Will Young interview: “After 15 years, it was time for a shake-up”

Since winning the inaugural series of Pop Idol in 2002, Will Young has forged one of the most impressive careers of his TV talent show peers. Having seen out his five album deal with Sony (the only post-Idol/X Factor winner along with Kelly Clarkson to do so), he’s signed with Island Records for record number six, 85% Proof.

Arriving four years after his chart-topping Echoes album, during which time he's starred in revival of musical Cabaret and launched a vintage clothing store, we sat down with the singer to find out what we can expect from his latest collection…

Hi Will! You’re releasing your new record 85% Proof next week. Six albums in, do you still get excited about album release week?

It’s great! I’m so happy to be back and I’m loving talking about the album, because I’m genuinely very proud of it.

It’s your first album since leaving Sony and signing a new record deal with Island, which must make it extra exciting?

It was time for a change, nothing more. I’d seen out the whole deal – the whole six album deal with Sony – which I’m really proud of. To come from a talent show, which I’m also really proud of, to signing with Sony and now to move on to Island makes me feel excited.

There was no bitterness there; in fact it was just very sad, because I had to leave the same team that had been with me from the beginning. I’ve also changed management from 19 which is a big deal after 15 years, and thankfully they’re just brilliant. It was time for a shake-up. Everyone has been so nurturing and tough when they need to be.

It’s been four years since your last album Echoes… what took you so long?

During Cabaret in London I moved to Ireland and met with (Universal’s chief exec) David Jospeh and (Island’s chief exec) Darcus [Beese] and said I don’t to write or sing for a while, I want to do other stuff, and they agreed. When I finally got around to doing the album, I was raring to go! I was sending the songs back to Darcus and he loved them, so I feel fairly confident about the whole thing. I was worried it might be too eclectic, but everyone seemed to love it.

When you eventually sat down record this one, did you have an idea of what sort of album you were going for?  

It’s an album that just sort happened. I didn’t overly think about it, I just did it, so it’s hard describe. It was literally a case of songs happening in the sessions and getting on with it. Except one song, which I came up with the idea for before the session. It’s called Gold and my aim was for it to be a country song, but it’s not turned out that way. I’ve really been getting into country music lately – I bought one of those cheap compilation albums at a petrol station and everything…

You’ve recorded it with Jim Eliot, who worked on your last album Echoes…

I love that album so much, but yes, something has obviously clicked with us. We basically did this whole album in five sessions over ten days. We were so efficient it’s almost worrying! It just worked.

Echoes is still a really good album. Were you ever tempted to knock one of those out again?

Ahh I really love that album as well! I considered doing that but I was worried about it, because it probably wouldn’t have been as good. There’s one song on the album called Promise Me which definitely has that Echoes vibe to it. Put it this way, if I wanted to make another Echoes that badly, it would have just happened, but the sessions didn’t work out that way.

What’s the best song on 85% Proof?

I don’t have one.

Come on…

I honestly don’t! I really think all the songs are so good. I was listening to the finished versions of the deluxe tracks the other day and they’re also really good. Which is saying something, because I really had my heart set on doing a 10 track album, which is a hard thing to do. Every song is a winner – I didn’t want any dead wood! 

Will Young releases 85% Proof on May 25.