Years & Years are a music trio made up of three guys from London. They joined together to form the band in 2010, and have received widespread attention across the UK.
- The trio consists of Olly Alexander, Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen.
- Türkmen and Goldsworthy met online and they decided to form the band after discussing their similar interests, which included Radiohead.
- Until 2013, there were five members of the group. Noel Leeman and Olivier Subria were the other two original members.
- “I Wish I Knew” was the name of their first single, released in 2012. All five members of the band participated in the song.
- The following year, in 2013, the band was signed to Kitsuné Records.
- By 2013, Leeman and Subria had left, which meant there were now only three musicians in the group when Kitsuné Records gave them a contract.
- Olly Alexander joined Years & Years when Mikey Goldsworthy heard him singing in the shower the morning after a house party.
- Alexander has stated in an interview that he is a keen singer whilst in the shower, and “Killing Me Softly” is his ‘shower song’.
- Goldsworthy is a big fan of Metallica and Marilyn Manson, and said that the band’s music is often inspired by them.
- Türkmen, on the other hand, likes the Beatles, and all the band members enjoy a bit of country music now and then!
- The trio are very active on social media, and love getting likes and comments on their music videos.
- Olly Alexander featured in the TV show Skins for several weeks before Years & Years was formed. His acting skills also got him a part in the 2014 movie, The Riot Club, as well as the BBC drama ‘Great Expectations‘.
- Dylan Bell is a drummer who joins the band for their live performances, despite not being an official member of the group.
- Mikey Goldsworthy seems to be a man of many talents, and used to work at the River Café in London. He served several celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, during his time there.
- In 2014, Years & Years won the award for BBC Sound of 2015.
- In the same year, they won the award for Artist to Watch from mtvU. These awards really gave them the boost they needed, since more people started listening to their music.
- Everybody knows him as Olly Alexander, but his full name is actually Oliver Alexander Thornton.
- In 2014, Years & Years released a cover of “Breathe” by Blu Cantrell. Although the original song was released in 2003, fans loved the band’s rendition.
- Years & Years seem to enjoy covering popular songs, and in 2015, they performed a cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” during a gig in Manchester, England.
- The band have toured with Sam Smith, the winner of the BBC Sound of 2014 award.
- At the beginning of 2015, their sixth single “King” was released and made it to Number 1 on the UK Singles Chart.
- Their first album, “Communion”, was released in July 2015. During its first week, it went to Number 1 on the UK Album Chart.
- Glastonbury Festival 2015 featured Years & Years, who were so popular that security had to control the crowds. Some of the fans didn’t even manage to get into the tent to watch them.
- Actor Aaron Paul and singer Katy Perry are both fans of the band.
- Ryan Heffington was the choreographer for their famous “King” music video. He has also choreographed the videos for “Elastic Heart” and “Chandelier” – both songs from pop singer Sia.
- Their tour at the beginning of 2015 sold out in most large venues, meaning that the managers had to arrange extra dates for fans.
- Olly Alexander started a relationship with Neil Milan Amin-Smith, the violinist from Clean Bandit, while on tour in 2014.
- In the United States, their album “Communion” debuted at number 47 selling 8,841 copies in its first week.
- “King” was so well-received that both Nick Jonas and Carly Rae Jepsen performed covers of the single of BBC Radio 1.
- Years & Years have performed on several TV shows, including The Graham Norton Show and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
- The trio have stated that they played ukuleles before swapping to bass guitar, synthesizer and other instruments which feature on their tracks.
- The members are animal-loving musicians – Olly and Mikey each have a cat and Emre owns a dog.
- When asked about their bad habits, Alexander said that he bites his nails and grinds his teeth, while Türkmen disclosed that he is prone to stressing out.
- John Chae, a designer from New York, has worked with the bands on some of their album covers.
- Mikey and Emre love Italian food, while Olly is more likely to choose Lebanese food when dining.
- All three members grew up with a love of music, and Goldsworthy’s father was a music teacher. Goldsworthy began learning the piano when he was 4 years old, but decided to give it up at the age of 13 and learn bass guitar instead.
- Emre began writing his own music at the age of 13 and also played the guitar in his youth.
- Before Olly started acting, he used to sing in a band while he was at high school.
- Olly hates sitting near the window on planes because he regularly needs the toilet when travelling.
- Their music video for “Eyes Shut” was shot in the outskirts of Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia & was released in 28th September 2015.
- Olly is the only member of the band who has lived in the UK all his life. Mikey grew up in Australia and Emre spent his childhood in the Netherlands and Turkey before moving to England.
- When the trio are not touring or working on their next single, Mikey and Emre like to play video games or watch box sets, while Olly prefers socialising with friends.
- Years & Years have said that their fans are very creative and supportive. They enjoy receiving fan mail and gifts from around the world.
- They have been nominated for several awards, including MTV’s Brand New for 2015 and Best UK & Ireland Act.
- Olly Alexander and his partner posted on Instagram to support the Irish gay marriage referendum 2015. They posted a picture of themselves with the words “Vote Yes” written on their palms.
- All the members of the band were victims of bullying while at school. They spoke out and disclosed the information during a programme regarding teen suicide.
- The lyrics to all the band’s songs are written from personal experiences.
- Years & Years are fans of Ariana Grande and her music.
- Annie Mac, an Irish DJ, used their song “Shine” as the Hottest Record in the World on her radio show in 2015.
- Popular magazine Attitude gave their Album of the Year Award to Years & Years for the 2015 album “Communion”
