Young: 'I've earned my festival stripes'

Rex Features

Will Young has stated that he has earned the right to perform at festivals.

The Pop Idol winner, who played live sets at this year's Glastonbury and V Festival, told the Press Association: "I think it was like when you start a new job or a new school, you've got to earn respect and that's the way I saw it. I just thought I'm gonna keep my head down."

Young explained that he needed time to establish credibility before taking his live show to festivals, a circuit commonly reserved for guitar and indie acts.

"Maybe that's why I'm doing festivals now because I feel like it's the right time now and I feel we've probably gauged it right," he said.

"If I'd gone and done Glastonbury a year after winning Pop Idol, there would have been quite a lot of resentment but I think people feel and I feel it myself that I've earnt my stripes."

> Click here to watch Will's new video