Entertainment
Will Young was once told he’d only be allowed to perform at awards show if he kissed George Michael on stage-Kim Novak-Entertainment – Metro
He opened up on homophobia he experienced.
Will Young has opened up on homophobia in the music industry and how he was told he would have to kiss George Michael on stage if he wanted to perform at an awards show.
The singer, 43, came out as gay shortly after winning Pop Idol in 2002 but revealed at Metro’s Pride party, celebrating 50 years of Pride, that things were very different in the music industry towards LGBT people at the time.
During a Q&A on stage at The Box Soho, Will revealed that he was told by a record company executive that he would need to have a ‘Madonna and Britney moment’ and kiss George Michael if he was to perform at the Brits.
He explained: ‘They tried to get me to perform at the Brits. They were like, “We can go only get you on The Brits if you perform with George Michael and you kiss at the end.”
‘I was like – this an exclusive – the only way I could get on The Brits is if we [George and I] did a duet, and then did a Madonna / Britney thingy.’
Will revealed: ‘But I said no. It’s a sign of what it was like then.’
Will Young publicly came out as gay shortly after winning Pop Idol in 2002 (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)Will also opened up on homophobia within the industry, adding: ‘I’m probably in quite a privileged position. I noticed that when people realised they could start making money out of it, then it was like, make him gay, make him gay.
‘It changed quite quickly. There were certain artists, they were like, “we need songs like that,” so that’s interesting.
‘I remember a head of a record company saying I sounded too gay on a track, and sent it back. Then this guy called Steve Lipson, whose a brilliant producer, he just didn’t change it and sent it back.’
He was once told to kiss George Michael on stage for a stunt but refused (Picture: LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)Will was among the guests at Metro’s Pride party, where Metro.co.uk’s Executive Editor Richard Hartley-Parkinson spoke of the ongoing importance of Pride, 50 years on.
He told the audience: ‘Many people say we’re safe in this, the greatest city in the world. However, and I’m sorry to burst that London bubble, that’s not my lived experience.
‘I still struggle to hold my husband’s hand because of abuse we’ve suffered, including an incident just 10 years ago in central London on the night of Pride where my then-boyfriend and I feared for our lives because of the intimidation and harassment we were experiencing.
‘That intimidation is not just something that LGBTQ people experience on the streets. According to the Albert Kennedy Trust, half of young people in the UK fear being evicted for revealing their sexuality and far too many feel threatened by relatives before becoming homeless. That’s why we’re supporting the Albert Kennedy Trust.’
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Metro.co.uk celebrates 50 years of Pride
This year marks 50 years of Pride, so it seems only fitting that Metro.co.uk goes above and beyond in our ongoing LGBTQ+ support, through a wealth of content that not only celebrates all things Pride, but also share stories, take time to reflect and raises awareness for the community this Pride Month.
And we’ve got some great names on board to help us, too. From a list of famous guest editors taking over the site for a week that includes Rob Rinder, Nicola Adams, Peter Tatchell, Kimberly Hart-Simpson, John Whaite, Anna Richardson and Dr Ranj, as well as the likes of Sir Ian McKellen and Drag Race stars The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney and Tia Kofi offering their insights.
During Pride Month, which runs from 1 – 30 June, Metro.co.uk will also be supporting Kyiv Pride, a Ukrainian charity forced to work harder than ever to protect the rights of the LGBTQ+ community during times of conflict, and youth homelessness charity AKT. To find out more about their work, and what you can do to support them, click here.
For Metro.co.uk‘s latest Pride coverage, click here.
