Young was born in Wokingham, Berkshire, UK, with a non-identical twin, Rupert. He was educated at Horris Hill preparatory school and Wellington College.
He then attended the University of Exeter where he read Politics. At university, some of Young's old haunts included Timepiece, The Old Firehouse, and Harry's, where he used to work. In September 2001, he became a student at the Arts Educational School in Chiswick, London, starting a three-year course in musical theatre with a scholarship.
In February 2002, Young came to national prominence by singing in and winning the ITV singing contest/reality tv show Pop Idol.
Contrary to popular belief, Will was not a surprise winner when beating Gareth Gates in the final show; in fact, he gained the most votes nearly every week throughout the entire finals. A lot of 'casual' viewers of Pop Idol may have been surprised at Will's victory because Gareth had got a lot of publicity (partly) due to his stutter, perhaps creating the illusion that he was more likely to win than Will.
Young's first single was a double A-side featuring Westlife's song "Evergreen" and "Anything Is Possible", a new song written for the winner of the show by Cathy Dennis. This became the fastest-selling debut in UK chart history selling 403,027 copies on its day of release. It went on to sell over 1.4 million copies and in the official list of the all-time best-selling singles in the UK issued later that year, it appeared 12th. Will subsequently made headlines by revealing he was gay. He went on to win the Brits Best Breakthrough Act Award and a plethora of other awards, including most recently Best Artist in the Digital Music Awards October 2004. Early singles of note include "Light My Fire" (done José Feliciano style), "Leave Right Now", and "Friday's Child". The latter is the title of his second album, which was largely self-penned, went five-times platinum, also receiving awards and critical acclaim.
Young received his second Brit Award in February 2005 for his co-written single "Your Game". Following sell out theatre and arena tours in 2004, he toured again at outside festival venues in Summer 2005. On July 6, 2005, he performed at Edinburgh 50,000 - The Final Push, the final concert of Live 8, where he did a duet with James Brown on "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag". His third album, Keep On was released in November 2005, together with the first single from same, "Switch It On".
On 29 September 2008, Young's fourth album, Let It Go, was released, and peaked at #2 in the UK albums chart. It was preceded by the single "Changes" on 15 September, which peaked at #10. His next single "Grace" was released on 1 December 2008, and peaked at #33 on the UK Singles Chart. Will's third single taken from the album will be "Let It Go", was released on 2 March 2009 in the UK, and peaked at #58 on the UK Singles Chart. The fourth and final single was "Tell Me the Worst", and was released on July 5, 2009 only in the UK. It served as a club promo, and featured some Fred Falke remixes.
A greatest hits collection, The Hits, was released on the 16th of November 2009. contains twelve songs from Young's first four studio albums, and two new tracks. The first is new single "Hopes & Fears", and the second is a ballad called "If It Hadn't Been for Love". The album will be released as a standard edition and a deluxe edition, which will include a DVD of all the music videos.
Songfacts reports that Jealousy, the first single from Young’s fifth studio album Echoes is a dance pop track produced by Richard X (Sugababes, Annie). The song will be released on August 21, 2011.
Young has been nominated for Ten BRIT Awards [4 x Best British Male - 4 X Best British single - Best pop Act- Best Breakthrough] . In May 2006, he was voted the UK's favourite artist ever in a poll conducted by commercial radio. In May 2007, he was voted the UK's favourite artist of all time for the second consecutive year.
Young has also broadened his repertoire by launching an acting career, taking a role in the BBC film, Mrs. Henderson Presents, starring Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins, with Will playing the character of 'Bertie'. The film went on release in the UK on 25 November 2005, and received excellent reviews, not least for Young's performance as actor and singer in the movie. It includes a scene in which he appears naked.
Will Young supports the charity Women's Aid, about which he wrote: "I am proud to put my name beside this cause and hope that I may be able to help more people affected by the terrors of domestic violence as well as help to create a wider awareness within our society."
Will also supports Mencap and Positive Action Southwest (PASW) for which he performed at his first solo concert in July 2003 at Killerton Hall, Exeter.
Official Website: http://www.willyoung.co.uk/global/home
Lovestruck
Will Young Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Swirling around and around like a merry go round
You know I still get that sentimental feeling
Cool neon sky asking all kinds of questions
As the moon nods his head and the stars wink an eye
You know I still get that sentimental feeling
It takes my breath away
I'm so emotionally loved-up
I'm dreaming night and day
It may not be for an eternity
I swear it's real today
Smooth summer breeze sends a smile to my skin
I watch my heart wonder out as the tide rushes in
Still ever-burning
That sentimental feeling
I'm spinning softly, I'm lovestruck
It takes my breath away
I'm so emotionally loved-up
I'm dreaming night and day
It may not be for an eternity
I guess that's just Love's way
Remember so well the memory so clear
Sweet words you whispered in my ear
The ocean set still the moment we touched
The feeling makes my body rush
I'm spinning softly, I'm lovestruck
It takes my breath away
I'm so emotionally loved-up
I'm dreaming night and day
I'm spinning softly, I'm lovestruck
It takes my breath away
I'm so emotionally loved-up
I'm dreaming night and day
It may not be for an eternity
This crazy spell has gotten hold of me
It's getting in my way
Blue dusky waters that caught us that night
Blue dusky waters that caught us that night
The lyrics to Will Young's song "Lovestruck" paint a scene of a serene, almost magical moment in time, where the singer is caught up in the overwhelming feeling of being in love. The blue dusky waters symbolize a romantic setting that captivated the singer on this special night. The swirling waters and merry-go-round feeling represent the initial dizzying excitement that comes with falling in love. The sentimental feeling that the singer mentions throughout the song indicates that he is nostalgic about this moment, and it has left a lasting impression on him.
The cool neon sky and the moon and stars seeming to ask all sorts of questions suggest that this is a moment of introspection for the singer. He is reflecting on this moment and the way he feels, recognizing that it is something significant and not to be taken lightly. The smooth summer breeze and the tide rushing in symbolize the continued natural forces at work, emphasizing the power of love.
The chorus of the song further illustrates the depth of the singer's emotions. He describes being lovestruck in a way that takes his breath away and makes him feel emotionally loved up. Although he recognizes that it may not be forever, he swears that it is real in the present moment.
Overall, the song is a beautiful declaration of love and the powerful feelings that come with it. The singer's words express the magic of being in love and the sentimentality of looking back on a special moment.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue dusky waters that caught us that night
The singer is recalling the night when they were caught up in the blue, dark waters that were swirling around them.
Swirling around and around like a merry go round
The swirling of the waters is compared to a merry-go-round, emphasizing the intensity of the experience.
You know I still get that sentimental feeling
The singer still feels a strong emotional attachment to that moment in time.
Cool neon sky asking all kinds of questions
The artist observes a sky filled with neon lights and suggests that it symbolizes the uncertainties of life.
As the moon nods his head and the stars wink an eye
Even though the night sky seems uncertain, the celestial bodies suggest that everything will work out in the end.
You know I still get that sentimental feeling
The singer is still emotionally attached to the moment, despite the uncertainties of life.
I'm spinning softly, I'm lovestruck
The singer is so in love that they feel dizzy and disoriented.
It takes my breath away
The intensity of the love is so strong that it even affects the artist's physical body.
I'm so emotionally loved-up
The level of emotion that the artist is feeling is overwhelming.
I'm dreaming night and day
The artist thinks about their love all the time, even in their dreams.
It may not be for an eternity
The singer is acknowledging that love may not last forever.
I swear it's real today
Despite acknowledging that love may not last forever, the artist still believes in their current love.
Smooth summer breeze sends a smile to my skin
The singer feels happy and peaceful in the moment because of the warm summer breeze.
I watch my heart wonder out as the tide rushes in
The singer's heart seems to be moving with the tides, emphasizing the strong emotional connection they feel with nature.
Still ever-burning
The strong emotional connection to the moment in time is still present.
Remember so well the memory so clear
The artist has a vivid memory of the experience, and it remains clear in their mind.
Sweet words you whispered in my ear
The artist remembers the loving words that their partner whispered to them.
The ocean set still the moment we touched
The moment when the singer and their partner touched was so intense that it felt like the entire ocean stood still.
The feeling makes my body rush
The intensity of the feeling is so strong that it affects the singer's entire being.
It may not be for an eternity
The artist acknowledges that their love may not last forever.
I guess that's just Love's way
The transience of love is simply a part of the experience of being in love.
This crazy spell has gotten hold of me
The artist feels as though they are under a spell because of the intensity of their love.
It's getting in my way
Despite the joy that their love brings, it may be interfering with other aspects of the singer's life.
Blue dusky waters that caught us that night
The artist ends the song by repeating the line that describes the moment in time that they are still emotionally attached to.
Lyrics © DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DENNIS, YOUNG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind