Yungblud and Erasure’s Andy Bell celebrated at PEUGEOT Attitude PRIDE Awards Europe
Both artists were celebrated at the London event this afternoon.
The PEUGEOT Attitude PRIDE Awards Europe took place today, with major honours going towards Erasure legend Andy Bell and Yungblud.
The latter, the latest cover star for the magazine, was in attendance at the Peninsula London ceremony to accept the Pride Icon award for his LGBTQ+ activism and constant championing of the community.
“I feel so much effervescence and light in this room. It’s moved me. I’m pretty speechless man and I’m pretty gobby,” he quipped.
“It’s amazing to receive this award but really I want to dedicate this to the community that it is under the umbrella of Yungblug, I think. I came from Doncaster when I was 15 and I was confused. I didn’t know where to belong, I didn’t know where to fit in. I was angry, I was frustrated. I had no outlet and I spoke into to an iPhone and millions of people responded and fucking hell, here I am right now, you know.”
He went on: “I think with this, the thing that I’m most proud of is that we have built a community that spans over probably about 10 million people now who are together for the sole reason of love and unity and acceptance and individualism. And it’s the thing I’m most proud of. I think when I start things like Bludfest or when I go across the world and I play gigs, people forget that I get to watch a show every night.
“You know what I mean, people think that if they’re coming to watch me, I get to watch people fall in love. I get to watch fucking fathers and mothers and daughters and whoever l ook at each other and see each other. In this community, people genuinely see each other for who they are and that’s all I’ve ever dreamed about.”
Opening up on his support for LGBTQ+ people, he added: ” I will fight for you, I will speak for you, I will fucking hold you when you’re down. If anyone’s watching this, I am with you when it’s your darkest hour.”
Bell also accepted an Icon Award and spoke out against the need for labels, instead stressing the need to bring people together through music. He also treated the crowd to two new songs, before finishing with Erasure’s ‘A Little Respect’. Head to Attitude’s website for all the latest Pride Awards coverage.