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Will Young interview: "I think we all have spirits and we all have things that can make us feel great"

By Amy Davidson
Monday, Oct 5 2015, 14:02 BST


It may have been well over 13 years since Will Young won Pop Idol in 2002, but his latest album 85% Proof proved that he's still 100% a chart-topper.

Digital Spy caught up with Will ahead of his new single 'Joy' to talk missing out on a Voice UK spinning red chair at the last minute, "the c**t" who shot Cecil the lion, and why Years & Years are the perfect example of where pop's at in 2015.

You took some time out before 85% Proof. Was it an easy decision to come back to music?

"It was easy just because I wanted to start writing again, but I didn't do anything for two years. I was changing label and all that stuff was going on but I didn't want to write. I wasn't massively happy. I'd had a really hard time so I had stuff to work on and I was like there's no point in me coming back if I'm not happy, it's just counter-productive. It was easy in the end because I just slowly started wanting to write again and then literally in 10 days we wrote the album. It is nerve wracking coming back and that's why that number one meant the most to me because I know how hard it is. Particularly after a break people forget you very quickly. I had people go 'Oh are you still doing music?' That's a good reminder."

Will Young press shot 2015.

Why weren't you happy?

"I got really miserable. I had a lot of stuff to sort out. I'd worked really hard and my personal life had been put on hold for a bit. I was like, 'Ok it's time to take some time out and concentrate on me and do a bit of soul-searching'. It's not easy to do that but I didn't want to do the alternative, which is carry on working and being miserable. I was very fortunate because I could afford to do it. The thing is, what's the point if you're not happy? There's no point doing anything. I'm really proud of what I did in those two years and I really went for it. It was almost like proper Peruvian shaman 'right we're getting into it all, let's see what happens'. I got messy."

How do you think your life would be different If you hadn't won Pop Idol?

"I don't know if I'd be as happy as I am now. My job has really allowed to completely connect with something that is spiritually amazing. I think we all have spirits and we all have things that can make us feel great - be that dancing around in a club, doing yoga, chatting to friends - there are all these things where you forget about normal everyday stuff. If I hadn't have found this job it might have been harder for me to find that. I would've been really different. I'd have either done music or animal charity, I've always wanted to do animal charity. I've just become a patron of the Soi Dog Foundation, which is a charity in Thailand that stop the dog meat trade. I'm really pleased to be a part of that."

The mistreatment of animals has been in the news a lot recently, what with the likes of Cecil the lion.
"I was listening to the news last night and they'd done an interview with the guy. What a f**king c**t. There's nothing he can say. The only sad thing is he's not the only one, but he's become a face. It's not his fault that it was the special lion because he didn't know, but he shot it with a bow and arrow and then it went around for a day before he had to shoot it again. It's not just him, it's all these c**ts from America and all these other places who want the f**king head of the thing they've shot. It's disgusting. It makes me so angry. I can see why animal activists get so unpleasant but it's absolutely not condonable at all."


Do you ever find it hard being in the public eye?

"No, because I don't get followed by photographers, I honestly forget I'm famous. This morning I went to the service station near me and people were looking at me and I was like 'What are you looking at me for?' Literally I said out loud, 'Oh yeah I forget, you're famous.' I honestly do forget, which is the nicest thing because it's all bollocks. Who gives a shit? It is all bollocks. Just because you're famous doesn't make you any different to anyone else. You meet those people and it's like, just calm down."

Would you ever be tempted to go off and focus on breaking America?

"I've just got a deal in America actually. I'd be up for doing it, it just hasn't really happened. I sang on American Idol a couple of times and I'm quite philosophical about it really. If it's meant to be it's meant to be and it hasn't been to date. Having moved to Island Records and moved to IE Management - they manage Robbie and they did Sia and Passenger - so many doors have opened. I've never had a contract in America before so it's pretty cool. I'm pleased I did the move and I'd love it. I love a lot of qualities of America. We'll see what happens."

What's your stance on talent shows having been on one yourself?

"I like The Voice. I like the fact it's mentors rather than judges. I was offered the job then they took it away from me the next day [laughs]. It was really weird. I was going to be the one that the Irish guy got [Danny O'Donoghue]. I was like 'w*n**rs'."

Will Young: 'Joy' single artwork

Are you still in touch with anyone from your Pop Idol days?
"When I run into Gareth occasionally it's lovely to see him. Actually I tweeted him a while ago about something. He'd been on the reunion and he was so good on it. He's really funny! And he's really good looking. He's a cool guy and I was just so happy for him. I miss some of the other guys. I thought about having a reunion but I don't know if people are talking to people."

How do you think pop music's changed since you started out?
"I don't think talent shows are a massive part of [it]. They play their part but I think that pop music is in a really good place. Years & Years are a brilliant example. Brilliant actor, brilliant singer, brilliant songwriter, openly gay, brilliant electro-melancholic music. That is a perfect statement of where pop's at at the moment. Who would've thought that a band like that would've been operating in the way that they are?

"Pop's changed so much. As a gay artist it's like who cares? It has changed a lot and I think music's in a really good place at the moment. I feel like bands are probably going to come back again. It always happens like that. I think by the end of next year we'll start getting a few more bands [and] probably in a couple years time there'll be a massive English band again."

'Joy' is out now.

Read more: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/intervie...l#ixzz3nhaU605u
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So this is the first time he's had an American contract. I wonder if anything will come of promoting over there now he has a different label and management. He sounds very matter a fact about it.