains a cherished household name – now not only as a singer but as an actor, author and broadcaster – is a testament to his earnestness and talent.

Growing up as a teenager in West Berkshire, Young was a talented athlete with a lot of sporting potential, however his interest in global affairs led him to study politics at university. It was here that he found his confidence, performing in student theatre productions, and after graduating in 2001 enrolled in a musical theatre course at the Arts Educational School in West London. This was, however, soon cut short when Young successfully applied for the brand new TV talent show Pop Idol, judged by Simon Cowell, amongst others. Beating co-finalist Gareth Gates to victory with a rendition of The Doors’ Light My Fire (which Cowell had previously described as “average”, much to Young’s polite defiance), Young was crowned the winner in early 2002.

His debut album, From Now On, released later that year, kept the momentum of his double single’s success and charted at No.1 in the UK, but it was the follow-up Friday’s Child in 2003 that really seemed to make his mark. Featuring tracks such as Leave Right Now and Your Game, which won the 2005 BRIT Award for Best British single, the album would eventually become certified platinum five times over. Despite not reaching No.1, Young’s subsequent albums Keep On (2005) and Let It Go (2008) would still go on to achieve platinum status.

This time also saw Young return to his roots with acting, and featuring across film (Mrs. Henderson Presents), television (Skins) and theatre (The Vortex). Later, in 2012, he would even make his West End debut as Emcee in Cabaret, impressing critics and scooping a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Dipping his toe back into the world of reality TV, in 2008 Young featured as a guest singer and mentor on The X Factor, and at the end of the decade performed on American Idol, opening him up to a new audience on the other side of the Atlantic, whilst at home a greatest hits collection was already in circulation.

A Night With Will Young aired in August 2011 to coincide with the release of the singer’s fifth studio album, Echoes, which featured the dance-pop hit Jealousy. His next LP, 85% Proof, was his first with Island Records, having previously left RCA, and dealt with personal acceptance through the lenses of dramatic piano ballads (Brave Man), upbeat soul (Love Revolution) and atmospheric anthems (Joy).

Despite falling out of love with the popstar life for a little while, as he focused on his podcast Homo Sapiens and other creative pursuits, in 2019 Young reconnected with trusted collaborators and friends Richard X and Eg White to create Lexicon. Always a multi-tasker, 2020 saw the publication of his first book, How To Be A Gay Man, in which he explores his journey to coming out and proudly embracing his sexuality.