More than two decades after Pop Idol put him in front of millions, Will Young remains a distinctive figure in British pop, with four UK No.1 singles and four chart-topping albums to his name.
Raised in West Berkshire, Young studied politics at university before enrolling at London’s Arts Educational School in 2001. His plans changed quickly. In February 2002, he beat Gareth Gates to win the first series of Pop Idol, attracting 4.6 million votes in the final. Debut double A-side ‘Anything Is Possible’/‘Evergreen’ followed, selling more than 1.1 million copies in its first week and setting a record for the fastest-selling debut single in UK chart history.
Young’s first album, From Now On, appeared later that year. Friday’s Child followed in 2003 and supplied two defining singles: ‘Leave Right Now’ and ‘Your Game’, the latter earning British Single at the 2005 BRIT Awards. Keep On arrived in 2005, followed by Let It Go in 2008 and Echoes in 2011, whose sleek electronic pop produced another major hit in ‘Jealousy’.
Away from recording, Young developed a parallel acting career. Screen appearances included Mrs Henderson Presents and Skins, before his performance as the Emcee in Cabaret brought an Olivier Award nomination. He returned to music with 85% Proof in 2015, then reunited with collaborators including Richard X for 2019’s Lexicon.
Young published To Be A Gay Man in 2020, writing candidly about sexuality. A year later, Crying On The Bathroom Floor reworked songs by female artists including Robyn and Bat For Lashes, reaching No.3 on the UK Albums Chart. 20 Years – The Greatest Hits and an accompanying tour marked two decades since his Pop Idol win in 2022.
In 2024, Light It Up brought Young back to original material after five years and reached No.5 in the UK. Next comes another milestone: his Evergreen 25th Anniversary Tour takes him across the UK in 2027, revisiting a song that started an exceptional pop career alongside the records that followed it.
Will Young Upcoming Tour Dates:
Sat February 20 2027 – MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Sun February 21 2027 – NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 City Hall tickets from ticketmaster.com
Mon February 22 2027 – LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall
Wed February 24 2027 – GLASGOW SEC Armadillo
Thu February 25 2027 – YORK Barbican
Sat February 27 2027 – SHEFFIELD City Hall
Sun February 28 2027 – NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
Tue March 02 2027 – BRISTOL Beacon
Wed March 03 2027 – BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall
Fri March 05 2027 – OXFORD New Theatre
Sat March 06 2027 – BRIGHTON Centre
Sun March 07 2027 – SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
Tue March 09 2027 – BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Wed March 10 2027 – PLYMOUTH Arena
Fri March 12 2027 – LONDON Eventim Apollo
Sat March 13 2027 – CARDIFF Utilita Arena Cardiff
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