Summary: Great Company with Jamie Laing — YUNGBLUD on Identity | GREAT MOMENTS

Release Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Jamie Laing
Guest: YUNGBLUD (Dominic Fike)

Overview

In this special “Great Moments” episode, Jamie Laing sits down with YUNGBLUD (Dominic Fike) to delve into powerful themes of identity, authenticity, resilience, and the emotional journey of navigating fame. YUNGBLUD opens up about creating a larger-than-life persona not just for performance, but as a shield for self-acceptance and connection. The conversation is candid, often vulnerable, and brimming with insights on embracing individuality, dealing with criticism, and the universal longing for belonging.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Duality of Identity: YUNGBLUD vs. Dominic

• Jamie Laing opens with a reflection on multifaceted personalities, asking how YUNGBLUD distinguishes between his public persona and private self.
  [02:02]

  "Someone once said to me...we have, like, four different personalities. One when we're with our family, one with our partner, one with our friends, and one when we're by ourselves...and you, Youngblood and Dominic are obviously the same person, but they're separate." (Jamie Laing, 02:02)

• YUNGBLUD describes how the YUNGBLUD persona began as a form of protection and empowerment rooted in childhood pain and self-doubt.

  "One's more volumed up, 100%. Like, I needed to protect myself. Why? Because I hated myself. I grew up my whole life...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?...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...and you can forget about everything for two hours." (YUNGBLUD, 02:38–03:48)

2. Performance as Power — and Vulnerability

• YUNGBLUD likens his stage presence to donning a superhero costume, giving not just his fans, but also himself, a sense of power and permission to be.

  "When I'm Yungblud, I can walk out on 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..." (YUNGBLUD, 04:16)

• As YUNGBLUD’s fame grew, the gap between persona and self began to close:

  "Now what's crazy is, like, now it's caught up with me a little bit...it was a character that was built to make me feel like I could belong on this planet." (YUNGBLUD, 03:49–04:04)

3. Growth, Community, and Letting Go

• Facing the inevitability of fans moving on or growing out of his music, YUNGBLUD acknowledges the challenge of staying authentic while accepting change.

  "People will leave this community. People come and go...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...it's cool." (YUNGBLUD, 05:16)

• This realization brings a new, personal depth to his upcoming music:

  "This next album that's coming...Dominic is really bleeding into it. Really. You know what I mean? It's got to the point where I'm like..." (YUNGBLUD, 05:53)

4. Living Authentically and the Fear of Abandonment

• Jamie and YUNGBLUD bond over sensitivity and the desire for connection, with both admitting to the deep-seated fear of not being liked.

  "My biggest fear is abandonment, you know, I mean, from everything." (YUNGBLUD, 06:36)

• Referencing David Bowie, YUNGBLUD finds comfort in artistic evolution:

  "I love Bowie and I turn to Bowie a lot...he changed every fucking two years and became something new. And...he had to put on these, create these superheroes..." (YUNGBLUD, 06:59)

5. Artistic Integrity vs. Audience Expectation

• The discussion turns to the struggles artists face with criticism and staying true to themselves:

  "The worst shit is like, I used to like your stuff...It's like, what do you want? You want a jazz album? What can I give you?" (YUNGBLUD, 07:53–08:15)

• Jamie reminds YUNGBLUD of the value in creating for oneself:

  "When you start doing things for other people, that's when the creativity is ruined because you're not being your true, authentic everything." (Jamie Laing, 08:46)

  YUNGBLUD agrees emphatically:

  "When you start doing something for people, you're lying completely...even if a little bit 2% lie, the people can smell it." (YUNGBLUD, 08:55)

• With the story of his breakout song "Parents", YUNGBLUD illustrates the power of raw honesty in songwriting:

  "'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.' ...Interscope, a crazy label, like, you cannot release that...I'm like, yeah. And we put it out, and it was huge. It's like, like, two times platinum." (YUNGBLUD, 08:55–09:42)

6. Trust, Connection & Britishness

• YUNGBLUD relishes meeting new people, sometimes to the distress of his band, sharing the story of inviting a taxi driver into the studio for tea and music talk.

  "Me, taxi driver. I brought him into the studio...He was there for six hours." (YUNGBLUD, 10:44–11:12)

• He credits his openness both to his northern English upbringing and a profound empathy for others.

7. Sensitivity and Empathy

• Both Jamie and YUNGBLUD self-identify as sensitive and empathic, which brings joy and challenges:

  "I'm so sensitive." (YUNGBLUD, 14:04)
  "I call it an empath, I think...I'm really empathetic, or whatever you call. I feel empathy a lot." (YUNGBLUD, 14:28)

• YUNGBLUD reflects on the difficulty of dealing with hate, especially online:

  "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..." (YUNGBLUD, 15:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It was a character that was built to make me feel like I could belong on this planet."
  (YUNGBLUD, 03:49–04:04)

• "When I'm YUNGBLUD, I'm like, can walk out on 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."
  (YUNGBLUD, 04:16)

• "When you start doing something for people, you're lying completely...even if a little bit 2% lie, the people can smell it."
  (YUNGBLUD, 08:55)

• "My biggest fear is abandonment, you know, I mean, from everything."
  (YUNGBLUD, 06:36)

• "I'm really good at vibing with people...I'm 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."
  (YUNGBLUD, 14:28)

• "And the Internet can make up the truth. Like everything you read on the Internet is true. Yeah, of course it is."
  (YUNGBLUD, 15:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:02: Jamie introduces the topic of identity and multiplicity of personality.
• 02:38–04:04: YUNGBLUD shares the origins of his persona and the emotional drive behind it.
• 05:16: Navigating the impermanence of fan communities and self-acceptance.
• 06:36: Discussing the fear of abandonment and inspiration from Bowie.
• 08:55: The necessity of artistic authenticity and the risks of pandering.
• 09:42: YUNGBLUD recounts the controversy and breakthrough of “Parents.”
• 10:44–11:12: The story of inviting a stranger into the studio.
• 14:04–14:28: Jamie and YUNGBLUD connect on sensitivity and empathy.
• 15:41: Coping with online hate and public perception.

Tone & Style

The conversation is warm, disarmingly honest, and full of Northern British wit. YUNGBLUD exudes an energy that is equal parts vulnerability, rebellion, and empathy, while Jamie offers encouragement and relatable moments from his own life.

For Listeners New to the Podcast

This episode offers deep, real insights for anyone struggling with self-doubt, creative authenticity, or fear of rejection. YUNGBLUD’s journey—marked by pain, defiance, compassion, and growth—invites listeners to embrace their truest selves and find community in shared imperfection.

Recommended:
To hear the full conversation and experience the energy firsthand, check out the original episode via the show's link in the show notes.