Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (2:38)

One's more volumed up 100%. Like, because it's like I needed to protect myself. Why? Because I hated myself. I did. I grew up my whole life, like, feeling. Waking up with pain in my stomach, hating myself. So I was like, how can I create something that I love and want to be? It's like I almost like created a caricature to become like. Like a superhero. Like, I don't know, like Spider man or some. In my head. I was like, I don't just want to sing. I don't just want to blah, blah. I want to create something that I could can put on that makes me feel powerful and people can connect to that, make them feel powerful. It was literally just like. That's why I've always said young blood isn't me. I've always said it's each and every one of those people. Because you come to the gig, you put on the socks, you paint the nails, you get the heart tattoos. You find a community of people that are exactly like you and you can forget about everything for two hours. And that was why it. What it was. And now what's crazy is, like, now it's caught up with me a little bit. You don't think. You don't expect for it to kind of get as big as it is.

Jamie Laing (3:48)

No, you don't.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (3:49)

And then you get into a point where people start to not believe it because it's not real. I was like, well, it isn't. It's literally. It was a. It was a character that was built to make me feel like I could belong on this planet.

Jamie Laing (4:04)

I don't know why that makes you feel emotional. It's crazy. Yeah. That makes me feel, like, really emotional.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (4:09)

It is fucking emotional.

Jamie Laing (4:10)

It's really childlike as well because you're. It's your superhero. And then the superhero you is becoming. You're putting on your cape.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (4:16)

100 because it's just like, I like, felt. I am ordinary. I am an ordinary dude who likes a cup of tea with one sugar in it and, like, is really anxious and doesn't like cinnamon, you know what I mean? But when I'm young, blood, I'm like, can walk out in stage in front of 35,000 people and be like, yo, it's fucking gonna be alright. And then while I'm telling them that, I'm telling myself that because it never fucking pain doesn't stop. We all know that it doesn't fucking end. Just doesn't for every one of us. Not like in a way that's like every one of us goes through shit and it's just like, I need, I want that to be by people's side forever. And I think what I've realized is like going into our next album is like, people will leave this community. People come and go. People outgrow it. People like, oh, it was great when I was 15, but now I don't know anymore. And. And it's kind of used to worry me, but I'm like, I'm gonna be here forever. So when you want to come back, when you want to leave, when you want to vibe out, when you don't, it's cool. Like, I kind of had to really come to terms with that being like, every album is a. Is a personal thing. And I think I kind of really went into a thing where I was trying to cater for everybody and when you're trying to cater for five, you can't do it. So I just kind of had to say to myself, like, especially this next album that's coming that I'm making at the minute, Dominic is really bleeding into it. Really. You know, I mean, it's kind of got to the point where I'm like.

Jamie Laing (5:53)

Okay, like, because you're becoming more your organics. Authentic.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (5:58)

Yeah, I've just kind of, I've kind of gone on a mental journey where I've learned a lot. I've been kicked, I've been scratched, I've been scarred. I've also been loved and I've also met, I don't know, 200, 300, 400,000 people and heard their stories and kind of realized that, you know what, like, it'll be all right. Because I have a lot of faith in humanity. Even though the world's pretty right now, when I meet these people, I'm like, there's something, there's some help here because.

Jamie Laing (6:26)

Because you're almost then starting to accept yourself and you're going like, I can actually lean into Dominic now and just. Actually, it's okay. I'm. And you're comfortable, but it's a trip because it's scary.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (6:36)

It's the most scary because I'm like, oh, well. People fell in love with the character. If I like change it or morph it or drop it a little bit, I'm like, like, well, my biggest fear is abandonment, you know, I mean, from everything.

Jamie Laing (6:52)

Hey, snap padlock.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (6:53)

You know what I mean?

Jamie Laing (6:56)

Don't leave me.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (6:59)

And I think kind of that's why I love Bowie and I turn to Bowie a lot because that was. I think even though it might not have seemed intentional, Bowie's career was like whatever, 60 years long and he changed every fucking two years and became something new. And I don't know if that was because he didn't fucking know who he was the whole time. Like I'm talking about. And he had to put on these, create these superheroes, you know, I mean, it's all a trip, but you know.

Jamie Laing (7:24)

Do you know it's so funny the more. When you were that 7 year old kid, that naivety that you had, oh.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (7:30)

My God, you're the best thing ever.

Jamie Laing (7:32)

Because you're not worried. You don't have anything to lose. And then when you get to your position now, which is you're globally famous.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (7:38)

Yeah, it's crazy.

Jamie Laing (7:39)

Your albums are number one. You know, you're selling out everywhere. You have so much more to lose, 100%. And then for someone with the affair of abandonment, that pressure is almost so great because you're like, shit. What happens if this now goes?

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (7:53)

Yeah, it's the worst shit is like, I used to like your stuff. It's like, oh, it's the worst thing ever. It's like, I used to like your. I'm like, it's literally just like.

Jamie Laing (8:07)

Blood.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (8:08)

I'm like, oh. I'm like, what do I say to that?

Jamie Laing (8:11)

Like, I'll make something for you.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (8:13)

Yeah. I'm like, what do you want?

Jamie Laing (8:15)

What do you want?

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (8:15)

What can I give you? You want a jazz album?

Jamie Laing (8:17)

Sick.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (8:18)

1, 2, 3, whatever. Literally, it's like crazy to do that. You wanted J. I'm just like, what do you want? It's like you be. Oh, you used to be an email, but now you work in accounts at a law firm. Sick. What do you like, swing? Okay. You know what I mean? It's mental. And. But then like, then you realize, like, all you got to do is get back the naive it and just be like, I'm doing this.

Jamie Laing (8:46)

Oh, do it because it's for me, right? Yeah, it's not actually. Because then you start. When you start doing things for other people, that's when the creativity is Ruined because you're not being your true, authentic everything, everything.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (8:55)

When you start doing something for people, you're lying completely. You know what I mean? It's just literally just like, even if a little bit 2% lie, the people can smell it. And I think that's why Younger broke through in the first place, because it was so unhinged. Like, I remember, like, everyone's like, really? Do you want to do this? We put out parents and the line is like, like, my daddy put a gun to my head, said, if you kiss a boy, I'm gonna shoot you dead. So I tied him up with gaffer tape, locked him in a shed, then went out to the garden. My best friend, an Interscope, a crazy labeled, like, you cannot release that. That. You cannot release that. You're literally talking about gun violence and tying up your dad in the name of love. And I'm like, yeah. And we put it out, and it was huge. It's like, like two times platinum.

Jamie Laing (9:42)

Is it true?

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (9:43)

It was. It was. It was a resemblance of an older generation. It was just like. It was like every. It put the words in every young queer kid's mouth. It's like, you're not literally gonna, like, do that, but it's like.

Jamie Laing (9:56)

It's what you.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (9:57)

Take the power back.

Jamie Laing (9:58)

It's what you want to do.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (9:59)

Yeah, take the power back. It's just like, get with it, because it's. It's gonna happen. And it did. You know what I mean? It was. Was cool, man. It was cool to be a part of a movement around artists like Lil Pete, Mac Miller, Billie Eilish, you know what I mean? Like, a generation. Like, when you look back on it, I don't think you can really look at it now because you don't feel like you're a part of something. But it was like the Pistols and the Clash and a young movement in, like, across the countries, like Billy and Lil Nas X and Lil Peep and Mac Miller handling America. And then, like, we were trying to hold it down over here, you know what I mean? It was cool. It was cool to just kind of have this. This shift.

Jamie Laing (10:42)

Are you quite trusting?

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (10:44)

Too trusting, actually. Really? Yeah. I get bitten a lot because I like, I. I really with people, you know, I just love meeting people, Honestly, I'm. I get a. I just like. I'll have a conversation with anyone. The other day, right? Me, taxi driver. I brought him into the studio. Honestly, I got a taxi driver from the station. I was like, do you want to come in? He started talking about, you. Too. I was like, come and have a cup of tea. And he was there for six hours.

Jamie Laing (11:11)

What?

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (11:12)

Yeah, in Leeds. Just there for six hours. Started talking about you two and everything. And that came in the studio. My band's like, what the. Why are you doing this? What? Why is this, like, old Leeds United fan sat down in the studio. I'm like, nice guy in here.

Jamie Laing (11:28)

I love that. Because there's something. Because I see this, like, with all your fans that you have, right? Because you're. Your fans are so dedicated to you. And I see it, you know, I see it in, you know, Louis Theroux documentary. I see it when you talk about. On social media or, you know, in your music. You're so obsessed with your fans. And because we. I honestly think it's a. You. It's a British thing.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (11:50)

Yeah, no, it really is.

Jamie Laing (11:52)

But there's a difference. But also in a British thing, there's something like. When people are so dedicated and wanting to know people, whether it's like getting the taxi driver out, people want to think, oh, there's another alternative to that. There's something more to, oh, is he doing that just because. Oh, he wants to look like he's one of the people and stuff like that. And it's negative, but actually with you, it's not. You generally just want. You just like these people and want to connect with them.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (12:11)

I just love meeting people. I think, like, I think it's quite a northern thing as well to, like, say hello to everyone you meet. I remember first moving out of London. I was on the tube. I'm like, how you doing? All right? And someone's like, fuck off. I'm like, oh, like, you know, I mean, I was quite naive. I was like, me, just come down at 15, like, how you doing, mate? All right? And everyone's like, what the fuck you talking to me for? You know what I mean? But I always loved people and I always kind of. It. When I grew up, I always spent a lot of time in my imagination because I felt quite lonely where I was from because I just looked like this. And it wasn't really like. I don't know, it wasn't really accepted where I was from. So it was a bit rough. Yeah. Doncaster. So I really wanted to meet people. I just loved hearing people's stories from, like, whatever. And I loved music and I loved talking to people. I just wanted to. I think, like, again, like, talking about my sleep pattern. I don't like having quiet, quiet in my head. Like, I'm really bright person. But Then it kind of like, can turn dark quite quickly. So I like to meet people because, I don't know, I love, like, vibing off people's energy. And then, I don't know. I think people do find it quite a lot, me, quite a lot. And disingenuous, you know. I mean, I think people find me quite a lot and I think that's why a lot of people. I'm a little bit like Marmite, me, you know what I mean? People absolutely love it or hate it. And I think if you're gonna like my music, you've got to kind of like me. And I'm quite a lot to deal with sometimes, you know what I mean?

Jamie Laing (13:44)

Do you find that tricky, though? Cause, look, we just met just now, and I think we're similar in lots of ways. Relating myself to youngbloods straight away, we are similar, man.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (13:56)

We are like mad eds.

Jamie Laing (13:58)

Yeah. Like, I want to talk about ADHD and things like that and just the energy. But I'm sensitive.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (14:04)

I'm so sensitive.

Jamie Laing (14:05)

So sensitive.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (14:05)

Right.

Jamie Laing (14:06)

And so that must be tricky because in my life, I. I'm desperate for people to love me and want me and accept me and all those things, but that's impossible to do.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (14:17)

Yeah.

Jamie Laing (14:18)

Yours is even more so because you're a musician.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (14:20)

It's.

Jamie Laing (14:22)

You really want people to like. But of course you're going to have people who do think you're mummy. But how do you deal with that? Because that's a tricky thing.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (14:28)

I. I've. I get affected by things, you know, I mean, I'm really like. I call it an empath, I think. Right. I'm really empathetic, or whatever you call. I'm. I feel empathy a lot. I'm like. If I see someone's down in the room, I want to be like, yo. And like, try and bring them up, because I feel I kind of take on everyone's energy. Energy in the room. I think that's kind of why, like, the. Really the most. Probably one of the most fundamental reasons why I think we've got to where we got to. Because I was really good at vibing with people, you know, I mean, I was really good at being like, oh, you don't seem all right. What's going on? Or, oh, you seem really happy. I would love to talk about that because I'm having a rubbish day today and I think it's hard because it. It's like I've got thicker skin and I've kind of, like, more so now than ever. Like, I'm hitting 27 next. And I'm kind of like, oh, I'm starting to kind of not care as much anymore. But I've said I've not cared for years and it's been a complete front and it's been a complete unutter lie because it's just like, whoa, and. And the Internet can make up the truth. Like everything you read on the Internet is true. Yeah, of course it is. You know, I mean, and then you, like, you don't want to stoop to a level where you got to defend yourself, but like, when people leave shit, you read it, you know that, you know, I mean, it's like, oh, well, that sucks. Or like one of your favorite, like, people's like, ah, that fucking Youngblood. What a wanker. And you're like, oh, fuck. All right, fair, I'm down. I mean, I get it, you know, I mean, I get I'm loud and a bit mental, but I'm like, oh, shit, fair, I know, exactly. You just want to meet everyone and be like, yo. Yeah, honestly, I'm really nice.

Commercial Narrator (16:10)

Honestly.

Jamie Laing (16:13)

I mean, just incredible. I mean, I love chatting to Youngblood. Okay. I mean, the way he explained why he created this character, this kind of bigger, louder version of himself, so he could feel more confident. He seems so confident on the outside. I think we've all had this, but I definitely was always someone who wanted to be liked, to be accepted. And I'm sure there are loads of you out there who feel the same way. So it was really interesting hearing it from him, this huge musician who's so confident on stage. Now, if you haven't already, go back and check out Youngblood's full episode. We're going to leave the link in the show notes, so just go and click on it. And he's just one of the many incredible guests we've had on Great Company. So if you haven't already, make sure you go and check them out as well. Don't forget to follow to subscribe and I'll see you next week for another episode of Great Company.

Commercial Narrator (17:10)

Think Verizon is expensive? Think again. Anyone can bring their AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal. So bring us your bill. Walk in, running, pogo sticking, teleport. If you can ride on the back of a rollerblading yak or flying on the wings of a majestic falcon. Any way, you can bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to a Verizon store today and we'll give you a better deal on the best network based on RouteMetric's best overall mobile network performance. US 2nd half 2025 all right preserved must provide a very recent postpaid consumer mobile bill in the name of the person redeeming the deal. Additional terms, conditions and restrictions apply. Are you really buying a car online on autotrader right now? Really? I can get super specific with dealer listings and see cars based on my budget. You can really have it delivered or pick it up. Mommy's walk kid is walking up the slide.

Jamie Laing (17:52)

Really?

Commercial Narrator (17:53)

Autotrader? Buy your car online. Really?

Commercial Narrator (17:56)

Shipping, billing, admin, payroll, marketing. You're managing all the things, so why waste time sending important documents the old fashioned way? Mail and ship when you want how you want with stamps.com print postage on demand 247 and schedule pickups from your office or home. Save up to 90% with automated rate shopping. That's why over 1 million small businesses trust stamps.com go to stamps.com and use code podcast to try stamps.com risk free for 60 days.

Commercial Narrator (18:26)

Lunch was great, but this traffic is awful. Um, can we stop at a bathroom? Are you alright? I keep having stomach issues after eating like diarrhea, gas and bloating, abdominal pain and sometimes oily stools. Sound familiar? Those stomach issues may actually be a pancreas issue called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, or epi. Creon pancrelipase may help manage ep. Creon is a prescription medicine used to treat people who can't digest food normally because their pancreas doesn't make enough enzymes.

Medical Advertisement Narrator (18:54)

Creon may increase your chance of fibrosing colonopathy, a rare bowel disorder. Tell your doctor if you have a history of intestinal blockage or scarring or thickening of your bowel wall, if you are allergic to pork or if you have gout, kidney problems or worsening of painful swollen joints. Call your doctor if you have any unusual or severe gastrointestinal symptoms or allergic reactions. Take Creon as directed by your doctor and always with food. Do not chew capsules as this may cause mouth irritation. Other side effects may include blood sugar changes, gas, dizziness, sore throat and cough. These are not all the side effects of Creon. Call 800-633-9110 or visit creon info.com to learn more. That's creoninfo.

Dominic Fike (Youngblood) (19:22)

Com.

Commercial Narrator (19:22)

I'm asking my doctor about epi and if Creon could help.