Having a chance to meet Dominic Harris, also known as Yungblud, thanks to the incredible team over at 1824, I was quickly captivated by the artist’s energy. Waltzing in the call with a bottle of Prosecco, his carefree exuberance was refreshing and infectious. It wasn’t just laughter that was shared in this call. There was also this mutual understanding of the complications of life and this need to feel accepted.

This is what Yungblud as a concept is about. We shouldn’t force ourselves into a box, we should be able to freely express ourselves even in the face of judgment. Reflecting this sentiment, Harris said that there was a lot of pressure surrounding him while creating his first album. The songs in his first album were full of anger because no one had ever understood who he was. He was searching for people like him. After the release of that album, he had found them.

Weird! centers around these people. Dedicated to the weird years of our lives that no one can prepare you for. Weird! is a culmination of stories told personally by his audience. His music has allowed them to become themselves and in turn, their vulnerability has shaped him into the person we see today.

One such song that reflects this is “Mars”. A direct response to the world we’re in, this song explores the idea that it’s ok to ask questions and feel weird and confused and different. I mean, “why the fuck would you want to be like everyone else”?

“In a time of distress and fear, to be completely truthful is how to get answers and connect with people like you.”

This topic of truth is brought up again during the panel. He says that boundaries are for football players, not humans. Meaning, we shouldn’t place ourselves inside a specific boundary, we should be our unapologetic selves. To do so, we have to start telling the truth. As soon as he started telling the truth, people started listening and telling the truth back allowing him to not hide who he is.

From Halsey to Machine Gun Kelley; he collaborates with those he’s learned from and is comfortable around.

When he was 16 he went to London to become a rock star, but everyone told him that he wouldn’t get big for talking about politics and gender. It was him telling the truth that propelled his first album to the top of the charts. And it’s this in combination with his second studio album that will help him expand his fanbase and bring people together.