Yungblud really, really, really wants to happen in America

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Just a few hours before taking the stage at the Hollywood Palladium, Yungblud was brimming with energy and pacing excitedly in one of the venue’s dressing rooms.

Tonight kicks off the British rock singer’s North American tour for his new album, “Idols.” Despite the scorching August heat, around two hundred fans have gathered on Sunset Boulevard, and someone has given him a large basket of goodies from his home country to celebrate.

He asked if I knew what ‘spotted dick’ was while looking through the snacks, then held up a Curly Wurly.

Further down the hallway, Yungblud’s bandmates are relaxing in their dressing room while watching “Top Gear.” But Yungblud himself is full of energy, as he describes it – still too excited to unwind even after a long, sleepless trip from Japan.

He’s thrilled to perform, and that energy is immediately clear. Stripped to the waist and wearing leather chaps, Yungblud quickly gets the crowd fired up with a powerful and emotional hard-rock sound reminiscent of classic bands like Queen and Guns N’ Roses.

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Early in the performance, he revealed a banner he’d made himself with the message “CONQUER AMERICA.” Soon after, he spoke briefly about the impact of music before launching into a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Changes.”

He told the audience to turn to the person beside them and tell them they loved each other. He explained that this was the spirit of rock and roll – all about love.

Yungblud, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, kicked off a major US tour with a sold-out show at the Palladium. The concert felt like the start of a big push to gain popularity in America, and it drew a crowd that included rock stars like Glenn Danzig and former Guns N’ Roses drummer Matt Sorum.

Yungblud gained widespread attention in July after a remarkable performance of “Changes” at the Back to the Beginning festival in England. This event was particularly special as it marked a final reunion for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath just days before Osbourne sadly passed away from a heart attack at the age of 76.

Yungblud had already built a career as a musician, starting as a teen after previously acting as a child, when he collaborated with Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme and Frank Bello of Anthrax to create a heartfelt and powerful ballad in tribute to Osbourne.

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After experimenting with pop and hip-hop for a while, Yungblud gained a lot of attention when he performed “Changes,” clearly establishing himself as a rock artist.

He’s further solidifying his connection to classic rock with a new five-song EP called “One More Time,” releasing November 21st. The EP features a collaboration with the members of Aerosmith. The lead single, “My Only Angel,” is a powerful, bluesy rock song with vocals from both Yungblud and Steven Tyler, and a signature guitar solo by Joe Perry.

Yungblud is on a mission to revive the energy of live rock performances, bringing back elements like dramatic flair, heartfelt emotion, and visual spectacle – things he feels have been missing from the music scene for a while.

He observed that for a long time, the trend has been towards very casual clothing, as if people just rolled out of bed. But now, he feels like fashion is moving past that, and we’re starting to see more glamorous styles return, like dressing up with jewelry again. He shared this observation while relaxing on a brown leather couch backstage at the Palladium, visibly excited as he spoke. His assistant walked in at that moment and hung a pair of leather chaps on a nearby rack.

Yungblud explains that in the American music scene, rock stars generally follow one of two paths: rebellious and wild, or classic and straightforward. He identifies with the latter, saying, ‘I’m going for the classic approach.’

Yungblud’s recent work with Aerosmith, and previously with Ozzy Osbourne—who seemed to pass the torch in a touching video—is a clear effort to connect different generations of rock fans. He’s trying to bridge the divide between younger listeners who see classic rock as their parents’ music, and older fans who feel newer artists simply copy past styles.

Yungblud believes the ‘Back to the Beginning’ event was special because it brought together rock musicians from different generations without any of the usual rivalry. He says everyone supported each other. This sense of unity seems to be growing – you can see it with the popular Oasis reunion tours, where fans of all ages come together.

Yungblud’s album “Idols” uniquely combines modern Gen Z perspectives on topics like trauma, gender, and identity with the grand, sweeping sound of classic vinyl records. To capture this, he filmed a live performance at the historic Hansa Studios in Berlin – the same studio where U2 and David Bowie recorded – creating a black-and-white concert film called “Are You Ready, Boy?”

In the movie, there’s a moment where you have trouble singing a high note in your song, “The Greatest Parade.” You insist on getting it right then and there, saying dubbing is something pop stars do. Can you explain the difference between pop and rock music? Essentially, pop strives for a polished, flawless image – it’s all about perfection. Rock, on the other hand, embraces imperfections. It’s raw, energetic, and authentic – about getting a genuine performance, even if it’s messy or difficult, right in the moment.

As a fan of classic rock – and someone who understands how we talk about feelings today – do you appreciate that we now openly discuss mental health? Or do you miss a time when people didn’t share so much? A lot of art today feels too direct and blunt – it just states how someone feels without any subtlety. Back in the 70s, artists had to be more creative. If you wanted to express something taboo, like Lou Reed singing about intense desires, you couldn’t say it directly on the radio. You had to use poetry and imagery to get your message across.

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Your song “Zombie” was written after learning about your grandmother’s struggles with alcohol. Can you talk about how your own relationship with drugs and alcohol has changed recently?

I’ve never been a big fan of drugs. I have ADHD, and they tend to make me sleepy, which isn’t what I want. I prefer to feel everything, not to feel numb. I enjoy a drink – I am British, after all! – but I’ve definitely cut back on alcohol with this new album. I also lost weight. Growing up in the public eye is strange because you can’t control what people say online. I used to rely on alcohol or food to feel in control, but I started boxing, and you can’t box well if you’re hungover – you’ll get knocked out!

Who influenced your understanding of sex appeal within rock music? Michael Hutchence, Axl Rose, and David Bowie during his Berlin period.

As a child, seeing pictures of those artists completely captivated me. They seemed like superheroes, and I became totally obsessed with them.

The music video for “Hello Heaven, Hello” features you riding a horse through the snow. Had you ridden before filming that?

You really seem comfortable on horseback. It’s funny, my maternal grandfather was a true Romani—he lived the traditional lifestyle with horses and wagons. I remember as a kid, I’d jump on and just playfully tap the horse’s rear to get it moving. When I was preparing for the video, the instructor said it felt natural, like it was in my genes.

I enjoyed your fur-lined robe.
I put that on because it was f— minus 15.

We were filming in Bulgaria, which was a great experience – I’d definitely recommend visiting. It’s a really beautiful country. A local man told me to rub Vaseline on my skin, saying it would give me a minute’s protection from the cold. So, I’d cover myself in it, put on my coat, and then start filming. It was like having a layer of fat – I felt like a Thanksgiving turkey!

When Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine asked Yungblud to collaborate on his ‘Back to the Beginning’ project, Yungblud anticipated Morello would want a song with a raw, heavy sound, similar to Black Sabbath’s ‘The Wizard’.

He thought they’d want him to bring his usual high energy to the performance. Instead, Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife, asked him to play “Changes.” He remembers being shocked – and then realizing it was a chance to prove he could sing. “It was a moment to show everyone I wasn’t just about energy,” he said with a laugh.

The performance felt reminiscent of Freddie Mercury at Live Aid, especially when Yungblud spontaneously led the massive crowd in an unplanned, a cappella singalong during the daytime concert.

He described the experience as similar to having sex, explaining that after reaching orgasm, his immediate thought was how to continue satisfying his partner(s).

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Yungblud explained that he was initially going to perform “Changes” with Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit, but Durst had to cancel his festival appearance due to a family emergency.

He wonders what things would have been like if Fred Durst had worked with him. While he acknowledges Durst is a legend, he believes the outcome would have been very different. He feels like he accomplished two years’ worth of career progress in just one day.

Yungblud’s childhood was filled with rock music, as his family owned a guitar shop in Doncaster. He first gained recognition as an actor in the Disney Channel series “The Lodge” in 2016, and released his first album as Yungblud in 2018. He’s since worked with many different artists – including Halsey, Marshmello, Avril Lavigne, and Lil Yachty – but by 2022, with his self-titled album, he felt “lost.” He explains this was due to pressure from the music industry, which wanted him to change his sound because rock music hadn’t been popular for a while.

He rarely plays songs from his early, synth-heavy album, “Yungblud,” during his concerts, and doesn’t plan to add them back in anytime soon.

He explains that the album was intentionally a turning point for him. It motivated him to create exactly the kind of music he wanted—rooted in rock—and he was prepared to quit if it wasn’t well-received.

He jokingly pretended to be a record company executive, recalling a defiant conversation he supposedly had before appearing on “Idols.” He said he told them, ‘If you want me, you’ll take me as I am – and that means keeping the guitars turned up. Otherwise, forget it.’

When I heard about this, I wasn’t surprised at all! Tom March, the head of Capitol Music Group, just chuckled and said, ‘I adore Dom, and that’s just how he is!’ It perfectly captures Dom’s vibrant personality, you know?

Just a few weeks after his show at the Palladium, Yungblud video called from London. He’d recently finished touring in North America and said it went incredibly well, achieving success in many ways.

“American girls are crazy,” he says. “I’ve been reminded that I’m a prude of an English boy.”

Yungblud explains that his collaboration with Aerosmith started with a nice email he received from Steven Perry after the release of his song “Idols.” Perry suggested they get together in Los Angeles to chat, so Yungblud booked a studio, hoping they might create something. Soon after, he, Perry, and Tyler began writing “My Only Angel.”

Aerosmith announced they were retiring from touring last year because of issues with Steven Tyler’s voice, but this collaboration offers a chance to connect with a new generation of rock fans. It’s worth noting that Tyler has faced sexual assault allegations from two women dating back to the 1970s, which he denies. One lawsuit was dismissed last year, while another is scheduled for trial in May 2026.

Yungblud explains the EP features music he envisions himself still playing later in life. He found collaborating with a 76-year-old songwriter refreshing, because the focus wasn’t on being cutting-edge, but on creating songs with genuine emotional impact. As Yungblud puts it, the older songwriter simply wanted to know if a song ‘made me feel something.’

Next spring, Yungblud is returning to the U.S. for a new tour, playing songs from his albums “One More Time” and “Idols.” He’s been working hard to connect with American fans, as he’s always seen the U.S. as the home of rock music.

He describes America as captivating, unique, and impressive. He’s particularly drawn to iconic images like cowboys and Mount Rushmore, and enjoys the experience of long road trips with all the stops along the way – he calls it a dream.

Come on — nobody loves a gas station during an eight-hour drive.

“Slim f— Jims?” he exclaims. “I’m telling you, I honestly do.”

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2025-11-05 14:35