Doncaster's Yungblud returns for homecoming BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge special recording

The singer, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, thrilled fans in his home village yesterday with a performance at Norton Coronation Club as part of Radio 1 Live Lounge Month 2023, hosted by Rickie, Melvin and Charlie.

He performed his new single Happier – one featuring Sheffield band Bring Me The Horizon’s Oli Sykes – and a cover of Kenya Grace’s Strangers.

Speaking of the performance, Yungbud said: “This is mental, I actually haven’t slept. I think when you come home it almost means more. I played my Nan’s 60th birthday party here, it’s just mental, the whole city has been going mental. I’m nervous but I’m buzzing.”

He believed that having Radio 1 in Doncaster, which was given city status last year, is significant.

“It’s such a big thing to come to a tiny, tiny city like Doncaster,” he said. “I always call it a town but it’s a city now and I think everyone is buzzing, it’s got the whole place talking, everyone’s excited, everyone’s here. It’s been crazy.

He adds: “I grew up with such a sense of community and I think everyone knows me here and everyone wants you to do well in a beautiful way and, I just like being from a small place in the North of England and letting people all over the world know where it is, people in Argentina know I’m from Doncaster and that’s mental.”

There is plenty his misses about the place when he leaves his South Yorkshire home.

“Fish and chips, literally man. Even when I go to London they’re not as good, you know what I’m saying? Terrible compared to here. All my crew came up yesterday and they’re all southerners and we had fish and chips in here whilst we were rehearsing and everyone was like ‘what?’ I told you fish and chips man.”

There is, of course, a difference between the people in London and those in Doncaster.

He says: “We’re quite witty, everyone is quite quick you know what I mean? Quite dry. They’ll say ‘hello’ to you in the street so if you’re from London and come up to Doncaster don’t be alarmed if someone says ‘hello love how you doing?’ They don’t want anything they’re just actually checking.”