British rock musician Yungblud has publicly apologised after a photograph of him posing alongside controversial Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann went viral on social media, sparking significant criticism from his fanbase.
Meeting in Perth Sparks Controversy
The 28-year-old artist, whose real name is Dominic Harrison, was touring in Perth, Australia last week when he encountered the German rock musician. Lindemann, who had just completed his own Australian tour, shared a photograph of the pair on his social media accounts with the caption 'Absolute pleasure meeting @yungblud in Perth'.
Background of Allegations Against Lindemann
In 2023, Till Lindemann faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations after being accused of spiking a fan's drink at a pre-concert party in Lithuania. Several other women subsequently came forward with similar claims against the musician.
Berlin prosecutors eventually closed their investigation into these allegations, citing insufficient evidence to proceed. Officials noted they were unable to verify the claims, many of which were reported anonymously or through media channels, and highlighted that none of the alleged victims had contacted authorities directly.
Lindemann has consistently denied all allegations made against him throughout the investigation and its aftermath.
Yungblud's Response to Backlash
The viral photograph prompted immediate criticism from Yungblud's supporters, who questioned his association with Lindemann given the previous allegations. In response, the UK musician shared an audio statement on his social media platforms addressing the controversy directly.
'I had no idea - obviously at the minute I'm meeting lots of people every day without fully knowing who they are or what they're about,' Yungblud explained in his statement. 'And I can assure you, if I knew about any allegations, it would have been a completely different story. You all know what I stand for, always. I'll be more aware of it in the future.'
Yungblud's History of Social Activism
The apology comes just one week after Yungblud delivered an impassioned, expletive-laden speech in support of Iranian protesters during a performance at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl. In a now-viral clip uploaded to Instagram, the artist referenced Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman who died in custody after being arrested for allegedly violating hijab rules.
'Two years ago, I spoke about a girl called Mahsa Amini from Iran, who was murdered for not wearing her hijab,' Yungblud told the sold-out crowd. 'And no, it is not my prerogative to question somebody's religion. But this community fights for equality and liberation throughout the world.'
The musician continued his emotional address by highlighting the situation in Iran: 'What is going on in Iran, this revolution, is led by the women. For four days they have had their internet cut off, they have had their electricity cut off, they are in darkness - they are asking for our voice.'
Yungblud concluded by urging his audience to support the Iranian people: 'We have to be their light right now. So speak, shout, post, because they are fighting for freedom. They are fighting for their freedom, they are fighting for our freedom. Nobody is free until we are all free.'
The clip received widespread praise from fans and followers who commended the artist for using his platform to address international human rights issues, making his subsequent association with Lindemann particularly surprising to many supporters.
