Yungblud is paying homage to Ozzy Osbourne at the VMAs, wearing the late rock icon’s signature cross ahead of his on-stage tribute.
Yungblud is carrying the memory of Ozzy Osbourne with him at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, paying tribute to the late Black Sabbath frontman just over a month after his death.
On the red carpet at UBS Arena, the 28-year-old artist (real name Dominic Harrison) spoke about his standout accessory. “He’s here with me,” he told E! News. “I’ve got his cross on, Ozzy forever, man.”
The necklace, a silver cross identical to the one Osbourne wore throughout his six-decade career, was visible against Yungblud’s bare chest as he arrived in black leather pants, boots, and a fur-trimmed leather jacket.
Yungblud is also set to pay tribute on stage during the show, joining Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry alongside Extreme’s Nuno Bettencourt for a medley of Ozzy Osbourne’s greatest hits. The performance follows on from Yungblud’s earlier promise that he would play Black Sabbath’s ‘Changes’ at every show as a way of keeping Osbourne’s influence alive.
Ahead of the VMAs, Yungblud posted photos of himself with Osbourne from the Back to the Beginning concert, writing: “They’ve asked me to pay tribute to you at the @vmas on Sunday night. I’ll try my best to do you proud Oz. Tune in from up there. I love you forever.”
Speaking about the loss with E! News, Yungblud reflected on how difficult it was to lose someone who had become more than a musical hero. “To get to know a hero of yours, and then he passes away as you kind of start to really get to know each other as humans, was really hard,” he said.
“But I’m gonna play this song every night for the rest of my life and keep that guy’s legacy alive. He was everything for me, and I love the family.”
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