YUNGBLUD has been unveiled as Fault Magazine’s latest cover star. In the accompanying interview, he discusses new EP ‘the underrated youth’, his incredibly dedicated fan base which has become a community and working with Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons) on track ‘original me’. YUNGBLUD’s EP ‘the underrated youth’ debuted at number 6 on the UK album chart last week and he’s just embarked on a huge European tour which includes a sold out show at London’s Brixton Academy on Nov 21st.
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On the special relationship he has with his fans/community:
‘I always want to project positivity because that’s what my fanbase does. Yungblud is about promoting hope and unity instead of dividing people. It’s about bringing people up instead of pushing them down, it’s about battling hate with messages of unity and positivity and beating the hate away with a bouquet of flowers – that’s what Yungblud is all about.’
On his EP’s opening track ‘braindead’:
‘In this world, you’re surrounded by unjustified hate and hateful ideologies, and the song is a message the people above me, saying that I’d rather be brain dead than conform to your hateful ways. People will put you down in this world because of their insecurities and inability to see the wonder of your individuality. I don’t want my listeners to be put off from their individuality, I want them to embrace their differences.’
On the music industry:
‘I was never interested in the music industry games, I’m not interested in awards, they are amazing when they come about but I only care about the number of people I walk out to on stage. The most magical thing to me isn’t the gold disks or creating a smash hit, it’s about the mutual feeling I have with my fanbase.’
On track ‘parents’:
‘That song isn’t about telling your parents to fuck off, it’s a tribute to individualism and a statement saying you’re the only one who knows what’s best for yourself.’
On working with Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons) on track ‘original me’:
‘I was in New Orleans fighting with anxiety at the time and I received an email from Dan Reynold saying I think we should get on a song together. I saw him at Leeds fest like 5 years ago and thought “I want to be just like him” because he’s the real deal. He’s a man with an incredible family who stands for incredible things and is a massive advocate for equality in terms of the LGBTQ+ community and the world. We have very similar messages.’