Doncaster’s Yungblud feels like an entirely new artist on new LP, IDOLS. He got vocal tips from his pal Lewis Capaldi and swapped beer for whisky
YUNGBLUD embarked on a self destructive musical journey and came out the other side a new person.
Out now IDOLS might be his fourth album, but to the Doncaster lad it feels like his first.
Yungblud, real name Dominic Harrison, explained: “When I turned 27 I realised Yungblud was coming to an end. From 19-27, that was the first chapter of that project. I had reached a point where people knew what to expect from me and my music. They either loved me or they hated me. I was sick of it all.
“When I finished my last record, I felt I wasn’t fully satisfied. I felt like I’d made compromises, that I’d taken too much account of the opinions of certain outsiders.”
IDOLS helped dismantle the bits he didn’t like anymore: “I actually felt like I was destroying some old fragments of myself. It hurt, but it was also so amazing! In a way, I felt like I was remaking my very first album. When I made 21st Century Liability at 19, I could do anything I wanted because no one cared about me.”
IDOLS is an old skool album that demands fans to listen from start to finish.
“I really went back to ‘classic rock’.” said Dom. “I felt, for a few years now, the sound of guitars was gradually getting quieter. Someone had to turn the f**king volume up! I also realized that the greatest rock masterpieces were all journeys: Tommy by The Who, Houses Of The Holy by Led Zeppelin, not to mention Bowie… The idea was to make a record in that vein. Why not mix it all together to try to create something new? Oasis did it well by blending the Beatles, the Kinks, and the Stone Roses with a new, youthful perspective. I believe it’s essential to pass on an idea to the new generation to make rock relevant again.”
Yungblud avoided tapping into more modern rock trends either.
“I didn’t want to make a screamo, hardcore, or post-punk album,” he confided. “Lately, rock has relied on that because it was the only thing relevant to the younger generation. ‘Classic rock’ is still considered an outdated genre, but that’s simply because no new bands have decided to do it and try to innovate. That’s what I tried to do on IDOLS, drawing equally from opera, theatre and blues, to make it fresh and timeless again. Rock is a sphere, so why not create a work at its centre?”
Making the album also changed his vocals thanks to a famous pop pal.
Dom spilled: “I discovered new aspects of my voice. I felt like it was getting stronger. And then I remembered this line Lewis Capaldi said to me: ‘F**k Dom, just sing!’ I also started taking singing lessons so I could perform on the next tour. I work with this incredible 72-year-old woman, a real nutcase who made me give up beer! They say it’s bad for your range. So I switched to whisky.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
