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Will Young

Will Young - Glastonbury 2008
Will Young - Glastonbury 2008 Image: Wikimedia Commons. neal whitehouse piper from UK / CC BY-SA 2.0

William Robert Young (born 20 January 1979) is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He rose to prominence after winning the inaugural series of the ITV talent contest Pop Idol in 2002, becoming the first winner of the worldwide Idol franchise. Although the cohort note classifies him as a cricketer, the available source material describes him as a musician and performer, and this article reflects that source.

Key facts

Full name William Robert Young
Born 20 January 1979
Nationality English
Occupation Singer, songwriter, actor, author
Education University of Exeter (politics); Arts Educational Schools, Chiswick (musical theatre)
Notable for Winning Pop Idol (2002)
Major awards Two Brit Awards (from 12 nominations)

Early life and education

As a teenager, Young studied politics at the University of Exeter. He subsequently moved to London, where he trained in musical theatre at the Arts Educational Schools in Chiswick. In late 2001, he placed his studies on hold to take part in Pop Idol.

Career

Pop Idol and early success

Young won the first series of Pop Idol in 2002, becoming the first champion across the worldwide Idol franchise. His double A-sided debut single, "Anything Is Possible" / "Evergreen", was released two weeks after the show's finale and became the fastest-selling debut single in the United Kingdom. He went on to finish fifth in World Idol, where he performed "Light My Fire", a song written by the Doors.

Studio albums

Young's debut album, From Now On (2002), entered the UK Albums Chart at number one. His second album, Friday's Child (2003), achieved greater commercial success, eventually being certified platinum five times in the UK and producing three top-five singles on the UK Singles Chart.

Subsequent multi-platinum releases included Keep On (2005), Let It Go (2008) and Echoes (2011). 85% Proof (2015) became his fourth UK number-one album. His later albums Lexicon (2019), Crying on the Bathroom Floor (2021) and Light It Up (2024) reached numbers 2, 3 and 5 respectively on the UK Albums Chart. In May 2022, he issued the compilation 20 Years: The Greatest Hits.

Across his catalogue, Young has produced several top-ten singles in the UK, four of which reached number one. As of 2009, his worldwide album sales were estimated at over eight million.

Acting

Alongside his music career, Young has worked in film, television and theatre. For his performance in the 2013 London revival of the musical Cabaret, he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. In January 2022, he appeared in the third series of The Masked Singer as the character "Lionfish".

Books

  • Anything is Possible (2002)
  • On Camera, Off Duty (2004)
  • Funny Peculiar (2012, autobiography)
  • To be a Gay Man (2020)
  • The A–Z of Wellbeing (2022)

Timeline

  • 1979 – Born on 20 January.
  • 2001 – Suspended his studies to compete on Pop Idol.
  • 2002 – Won Pop Idol; released debut single and debut album From Now On.
  • 2003 – Released Friday's Child.
  • 2005 – Released Keep On.
  • 2008 – Released Let It Go.
  • 2011 – Released Echoes.
  • 2013 – Olivier nomination for Cabaret.
  • 2015 – 85% Proof became his fourth UK number-one album.
  • 2019 – Released Lexicon.
  • 2021 – Released Crying on the Bathroom Floor.
  • 2022 – Appeared on The Masked Singer as "Lionfish"; released 20 Years: The Greatest Hits.
  • 2024 – Released Light It Up.

Significance

Young's victory on Pop Idol made him the first winner of any series within the global Idol franchise, which subsequently became one of the most successful television formats internationally. His sustained chart performance, his presence on stage and screen, and his published books have given him a profile that extends beyond his original talent-show success.

References