There’s nothing quite like going to a show of someone you know is brilliant live – and walking out even more excited and impressed by them. But that’s exactly what happened on Monday night, when we headed to the BBC's Broadcasting House to watch Will Young record a special live session for BBC Radio 2 In Concert (which will air on Thursday 1 December from 8pm).
The star arrived on stage in a bold red shirt, tail coat and leather boots (host Jo Whiley introduced him by saying he was dressed in bondage gear – to which he played along, before laughing, “It’s just a zip really.” And he really looked the part of the well-established – and well-respected - singer.
The set was showcasing Will’s latest album, Echoes, a bright new record which doesn’t fail to demonstrate just how far he has come since his Pop Idol win a whole ten years ago.
The show started off with Will’s full band and three backing singers – all launching straight into the new album. Lie Next To Me got the intimate audience immediately swaying before the star reminded us all why we feel in love with him with classic hits like Changes, Who Am I and a cover of The Doors’ Light My Fire.
Personal Thunder certainly got the crowd thinking with it's powerful tune and the best bit? Without a doubt Will’s phenomenal cover of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill. “We did it on the tour and it seemed to go down very well,” he beamed at the crowd. And it certainly went down well. The still, open-mouthed audience were certainly in awe by the end of that number.
But as with any loved artist it was the oldies that left a shiver and tingle as the show came to a close. Leave Right Now obviously swept everyone away from the delightful venue and into a universe where they felt every word he sang. And an adapted, darker version of Evergreen gave a beautiful penultimate performance before Will closed with Jealousy.
There was no doubt that Will was going to put on a great show – but the amount of times you listened to that voice and thought 'how beautiful. How lucky we are to have found this talent’ was countless. He may have been the product of a TV show ten years ago, but Will is well and truly a star now. Not just a star, an artist – and even his jokes provide the perfect performance.
Hear Will Young’s full live session tomorrow (Thursday 1 December) at 8pm
