Yungblud has responded to fan reactions describing his recent performance as a “passing of the torch” in rock music. He revealed a conversation he had with Ozzy Osbourne about the matter in an interview with NME.
The comments came after fans praised his performance of “Changes” at his “Back to the Beginning” concert. Many suggested he could be Ozzy’s successor in rock music. When asked about these fan reactions, Yungblud shared details of his recent conversation with the Black Sabbath frontman.
“I was speaking to Ozzy yesterday about it and I just said ‘Thank you, I’m going to try my best to make you proud,'” Yungblud said. “I do really love rock music and it feels like it’s coming back. People are ready for it again, so I’m going to hold onto the ball and I’m going to run with it.”
This conversation represents the latest chapter in an ongoing relationship between the two artists that has developed over recent years.
Louder Sound reported that Ozzy has previously stated that he sees a lot of himself in Yungblud. The connection between the two musicians became more apparent during their collaboration on Yungblud’s music video for “The Funeral.” Ozzy and his wife Sharon made a memorable cameo appearance by running over the young artist with their car.
During the making of that video, Ozzy offered Yungblud some candid advice about stage performance and authenticity. The Black Sabbath frontman encouraged him to express himself freely on stage. He told him that if he wanted to spit beer on the audience, he should do it as long as it came from a place of love.
“They will understand you later. Time always tells,” Ozzy advised, as Louder Sound noted. He also encouraged Yungblud not to apologize for his authentic expression. He emphasized the importance of staying true to oneself in rock music.
The mentorship reflects Ozzy’s recognition of Yungblud’s potential to carry forward rock music’s rebellious spirit. This bond between the veteran rocker and the rising star underscores a generational passing of rock’s core values of authenticity and fearless self-expression.
