Perdita
09-02-2009, 06:50
After winning the nation's hearts on Pop Idol way back in 2001, Will Young has successfully shed the shackles of reality show stardom and established himself as one of the country's leading solo artists. With four albums, a film and an acclaimed stage play under his belt, he seems to have little left to prove. But as we found out when we hooked up with Will for a chat, he's got no plans to slow down just yet.
'Let It Go' is your last single to get a physical release. Why did you decide to stop?
"I just think that downloading is the way forward on the whole. Physical sales have dropped so much recently that for me it isn't really worth printing proper ones. I think it's sad in a way – I actually just bought a Grace Jones single on 7" and really like to have something in front of me, but I guess it's also handy going online and taking just one song from an album."
Do you remember the first single you bought?
"Absolutely, yes! It was Kylie Minogue's 'I Should Be So Lucky' and I still have it today. I love the picture with her in a hat and the frizzy hair, it's so eighties!"
'Let It Go' is quite emotionally revealing. Do you find it hard to open up?
"I suppose we all do it in different ways. If you're an actor you do it through playing a part and being a singer you express yourself through songwriting. I find inspiration through music but hopefully not to the point of being self-indulgent. I do tend to have a miserable patch on every album, but I hope there's an honesty to it that people can relate to."
Do many people tell you that they relate to your music?
"Yeah, I think it's because most of my songs are love songs. 'Leave Right Now' was one song that people really seemed to identify with, as was 'Changes' from this album. It's funny what songs people seem to pick up on. I don't write songs specifically so that people can identify with them, so don't expect Credit Crunch: The Album from me anytime soon!"
Were you pleased with the general response to your album Let It Go?
"It's not sold as much as previous albums, but in terms of critical acclaim it's done the best. I'm also really pleased that I've got to do festivals and different things to what I've done before. It really depends on how you want to measure success - I'm really pleased because I think it's a well-written pop album."
Do you prefer performing songs you've written yourself?
"No, I realised the other day that I much prefer performing other people's songs! It's really weird but I feel freer, like I'm playing a part. I think I'm too attached to songs I write myself and it's harder to have as much perspective on them."
You've just appeared on Question Time. Did you do much preparation?
"I prepped up for it and became really boring. I got up each day and listened to the Today programme on Radio 4 and then regurgitated lots of information to friends. I felt pretty smug about it, but it was a really great opportunity."
Do you think you'll become more politically active in the future?
"I'm already working with my brother Rupert on a charity to help tackle depression. I wouldn't say I'm an intellect though and I'm wary of performers who think they can talk about a whole host of things. Someone like Annie Lennox has made a really big difference for human rights, but you have to know a lot about the issue to do that."
What can we expect from you over the next 12 months?
"Well, I've got two albums that I'm working on at the moment. I'm doing a dance album that I'm really keen to get finished. I've worked with some really great people like Groove Armada and Superbass but I can't give too much away. I've always loved vocal house stuff and my single remixes always sound really good, but it is quite a departure for me."
What's the other album you're working on?
"I'm working on some Noel Coward music. It's in the very early stages and I don't know how it will end up. I'm also working on a dance piece which I started last year and want to extend and finish. I might even film it, we'll just have to see how it goes."
When you get round to releasing a 'Greatest Hits' album, will there be any singles you leave off?
"Well, considering I've released four albums and about 15 singles I could probably do it soon. I've never really had a single that's completely bombed, but there are ones I prefer more than others. I'm not an enormous fan of singing 'The Long And Winding Road' so I don't think I'll put that one on."
Do you think that will offend Gareth Gates?
"Not at all. He seems to be doing pretty well recently by getting the lead part in Joseph. When I was at drama school I would have dreamed about doing that. You get really good money too so he's probably on more money than me! I speak to him sporadically and he's a happily married man now. He's doing better than me – I'm single and 30, what a loser!
Will Young releases new single 'Let It Go' on March 2. His album of the same name is out now.
Was it really that long ago that he won Pop Idol? :eek:
'Let It Go' is your last single to get a physical release. Why did you decide to stop?
"I just think that downloading is the way forward on the whole. Physical sales have dropped so much recently that for me it isn't really worth printing proper ones. I think it's sad in a way – I actually just bought a Grace Jones single on 7" and really like to have something in front of me, but I guess it's also handy going online and taking just one song from an album."
Do you remember the first single you bought?
"Absolutely, yes! It was Kylie Minogue's 'I Should Be So Lucky' and I still have it today. I love the picture with her in a hat and the frizzy hair, it's so eighties!"
'Let It Go' is quite emotionally revealing. Do you find it hard to open up?
"I suppose we all do it in different ways. If you're an actor you do it through playing a part and being a singer you express yourself through songwriting. I find inspiration through music but hopefully not to the point of being self-indulgent. I do tend to have a miserable patch on every album, but I hope there's an honesty to it that people can relate to."
Do many people tell you that they relate to your music?
"Yeah, I think it's because most of my songs are love songs. 'Leave Right Now' was one song that people really seemed to identify with, as was 'Changes' from this album. It's funny what songs people seem to pick up on. I don't write songs specifically so that people can identify with them, so don't expect Credit Crunch: The Album from me anytime soon!"
Were you pleased with the general response to your album Let It Go?
"It's not sold as much as previous albums, but in terms of critical acclaim it's done the best. I'm also really pleased that I've got to do festivals and different things to what I've done before. It really depends on how you want to measure success - I'm really pleased because I think it's a well-written pop album."
Do you prefer performing songs you've written yourself?
"No, I realised the other day that I much prefer performing other people's songs! It's really weird but I feel freer, like I'm playing a part. I think I'm too attached to songs I write myself and it's harder to have as much perspective on them."
You've just appeared on Question Time. Did you do much preparation?
"I prepped up for it and became really boring. I got up each day and listened to the Today programme on Radio 4 and then regurgitated lots of information to friends. I felt pretty smug about it, but it was a really great opportunity."
Do you think you'll become more politically active in the future?
"I'm already working with my brother Rupert on a charity to help tackle depression. I wouldn't say I'm an intellect though and I'm wary of performers who think they can talk about a whole host of things. Someone like Annie Lennox has made a really big difference for human rights, but you have to know a lot about the issue to do that."
What can we expect from you over the next 12 months?
"Well, I've got two albums that I'm working on at the moment. I'm doing a dance album that I'm really keen to get finished. I've worked with some really great people like Groove Armada and Superbass but I can't give too much away. I've always loved vocal house stuff and my single remixes always sound really good, but it is quite a departure for me."
What's the other album you're working on?
"I'm working on some Noel Coward music. It's in the very early stages and I don't know how it will end up. I'm also working on a dance piece which I started last year and want to extend and finish. I might even film it, we'll just have to see how it goes."
When you get round to releasing a 'Greatest Hits' album, will there be any singles you leave off?
"Well, considering I've released four albums and about 15 singles I could probably do it soon. I've never really had a single that's completely bombed, but there are ones I prefer more than others. I'm not an enormous fan of singing 'The Long And Winding Road' so I don't think I'll put that one on."
Do you think that will offend Gareth Gates?
"Not at all. He seems to be doing pretty well recently by getting the lead part in Joseph. When I was at drama school I would have dreamed about doing that. You get really good money too so he's probably on more money than me! I speak to him sporadically and he's a happily married man now. He's doing better than me – I'm single and 30, what a loser!
Will Young releases new single 'Let It Go' on March 2. His album of the same name is out now.
Was it really that long ago that he won Pop Idol? :eek: