In our latest Artist Spotlight, we chat to London-via-Doncaster alternative music sensation, Yungblud about his music, the industry, inspirations and more.
S] What advice would you give to young people in Doncaster, and Yorkshire who are inspired by your work and are looking to find mainstream success like yourself?
YB] I think fundamentally be yourself no matter what. Don’t be scared to be yourself musically, because a lot of people are going to tell you that you should do something different or do what’s mainstream and current right now. Don’t listen to that…if your gut is telling you to do something else, do it! And work really, really, really, really, really hard.
S] On that note, how do you define success?
YB] That’s an interesting question, I think success is building a career doing something that you set out to do. I think being able to play every night – play your tunes and the music you wrote and to be able to fulfil a career in that, I think that’s success. Doing something you want to do, that makes you happy doing it.
S] As a Northerner who has moved to London, do you think that is integral to finding popularity within the music industry for anybody keen to develop more?
YB] I think so. I mean I love the North man, and I’m so proud of where I’m from and I love the sense of community we’ve got up there. But I moved down to London because I think you’ve gotta be down there to facilitate everything. Everybody’s down there, it’s where the big gigs are, the big management companies. I moved down there to find something else, broaden my horizons and just experience the city. I always wanted to move to the city, I knew I wanted to move to London because…I want to be a rock ‘n’ roll star.
S] What drives you outside of music?
YB] I have a weird obsession with Michelle Obama, and I know that sounds really odd but I do. I just think she’s so cool and she’s such an incredible woman. I’m such a mummy’s boy man, I’ve got such a strong Northern Mother and grew up around strong women. So someone like that (Michelle Obama) who fights for the right things and sees the future that the majority of young people want to build. She understands it, she’s one of the few people involved in politics who understands it. I love hip-hop music, I love travelling the world. I love old school artists; I love the Sex Pistols, The Clash. And then I love home man, I love Yorkshire. It’s got such a good sense of community. I don’t know man, I think the world is such an interesting place you can find inspiration everywhere.
S] How important would you say the way you portray yourself visually, and your image is?
YB] I think it’s so important. I think it’s one of the main things that’s going to make you different from everyone else – the way you look. The way you sound and the way you look are the most important thing. But I don’t know man, I like wearing nice clothes – Look like you want to be somebody. There’s a lot of stuff right now, where people don’t really care what they look like, they just look like they got out of bed going on stage. For me man, when I walk on stage I want people to think, ‘whoaaa he looks good!’, cos that’s what I was like when I looked at Alex Turner, and Liam Gallagher.
S] What would you say your biggest challenges are as an artist currently?
YB] Mainly I think you’ve gotta keep your blinkers on. Looking at what everyone else is doing, you can drive yourself mad. It’s the juxtaposition of noise, and I know that sounds weird, but 1. there’s a lot of pressure 2. All day you’re running around, all day everywhere, you’ve got to take pictures, get on stage and there’s so many people shouting and then you’ve gotta go back to your hotel room, or you’re on the bus and its completely silent. And that’s so hard to deal with, and it can make you really anxious cos you don’t know whether you’re coming or going. And I miss my little sisters, and my mum and dad…and Yorkshire puddings.
S] You create music that spans all genres, so if you could come up with a Frankenstein’s Monster for your sound, what would it be and why?
YB] Definitely the head of The Clash because it’s political…it’s the same way of thinking. I’d probably do the hips of Mick Jagger, cos in a way I like to dance on stage. I’d definitely use the arms of Posty, I think that’s cool. The legs of Eminem. The heart of, Johnny Rotten. And the feet of Kanye West – cos he runs in different directions, you never know where he’s gonna go. That’s a pretty sick monster.
