Early life and education
Young grew up in the Beckenham area of London to a Jamaican-Chinese father and English mother. [5] She attended Balgowan Primary School in Beckenham, Kingsdale Foundation School and later attended the BRIT School in Croydon (south London). [6] [7] Her stepfather, a bass player, and her mother nurtured her musical talents. Her great-aunt, Julia Donaldson, [8] author of The Gruffalo , also influenced her creative development. [9] At six years old, she began piano, guitar, and singing lessons, developing a deep love for songwriting by the age of 11.
2013–2018: Career beginnings
Young attended the BRIT School, where she honed her skills and was chosen by the Open Mic UK singing competition as the winner at 15 with her song "Never Enough". [10] [11] In 2016, Young appeared on CBBC's Got What It Takes? , finishing as a runner-up. [12] After graduating from the BRIT School in 2018, she continued performing at local gigs and open mic events, eventually catching the attention of industry figures Nick Shymansky, Amy Winehouse's former manager, and Nick Huggett, who first signed Adele. [13] The two soon became her managers. [14]
2019–2023: Breakthrough and debut album
In 2019, Young signed with Island Records and released her debut single, "6 Feet Under", followed by the EP Intro. [15] Her next EP, Renaissance, was released on 28 April 2020. [16] Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, she maintained her presence through virtual performances and continued to release music, including the single "Woman". [17] [18] In 2021, Young gained wider recognition with her performance on The Late Late Show with James Corden and her rendition of "Together in Electric Dreams" for the John Lewis Christmas advert. [19] She was nominated for the Brit Award for Rising Star. [20] Young's lead single for her debut album, "Stream of Consciousness", was released on 25 November 2022 and a successful European tour followed. [21] The album, My Mind Wanders and Sometimes Leaves Completely, was released in 2023. [22]
2024–present: This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway
Young's second album, This Wasn't Meant for You Anyway , was released on 21 June 2024; [23] it includes singles "Wish You Were Dead", "Conceited", "Big Brown Eyes" and the platinum-certified [24] number 1 single "Messy". "Messy" gained viral traction through TikTok, significantly boosting her international profile. [25]
"Messy" topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks, [26] marking Young as one of only two British female artists to reach number 1 on the chart within the last year (Charli XCX being the other [27] ). Young is also the youngest British artist to have a UK chart-topping single since Dave's "Starlight" in 2022. [28] The track also marked Young as the youngest British female solo artist to reach number 1 since Dua Lipa's 2017 single "New Rules". [28] [29] In April 2025, "Messy" became the biggest streaming single from a British artist globally. [28] Internationally, "Messy" hit the #1 spot in Australia, [30] Ireland [30] and Belgium and topped the US + Canada alternative radio airplay chart. [31] It reached Top 10 positions in New Zealand (4), The Netherlands (5), Switzerland (5), Norway (5), France (6), Germany (7), Canada (7), Austria (7), Poland (8), Sweden (8), Denmark (8). [32]
Young was featured on "Like Him" from Tyler, the Creator's eight studio album, Chromakopia (2024); released on 28 October 2024. [33]
On 21 January 2025, Young performed "Messy" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , [34] before she made her debut appearance at Coachella on 11 April 2025. [35]
Young announced her third studio album, I'm Only F**king Myself, on 18 June 2025, with its release on 19 September 2025. The lead single from the album, "One Thing", was released on 16 May 2025; this was followed by the second single, "Not Like That Anymore", on 20 June 2025; [36] [37] and the third single, "Dealer", on 27 July 2025. [38]
