Yungblud has paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with a reading at the Black Sabbath front man’s private funeral held on Thursday at Osbourne’s Buckinghamshire estate.
The 27-year-old singer, who first met Ozzy in 2022, shared a close relationship with the late icon. He even went on to describe their bond as deeply personal and paternal.
After the service, Yungblud posted a photo of a cross necklace gifted to him by Osbourne during the filming of his video for The Funeral. In return, he later gave Ozzy a custom cross of his own ahead of Sabbath’s final performance at Villa Park.
In an Instagram caption shared after the funeral, Yungblud wrote, “Goodnight Oz. Your light will forever shine. I love you.” The post quickly drew responses from fans, many of whom saw the gesture as symbolic of Osbourne handing the torch to a younger generation.
The funeral took place on the Osbourne family’s 250-acre property, where Ozzy was buried beside a lake, in accordance with his wishes. The ceremony was attended by family, close friends, and a few select members of the heavy rock world. Among the guests were Marilyn Manson, Zakk Wylde, Rob Zombie, and Slipknot front man Corey Taylor. Guests arrived dressed in all black, with plenty of leather, skulls and long coats. I mean, I think it’s exactly how Ozzy would have expected it.
The intimate gathering followed a public procession through Birmingham the previous day, where thousands of fans paid tribute. A brass band played Black Sabbath songs as the hearse made its way through the city streets. Floral tributes included a display reading Ozzy Fucking Osbourne near the lake at his home.
In past interviews, Osbourne had made it clear that he never wanted a sombre farewell. “Make it a celebration, not a mope-fest,” he once said. That instruction seems to have been followed, but there was no mistaking the gravity of the loss. This was a farewell to one of rock’s few true originals, from someone who knew him not just as a legend, but as a friend.
RELATED
MORE IN Music
