YUNGBLUD is one of today’s most in-demand musicians, but it wasn’t always that way for him, as he recently revealed that he faced the same negativity that other iconic musicians did at the start of their careers.
In an interview with Distractify, the 25-year-old rocker revealed that negative comments on social media bothered him because many people questioned his career’s authenticity.
However, he clarified that he saves energy for something more productive than focusing on the negative aspects of life.
He’s not alone in the industry; many legendary artists he’s met over the years have told him they’ve gone through the same thing.
He stated:
“When I speak to Ozzy [Osbourne], when I speak to Robert Smith, when I speak to Lenny Kravitz, everyone has.”
When people meet an artist who tells them the truth and shows them something “new and different,” he says, they don’t want to be confronted with it because it forces them to “face their truth.”
In a recent interview, YUNGBLUD mentioned a few iconic musicians, but one of his “full circle” moments was meeting The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger for the first time.
The “I Think I’m OKAY” singer tells Billboard that the vocalist is one of his biggest inspirations in the industry because of his work as an artist, activist, sex icon, and rockstar.
He’ll never forget his first encounter with the star when he walked right in after taking a shot of whiskey, saying:
“alright Mick how are you? In my head, I was like ‘What the f***?'”
In a previous interview with VICE to promote his recent self-titled album, the rocker stated that the way he presents himself to the public has made him a target of internet bullies and trolls.
Aside from being chastised for his appearance, he was accused of being a queerbaiter, a “industry plant,” and “appropriating the working class.”
Despite reading harsh words from detractors, YUNGBLUD, whose real name is Dominic Richard Harrison, remained authentic by remaining true to himself.
He said the internet could be cruel to young artists like Lil Nas X, Billie Eilish, and others. The rocker blamed Mac Miller’s death on online trolls because they’re “so angry at everything.”