Yungblud Voices Discontent With Being Called “Future Of Rock”: “I Don’t Like People Thinking I Said That”

According to NME, Yungblud has recently spoken out about the perception of his public image, specifically voicing discontent with being referred to as the “future of rock.” 

British alternative rock artist, Yungblud, is currently on an extended North American leg of his World Tour. Having been in the music scene since 2017, he emphasized the evolution he and his music have undergone since then. The artist referenced how even the vision of how he wanted his artistic persona to present has changed over time, especially as he has grown in fame. 

“There are many different iterations of Yungblud,” he said. “I didn’t know if Yungblud was going to be a Ziggy Stardust [David Bowie] character, but the name is now bigger than a bright kid from the north of England.”

The artist has previously been involved in some controversy regarding the apparent disconnect some have noticed between the persona he presents through his music and the reality of his upbringing. Yungblud attended boarding school in Yorkshire growing up, as well as an independent Arts Education School in London later on, while his music exists within largely subversive genre and cultural scene. Fans drew the connection that the lyrics from rapper MGK’s song, “Fix Ur Face,” may be referring to these parts of Yungblud’s upbringing. Claiming that the lines, “leaving private schools, tryna be outlaws,” are meant to call out this contradiction. 

“I am a middle-class kid, I never claimed I wasn’t, and I’m just doing my thing,” Yungblud said in response. 

The perception of the artist’s persona has also been misconstrued from his own wishes in light of his current fame and the trajectory of his career. Dave Grohl, lead vocalist and founder of the Foo Fighters, and Matt Sorum, former member of Guns N’ Roses, notably dubbed Yungblud to be the “future of rock.” But the artist rejected this title, relating his perception as such and this idea of it to those that led to his aforementioned controversy. 

“I don’t like being called the future of rock,” he said. “I don’t like people thinking I said that.”