YUNGBLUD

Article by Brittany Ormiston

A tall black curtain dropped from the ceiling, and red lips appeared to ask the audience a few important questions. The voice was YUNGBLUD himself demanding every single concert-goer give every ounce of their energy to the show. Then the room went silent, and the crowd was on the edge of their seats. The instrumentals for ‘Strawberry Lipstick’ echoed throughout the venue, and YUNGBLUD emerged in shiny leather pants with tall pink socks. He had one final question: “Indianapolis, are you ready to go fookin crazy?” The crowd wasted no time, and screamed the lyrics to every song on the setlist. After performing ‘Parents’ off of his most recent album weird!, YUNGBLUD stood on stage completely awestruck at the crowd’s intensity. “We’re all here to go fookin mental,” he shouted while forming a rock-on sign and smiling from ear-to-ear.

YUNGBLUD is by far one of the most interactive artists, especially when performing live in concert. During the Life On Mars Tour, he started a competition to see which show could sing the chorus of ‘Fleabag’ the loudest. He also made sure to ramp-up the crowd in Indianapolis even more by stating the Columbus, OH show was currently in first place. The simple act of making fans pinky promise to jump during ‘Ice Cream Man’ goes to show how wholesome YUNGBLUD is. He made it a point to engage with a different fan every time he relocated to another part of the stage. He ensured every fan was seen and appreciated, and did not hesitate to call them family time and time again. 

YUNGBLUD has a special relationship with his fans that he does not take for granted. He has helped create a safe space at shows and in the fandom, and accepts individuals from all walks of life. A number of fans feel so at home with YUNGBLUD they take signs to the shows asking him to help them come out, sometimes to their loved ones. In Indianapolis, he brought a fan on stage and gave her the opportunity to come out as bisexual. She later tweeted YUNGBLUD saying, “YOU saved my life and made me brave. Thanks to you, I am who I am!” In turn, the fans make YUNGBLUD brave and provide him with the platform to express himself without judgment. During the show, he started to get choked up when giving a speech about not being able to be his true self for most of his life. That has changed all because of the support and kindness of the fans. YUNGBLUD considers the fans a community, The Black Hearts Club, named for a tattoo he has on his finger to honor them. YUNGBLUD is a quirky, authentic pop-punk icon who will continue to build a world where everyone fookin belongs. “Never be afraid to be who you are. Your individuality it’s the best thing you have. If people won’t accept you. We will.” 

Egyptian Room of Old National Centre in Indianapolis, IN on February 20, 2022

Photos by Everly Ormiston