Yungblud has never been afraid of taking a big swing. The 27-year-old musician, born and raised in Doncaster, is one of the UK’s most charismatic young performers with songs that tackle weighty topics: gun ownership in the US; stories of sexual assault; the battle for trans rights; finding yourself in an ever-darkening world. Two UK number one albums — Weird! (2020) and Yungblud (2022) — and a festival in his own name would suggest that his candour has resonated far and wide.
Even so, the era that Yungblud, real name Dominic Harrison, is about to enter with his new double album — the first part of which, titled Idols, is out now — reaches for new levels of ambition. Hello Heaven, Hello, the record’s opening track, is a rock epic featuring key changes and time signature shifts, flying past the nine-minute mark. ‘I really want to show the world what I can do now as a songwriter,’ he tells M from his hotel in New York. ‘I want to be ambitious with my ideas and my vision.’
Since his emergence in 2018, Yungblud has become an in-demand songwriter and performer. His credits include collaborations with Halsey, Machine Gun Kelly, Bring Me The Horizon, Lil Yachty, Willow and Demi Lovato. His own material, meanwhile, has received international exposure via syncs in Netflix TV drama 13 Reasons Why, Hollywood blockbuster The Fall Guy and cult Japanese manga Kaiju No. 8.
Even so, Dominic was in danger of falling into a creative rut. When Weird! hit the top spot in December 2020 he began writing material that would feature on Idols, but he was talked out of the project and instead shepherded down a path of safer songs. That resulted in 2023’s self-titled LP. ‘While there’s some really good songs on it, it wasn't the project that I wanted to make,’ he admits. The album again took the number one spot in the UK and landed within the top 50 of the Billboard 200, but Dominic remained dissatisfied.
‘I want to be ambitious with my ideas and my vision.’
Dominic’s outsized Yungblud persona — gobby, chaotic and earnest — was also being weaponised against him by critics and trolls on social media. ‘I didn't realise how much being polarising affected me as a songwriter,’ he says. ‘When I put myself out there and people turned their nose up or questioned me… it led me to self-deprecate a lot. That forced me to hide and push down emotions and to not go on an adventure musically.’
A label move (to Capitol in the US and Island in the UK), a newfound love for physical exercise (he boxes daily) and a renewed confidence in his abilities saw Dominic tap into new places as a songwriter. He returned to Yorkshire to record in Leeds, a short journey away from his family in Doncaster, and did away with the rotating cast of songwriters that had crept into his process. He established a core team of collaborators for the sessions including longtime producer Matti Schwartz, touring guitarist Adam Warrington and composer and arranger Bob Bradley.
Idols’ songs came to life on the guitar, piano or drums, with Dominic and the team searching for a timeless feel. ‘Sometimes in the past I would pull from samples, [recording software] Splice or a beat to get things going, but with Idols it started with this defiantly analogue set-up,’ he explains. Bob guided him on how to interact with an orchestra, helping Dominic tune his songwriting into its capabilities.
The commitment to its craft is felt keenly, and Dominic now has an opportunity to go beyond what people expect of him. He looked to work by Pink Floyd such as Dark Side of The Moon (1973) and Wish You Were Here (1975) for inspiration, alongside The Verve and David Bowie. On the track Zombie there’s a kinship with Coldplay’s 2000 megahit Yellow, while the ambition of Fire matches that of U2’s 1988 UK chart-topper Desire. The album’s stark black and white cover, meanwhile, was inspired by Joy Division’s Closer. Idols feels like an album unashamedly gunning to be considered a 21st century rock classic.
The decision to make a double LP — the release date for part two has yet to be announced — intended to both disrupt the shortening shelf life of albums in the streaming age and take his fans on a journey. Dominic describes the first half’s lyrical content as focusing on self-reclamation, while the second half has a darker, knottier feel. Idols also has an overarching narrative, but he’s not revealing when, or if, he’ll share that with fans. Being too obvious with the plot, he says, is ‘what the old Yungblud would have done'. He relishes the idea of releasing such an ostentatious record that might confuse his core listeners.
‘I'm not sure if the world is going to get this instantly,’ he adds of the new record. ‘I don't know if my fanbase will, but I know that in 20 or 30 years, [Idols] will still make sense.’
Dominic’s passionate followers — dubbed the Black Hearts Club — have set the standard for modern fandom, and over the years they’ve been well-served with a smattering of music, music videos and a graphic novel. It's Bludfest, however, that is proving to be one of his towering achievements. First held in June 2024 at Milton Keynes Bowl, the one-day event was created and booked by Dominic to fill a gap in the festival scene and to offer affordable prices in an ever-growing ticket market. Lola Young, Lil Yachty and The Damned were all booked for the show, and the day concluded with a headline set by Yungblud. The second edition will take place this weekend, featuring another headline set by Dominic as well as performances by Chase Atlantic, Denzel Curry and a slate of emerging new acts.
Dominic wants to provide an alternative in festival culture, but to also use ‘my massive platform and give people some opportunities’. Lola’s set in 2024 arrived before her global success with hit song Messy, and Dominic is now tipping Rachel Chinouriri — who featured on the 2025 line-up — for similar success in the future. He says he’s ‘patriotic as fuck’ when it comes to British music and feels it’s in everyone’s vested interests to support the grassroots.
‘When you get a royalty cheque, that's when it's real.’
There’s a new attention to detail in his performances, too. He’s taken up lessons with a vocal coach to protect his voice while on tour and to make it a focal point of the show. ‘I want to really strip things back, as I think there's a lot of fucking gimmicks in live music at the moment,’ he says. ‘I want to do a gig like Queen or Nick Cave would do [and have the audience] be moved by my voice and my band, instead of relying on pyrotechnics.’
The creation of Idols has brought Dominic back in touch with his early days as a musician, when he particularly prioritised and protected his creative spark. He remembers receiving his first PRS royalties cheque and how it gave him a greater perspective about the responsibilities and opportunities that come with being a songwriter.
‘I think my lawyer or accountant sent me an email like, “Guess what just came in?” and I couldn’t believe it. When you get a royalty cheque, that's when it's real.’ How did he treat himself? ‘I got about £1,500 and went and bought a Gibson B-25 acoustic guitar. I've still got it, it's amazing.’
Dominic’s journey has taken him to some of the world’s biggest stages and seen him collaborate with international superstars. But making Idols truly gave him faith in his own ability as a songwriter, producer and performer. He was finally able to shut out the noise and make something true that, he hopes, will stand the test of time.
‘It’s been such a beautiful process to make a record back in the UK with my best friends and my family,’ he says. ‘You have to force yourself to make something original or take a left-turn. That's why this album is such an adventure.’
Yungblud's new album Idols is out now. Yungblud is the cover star of the latest special edition of M Magazine, which will be available to read online next week.
