Will Young says he has nothing to prove to the music industry anymore
The Leave Right Now singer - who won Pop Idol in 2002 - is reembracing his pop after years of trying to escape his TV talent show roots.
What did you miss?
Will Young has said he does not feel he has to prove himself anymore.
The Leave Right Now singer found fame after winning the first series of Pop Idol in 2002 and admitted there was a time he worried about being taken seriously as a musician. But 45-year-old singer and actor is now embracing his pop roots with new single Light It Up and told The One Show he had found a new freedom in just being able to enjoy his music.
What, how, and why?
Young appeared on The One Show to discuss his new upbeat single Light It Up. He told hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas: "I think I probably worried that being on a talent show, you wouldn't be taken seriously, and so I had to sort of...
"And I was really lucky. I didn't go the obvious route, and I got to work with amazing producers. And I probably was worried about going full out pop. But for some reason, I just felt like now was the time. So I went over to Denmark and Sweden, who were like the kings and queens of pop, and just really embraced it."
Four-time chart-topper @willyoung returns to his pop roots with his new album. He shares his journey of rediscovering his style ??#TheOneShow ?? https://t.co/0Z2IWEOxp4 pic.twitter.com/W6uVqzjNXq
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) July 22, 2024
Jones told him: "I don't think you've got anything to prove to anybody." Young agreed: "Well, not now. I think I think that's one of the best things about getting older, isn't it? You don't feel like you need to. And also I don't know if you feel this, but you can just enjoy it. You can actually sit and enjoy it because all those things that you worry about when you're younger, no one is thinking that anyway. So you can just enjoy it."
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Young beat bookmakers favourite Gareth Gates to be voted the winner of Pop Idol in 2002, releasing double A-sided debut single Anything Is Possible and Evergreen. After five albums, he left his record label in 2012 and went in a new direction.
He competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, but quit halfway through the competition admitting he was struggling with his mental health. He has had a successful acting career and is appearing in an upcoming episode of ITV detective show McDonald & Dodds.
What else happened on The One Show?
Young claimed he came close to being an Olympic athlete as he was a fast runner at school. He said on the show: "I was quite a good 400 metre run. I was seven seconds off the Olympic average when I was 18. Which is not too bad."
Former footballer Jenas told him: "Seven seconds is still quite long. I mean I'm probably seven seconds behind Usain Bolt for 100 metres." A red-faced Young said: "Oh that's true actually, good point. You know what, I'll take that."
The One Show airs on BBC One at 7pm Monday to Friday.
