Yungblud Contemplated Death As 'The Best Career Move' After Authenticity Questioned

"Weird!" artist, Dominic Harrison, popularly known by his stage name Yungblud, recently talked about how much being tagged an Industry plant affected him. The singer and songwriter released his first self-titled EP in 2019, and shortly after, his "21st Century Liability" album was released.

Yungblud was previously accused of being an Industry plant after a Twitter user claimed he didn't know how to play his instruments. Despite denying the claims, the accusations dealt a heavy blow to his image, leading the artist to consider some rather drastic actions.

In a recent interview, the 24-year-old singer revealed that he briefly considered death the right career move after being accused. Yungblud said he looked at the lives of artists like Mac Miller and Lil Peep, who died in 2018 and 2017, respectively, and their careers.

Yungblud opened up about his struggles defending himself and his authenticity against internet trolls. The singer appeared in an interview with NME to talk about his upcoming album and other aspects of his music journey. His newest album, "Yungblud," is his third and is scheduled to be released in September.

While talking about the album, the British singer revealed that it was his attempt at humanizing his image and name after being the recipient of several accusations over the years. Yungblud also revealed dark thoughts crossed his mind while attempting to push back against critics and prove his authenticity.

The "Memories" artist said after looking back on now dead artists like Mac Miller and Lil Peep, he briefly contemplated death. "When everyone was questioning my authenticity, I started to look back at artists like Mac Miller and Lil Peep because the internet turned on them too," he said. "They built them up, and then f***ing tore them down before they passed."

"And then I got into this place where I thought the best career move would be death." Yungblud said he contemplated whether his death would make people "look beyond a horrible trend on Twitter or TikTok" and give him a chance.

Despite his previous dark thoughts, Yungblud revealed that he fully believed in himself and thought he was the "f--king real deal." The "Weird" artist said, "I know I am the f--king real deal, even though that's exactly what some people want to hear me say. I know what I have to say is from a place of truth."

He added that being branded an Industry plant didn't bother him because only the listeners decide the musician's success. "Being called an 'industry plant' doesn't bother me because who decides if an artist is successful or not? The labels don't; Spotify doesn't; NME doesn't. It's down to the actual listeners."

Yungblud added that despite being "everything people hate," he was also a vehicle people used to express themselves. "I am a vehicle for other people's expressions—the fans have stuck with me as I fight for them. But other people have been watching me with a microscope, waiting for me to slip up," he said.

Being called an Industry plant isn't at all flattering for an artist. The term is described as when "an artist who has a major/indie label backing their movement but presents themselves as a 'homegrown start-up' to create the illusion of an organic following."

Yungblud started getting questions about his talent last fall during his Life on Mars tour. A Twitter user claimed the 24-year-old never actually played his guitar during the performance and used the background music to give the illusion that he was.

https://twitter.com/yungblud/status/1456694884325199874?s=20&t=fd5--49gKeLshXaaXg98Xw

The artist understandably defended himself and called the accuser a bully, then suggested they "plant a tree" instead of peddling false news. The issues only escalated, especially when his father's profession as a guitar shop owner was brought into the mix.

Yungblud's father reportedly owned a guitar shop where several famous musicians frequented and bought their instruments and had them customized. One of such artists was Oasis band member Noel Gallagher. The songwriter allegedly helped the 24-year-old sign his record deal in 2017, which aided the accusations.

Besides the Industry plant accusations peddled at him, Yungblud, who identified as pansexual, was accused of queerbaiting an LGBTQ+ audience. He's known for his nonconforming style and previously mentioned his love for wearing dresses because he felt "sexy" in them.

Yungblud is regularly seen in attires that include fishnet tights, skirts, and makeup. In an interview with the Evening Standard, the 24-year-old denied queerbaiting and said he didn't intend to "tiptoe" around his love for a certain kind of cloth or makeup.

He said, "I've been accused of queerbaiting. But I am absolutely not. I don't tread the boards or tiptoe on eggshells for anyone. If I'm not going to tiptoe around what clothes or lipstick I wear, I'm not going to tiptoe around what's politically correct."