Yungblud says his fanbase has transformed in unexpected ways, admitting he now sees “truckers” standing alongside the queer, alternative fans who once dominated his gigs.
The 28-year-old rocker – who is currently on his IDOLS world tour – told The i newspaper that the shift reflects how much the Yungblud persona has evolved.
He said the project is no longer tied to the “juvenile, naïve, political” image he was once judged on, and that he finally feels able to be himself.
Yungblud – whose real name is Dominic Harrison – explained: “Yungblud has become many different things to many different people, which means I can now be more myself.”
He added that the name has grown far beyond the northern teenager he started out as.
Yungblud said: “There are many different iterations of Yungblud.
“I didn’t know if Yungblud was going to be a Ziggy Stardust character, but the name is now bigger than a bright kid from the north of England. Even the f****** customs officials at 6am between Buffalo and Toronto know who Yungblud is.”
Yungblud also said his ambitions have increased as his audience has widened.
He said: “They’ve accelerated because now I want to walk out onto a stadium stage.
“That’s the dream. I’ve done arenas, I’ve done festivals, but I want to be a stadium artist.”
He pushed back at labels that have followed him throughout his rise, insisting he never claimed to be the “future of rock” and doesn’t want to be framed that way.
He said: “I am a middle-class kid, I never claimed I wasn’t, and I’m just doing my thing. I’m an English kid who loves his country.”
Despite the changes, he said the mix of fans – from blue-haired queer kids to truckers – is something he embraces.
He said: “They’re together and they’re having a good time. I f****** love that.”
