Will Young: I’m a new artist again

Will Young spoke to Free Radio about naming his album after an idea his brother gave him whilst they were away on a kick boxing training camp in Thailand, why he feels like a new artist and being a show off.

On feeling like he's a new artist again
I did cabaret immediately after my last album promo finished, then did the Olivier's, then thought I really like this, I want to do it again. Did it again, so that was one year out. Took another year out, to do some teaching and some studying and some writing and general holidaying. And I moved to Island Records, from Sony, which is amazing. And I moved management to IE. Robbie's with them, and Passenger. It's basically like I'm a new artist again, because I'm with a new record label, new management, new album!

On being a show off
Ohhh I love it (making videos)! I just love showing off. I'm basically a big show off. I think it's just the attention seeking side of me.

On the title of his new album '85% Proof'
I was away in Thailand doing a kick boxing training camp with my brother - you didn't expect that did you?! Neither did I actually! My brother was telling me about how in the 16th Century, sailors would get paid by rum, and to test the alcohol content they'd put a little bit of it with gunpowder. They'd light the gunpowder and if it went off, it had over 50% alcohol. The phrase was '50% proof' or whatever it was. And so I just thought '85% Proof' was really good! I think the songs are very honest and bold, and I think it (the album needed a bold title. I hate doing album titles! I've always picked my own, and they always sound like self-help books!

On the new record
We did it (recorded it) in 10 days! I did the last record with the same guys, and we've become more like a band really. I don't really listen to music that's out there while I'm writing, because I don't want to be influenced, it's really easy to be, and then it doesn't seem so honest. I think that's then unfair on an audience. I think they know it as well!

Anymore acting in the pipeline?
Not for the time being no. I've got so much to do with this record, I'm not really focusing on anything else, definitely not for the next 2 years.