New Interview... :D

 

Will Young: Golden Boy

 

It’s a simple rule of showbusiness – the bigger the reality show, the quicker the winner is likely to fall from grace. Just ask Joe McElderry, Leon Jackson or Michelle McManus – all fleetingly loved by the public but dumped after just one, poor-selling album.

 

But every rule has its exception, and Will Young is just that. In 2001, he went from posh university student to household name over-night by winning X-Factor predecessor Pop Idol.

 

The fact that Will broke a second rule and revealed he was gay so early into his career AND continued to sell records is even more of an achievement. It bust the myth that staying in the closet isn’t necessary if you want to stay at the top of the charts.

 

Now ten years later and after four multi-platinum albums, sixteen singles and a film, Will’s been back in the studio putting the finishing touches to his as yet untitled fifth album.

 

“I’m finishing it off at the moment,” he tells Different Scene as we sit in an office in South London. “It’s quite a different direction for me. I did a song with Groove Armada last year and it’s down a similar kind of road. It’s wonderfully exciting and I feel energised about the whole thing. I’ve been very focused on it. I’m concentrating fully on the album.”

 

It’s been three years since his last record, Let It Go, but Will’s not been sat on his backside counting his royalties. He’s been concentrating on his acting, including spooky drama Bedlam that aired earlier this year.

 

“That was only my third proper drama,” he explains. “I had to audition for it and I was terrified because auditions are awful. I suppose I should be used to them – when I was in Pop Idol I was auditioning for twelve weeks in front of millions of people. It’s the ones you think you did a bad job with that you usually get. And the ones where you’re already planning your Oscar speech, you never get a callback for. But my strike rate is pretty good.”

 

Although Will admits trying to persuade TV producers that a singer can act isn’t always easy.

 

“I get the impression that being both in this country is harder thing to do than in America,” he says. “You just have to show people you’re taking things seriously. But it took me quite a few years to show people I was taking my music seriously and that I was going to be sticking around, so I don’t see why it should be any different in acting

“I’ve been trying to run my music and acting careers together. For my film Mrs Henderson Presents I managed to do an album, a tour and a film at the same time, although I did have a breakdown at the end of it!

 

“But if I was forced to choose between singing and acting I would choose acting. You don’t have to make any decisions because you’re told what to do. And if its crap I can blame someone else. Whereas with the music, it all rests on your shoulders. I can’t blame anyone else but me. It’s amazing and I love it but I can very occasionally hate it too.”

 

And unlike some reality show TV contestants who prefer to distance themselves from the show in which they first found fame, Will’s embraced it.

“It’s a privilege to have been on Pop Idol,” he says. “It’s allowed me to realise everything that I’ve wanted to do. I don’t see it as a curse. And everything since Pop Idol has been easier. I was just so happy to be singing with a microphone in a studio instead of in my bedroom.”

 

Will’s most memorable moment on Pop Idol came when he fought back against acid-tongued Simon Cowell who described his rendition of Light My Fire as ‘average.’

“Everyone needs that steely determination to say ‘I think I’m good enough’ and that was my moment,” recalls Will. “It was very out of character for me though, speaking out. But it was defining moment that people remember and Simon apologised. He must have hated me!”

 

If being on Pop Idol and performing to an audience of 14 million people wasn’t scary enough for one lifetime, Will’s biggest crowd was the 31 million viewers who tuned into American Idol last year.

 

He performed an old track, Leave Right Now, in the finale after the song had been used throughout the series when contestants left.

“It was an amazing experience but absolutely terrifying!” he laughs. “Singing in front of that many people, there’s no room for error. But when something is so terrifying, you have an out of body experience. It’s almost as if you’re watching yourself. Then five seconds before I went on, I was on my own waiting for the doors to open and all I said to myself was ‘don’t f*** it up’ and I was on!”

 

But he has no plans to follow his Pop Idol nemesis Gareth Gates down the musical theatre road any time soon.

“I’ve not done that yet,” he ponders, “There can be a misconception in pop that people can see it as a step down. So I’ve been very wary of what I choose to do. It would have to be the right show, or the right direction or working with someone I couldn’t say no to.”

 

Will Young’s new album is released later this year – www.willyoung.co.uk

http://www.differentscene.co.uk/?p=1830

Edited June 22, 201114 yr by Sweetwilliamfan

Thanks Bev.

 

I know what Will means about musical theatre. Some of the performers are very talented but it is often viewed negatively if a pop artist goes into MT when their pop career hits the buffers.

The Hits has been back in the itunes pop chart for over a week. Currently at #137.

 

This is sure to get a boost when the Musical Special airs.

Thanks TT, it's all good no matter how few a number, they all add up.

 

Will's at Galsto as we know..some pixs thanks to Vasil.

 

:wub:

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/241/72184041.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/7326/58919257.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/1487/12489005.jpg

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8946/84321579.jpg

 

:lol:

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/880/35528374.jpg

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/2663/27892691.jpg

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/7540/34348635.jpg

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/1686/81235425.jpg

 

 

Thanks for bringing those over Bev.

 

Such a lovable nutter! :wub:

oh my, quite a disguise!

 

ha ha! that'ss soooo funny! :lol:

 

Will is crazy!and a nutter, but at least he has fun with it all!

Love all the pics, :wub: thanks for posting them Bev and thanks to vasil for finding them.

First time in ages I've seen Let It Go on Pop itunes.

 

Let It Go #189

 

The Hits #192

 

Only a few copies but still nice to see. :)

Looks like Will's presenting an award tonight.

 

From one dj to another.

 

@AndiDurrant good luck tonight fella! i hope will young gives you the award. x

 

Thanks to Julie (will4me)

 

Editing to say they both work for Capital fm. Hope that bodes well for the single.

Edited July 6, 201113 yr by truly talented

Looks like Will's presenting an award tonight.

 

From one dj to another.

Thanks to Julie (will4me)

 

Editing to say they both work for Capital fm. Hope that bodes well for the single.

 

 

Thanks TT so do I

Thanks again to juilie (will4me)

 

Tweet from Matthew Cain

 

Had great night in Manchester with my brilliant friend @will_young31 - and very excited about his new album! But for now it's back to work.

 

Know how he feels. :w00t:

 

 

love this comment from a musicians forum

 

http://www.mikedolbear.co.uk/forum/topic.a...98844􆼅

Funnily enough my mate with DD also does Westlife!

 

I don't get the comment "that at least he's trying"? Trying???

 

The acts I work with don't try.. they get it! You get no points for trying!

 

If you want to hear perfect vocals try Will Young...studio or live..spot on everytime with great adlibs.

someone in reply

Yeah Yard i agree, poor choice of words. I meant when they 'normally' nail it, but have an off night. Will Young is a good example, always thought he was an excellent singer. Nice to hear i was proven correct.

 

 

 

 

Brilliant that those in the business recognise his vocal ability. :wub:

 

Great find Sunday.

Thanks Sunday. Endorsement by fellow musicians mean much more than all the platitudes from so-called music critics and concert reviewers.

 

Sunday which thread is that from - your link just takes you to the index page.

Edited July 7, 201113 yr by munchkin

Thanks Sunday. Endorsement by fellow musicians mean much more than all the platitudes from so-called music critics and concert reviewers.

 

Sunday which thread is that from - your link just takes you to the index page.

 

 

strange I'll try again

 

http://www.mikedolbear.co.uk/forum/topic.a...98844􆼅

 

it did the same again...go into the off topic forum and it's in the Duran Duran thread

Edited July 7, 201113 yr by Sunday

strange I'll try again

 

http://www.mikedolbear.co.uk/forum/topic.a...#56283;

 

it did the same again...go into the off topic forum and it's in the Duran Duran thread

Thanks Sunday..i went off topic and found it..fab to read those comments. :)

Os news moved here at Bev's request.

 

Just in time..the front page looks fab..

 

Use this link if you can't get in!

 

http://www.willyoung.co.uk/us/frontpage?cm...ountry/detected

 

No forums up yet..perhaps their not quite ready but they felt getting the front page with all the news up was paramount at the mo?.

Edited July 7, 201113 yr by truly talented

Thanks Gill even though the O/S is not ready to go just yet i do love this part of the write up in the WILL section. :wub:

There is fire back in his belly when it comes to music and Will Young isn’t quite letting it go just yet. As he has signed and sealed off his first Hits package, he is busy in the studio effecting a musical u-turn that may come as some surprise to admirers, and more besides, when it finds the light of day. Ever since Groove Armada’s Andy Cato remixed the song Friday’s Child, the two have become close musical allies. Will 2010 will see Will making a dance record, something he has longed to do for some time now? "I love the idea of singers on dance records. There’s something about dance music that you can almost hear the voice more than you can on a pop song."

 

"In some ways, I’m letting go of the first half of my musical career with this record" he says of The Hits. Given the singularity of his vision and execution of his career so far, one can only sketch in an acceptable date that we might expect Volume 2.

:dance:

Given the singularity of his vision and execution of his career so far, one can only sketch in an acceptable date that we might expect Volume 2.

 

So looking forward to chapter 2. :dance: