Brian May compares “classy” Yungblud to Freddie Mercury
Brian May has taken to social media to praise Yungblud’s recent cover of Queen’s 1977 hit, ‘We Are The Champions’, even comparing the young Doncaster singer to late bandmate Freddie Mercury.
Yungblud, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, filmed the acoustic cover for Apple Music, stripping back his typical punky style in favour of a more subdued acoustic. Soon after, May shared a video of Yungblud’s performance, captioning the clip: “Every now and then, while idly scrolling in the park, you come upon something that makes you go ‘wow’. And you just have to press that ‘follow’ button. Very classy.”
But some of his fans instantly disagreed with his compliments, which May quickly addressed in the comments. “Well, this has been an eye-opener for me. I’m smiling quietly at all the ‘no’ comments,” he said.
“I remember so clearly the same kind of derision being poured on Freddie when we started out as Queen. As soon as I see someone who can inspire such strong reactions, positive and negative, I’m sure this person is a star performer.”
Yungblud has often attracted controversy, whether it’s for spitting on fans or for accusations of queer-baiting. But the star remains unfazed, telling Nylon that he is “a direct representation of my modern generation”. Detailing further, the musician added: “We will not be boxed into bullshit. Why do you have to be a part of one idea, or a cliché, to obtain some kind of respect? I don’t want one hit record, like, ‘Oh, Yungblud, the guy who sings that.’ If I am ever one thing, I’m dead.”
But Brian May offered all of the Yungblud critics filling up his comments some kindly advice. “Just carry on kicking if you need to,” he said. “Perhaps it will make you feel better! I think the rest of us will keep an open mind.”
Watch Yungblud’s acoustic take on ‘We Are The Champions’ below:
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