Will Young today announces the signing of a brand new recording contract with Island Records. 

Will’s forthcoming albums will be released worldwide through the iconic label, home to many of the most talented artists of all time from Bob Marley, U2, Queen and Amy Winehouse up to current million sellers Florence and the Machine, Jessie J and Mumford & Sons.

Will says “After almost 11 happy fulfilling years at Sony records I have decided to move on now to Island records. Growing up Island records was known to me as the bastion of real, exciting music. Music that was varied but always shared a common theme of soulful honesty whoever the artist was. It is with a huge sense of pride and excitement that I start the next stage of my pop career with Island records under the flag of Universal. To go from winning a talent competition to signing with the legendary Island a decade on is truly the stuff that dreams are made of and I thank everyone who has helped me along the way.”

Darcus Beese co-president of Island Records added “We are absolutely delighted and enormously excited that Will, without question, one of the most consistently successful and best- loved UK male artists of the last decade, has decided to join the Island family in what we trust will be the defining phase of his career.  A multi-platinum selling artist, an acclaimed actor and one of the nicest guys you’ll meet in this business, there really isn’t anyone else out there doing what Will does, anywhere near as well as he does it. We can’t wait to get started”.  

David Joseph, Chairman and Chief Executive Universal Music UK, echoed those sentiments saying “I’ve followed Will’s achievements for many years and am delighted that we are going to be working together. Will is a genuine talent and a true long-term artist – I’m confident his next albums will be the most exciting of his career.”

Will’s manager Simon Fuller (founder of XIX Entertainment), was equally excited about the union commenting "I look on with great pride as Will continues his remarkable journey as one of Britain's most valued and popular singers. Will has an insatiable passion to continue making great music and with David Joseph and the incredible team at Island by his side I have no doubt that the best is yet to come."

Will’s new relationship with Island Records comes at the end of a remarkable year which has included a sell-out national tour, a No.1 platinum album, the publication of his autobiography and a starring role in the critically acclaimed West End hit stage show ‘Cabaret’.

Will Young is one of the UK’s most successful and best loved male vocalists; his latest studio album ‘Echoes’ went to No.1 on its first week of release in the UK, later going platinum and taking his tally of record sales to over nine million units. Echoes became a critical hit with The Guardian calling it ‘classy’ and the NME hailing Will to be ‘The most sophisticated man in pop’. It spawned four hit singles, a sell-out live tour (including a Christmas Show at The Palladium) and his one ITV1 Saturday night TV Special.

Will has been rewarded with many Brit and Ivor Novello nominations and awards, and holds the record for the biggest selling single of the century in the UK with his first hit ‘Evergreen’. Since then he has continued to dominate the charts with singles such as ‘Friday’s Child’, ‘Leave Right Now’, ‘All Time Love’ and ‘Jealousy’. 

Will has been the subject of a South Bank Show special and has appeared on BBC current affairs show Question Time (achieving record ratings) twice.  In addition he has become a sought after actor, currently starring in ‘Cabaret’ in the West End having previously starred in Noel Coward’s ‘The Vortex’ at the Royal Exchange Theatre in 2007.  He also appeared alongside Dame Judi Dench and Bob Hoskins in the BAFTA nominated film, ‘Mrs Henderson Presents’. In addition Will guest starred in an episode of ‘Skins’ in 2010 and SKY drama ‘Bedlam’ in early 2011.

2012 has also seen Will publish his first book ‘Funny Peculiar’.