Yungblud: Oli Sykes ‘Saved My Life’ Growing Up

While 2020 has been a rough year, there have been some musical highlights for Yungblud this year, including having a chance to collaborate with Bring Me the Horizon's Oli Sykes on the song "Obey." For Yungblud, it was a chance to work with an artist who meant so much to him growing up.

The vocalist, who just released his own album Weird! this week, told NME that Sykes' approach to music and his presentation spoke to him during his teen years. “He literally redefined my perception of growing up in wearing make-up and being different in the north. He basically saved my life,” Yungblud said.

So it was a huge deal for Yungblud when he got the call to collaborate. “I’d waited my whole life to scream on a Bring Me The Horizon song. I was pissed in LA when he called and I told him that I was going to the studio immediately," recalls Yungblud. “He’s like, ‘Woah, woah, woah – we haven’t finished the song.' I said I’d been waiting for this call my whole life, got into the studio, turned the mic on and just screamed for seven hours."

While Yungblud shared his admiration for Sykes and Bring Me the Horizon, the respect is mutual with Sykes commenting earlier this year, “He’s the kind of artist that rock needs – the kind of rockstar that changes a scene. I love him; he lights up a room. He’s the polar opposite to me. I wish I could have that confidence that he has. It’s infectious and that’s why a lot of kids look up to him. Not since Bowie have we had people who are just so unashamedly and genuinely themselves and don’t give fuck or play by the rules."

With Yungblud's new album just dropping, Sykes also posted on Instagram sharing, “Gonna get a lil deep 4 @yungblud since his album WEIRD! is out today. Go stream/buy/whatever now… make him no.1. He deserves it he works so hard, and genuinely means what he puts out into the world & cares about the people in it. He’s rare as fuck & ur lucky to have him. I feel compelled to root & look out 4 him wether he needs it or not.. glad to have him as a friend … Kill it dude.”