Yungblud has paid an emotional tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, calling the late Black Sabbath icon his “North Star” and promising to honour him every night on stage with a cover of Changes.
Ozzy passed away on July 22 at the age of 76, just weeks after taking the stage for the final time at Back To The Beginning. Yungblud, who performed a cover of Changes at the show, described it as the “greatest honour” of his life.
“I’m trying to compute the last couple days and honestly I’m fucking shattered,” he wrote in a message shared on social media. “You have been my North Star for everything for as long as I can remember. From when I was misunderstood as a child to the way people thought I was just a little ‘too much’ or ‘strange’ in my life and career.”
He thanked Ozzy and his family for their support, saying they gave him a “road to run down” when others didn’t. “You loved life so much and you adored music. It was your smile, man. You taught me it was beautiful to be out of the box. I promise you with all my heart I will try my best and make it my life’s journey to keep the spirit that you started and what you taught me alive.”
Yungblud’s performance of Changes at Ozzy’s final show will remain one of the defining moments of the night. “To sing this song for you at an event surrounded by legends inspired by you, to a crowd who loved you, was truly my life’s greatest honour,” he said. “I vow to play this song every night for the rest of my life.”
He closed his message with a nod to Ozzy’s late guitarist Randy Rhoads. “You’re my hero in every regard. I hope you’re up there havin’ a drink with Randy. For the Prince of Darkness, you sure brought all the light to the world. I love you Ozzy.”
Yungblud and Ozzy had collaborated before, including on the 2022 video for The Funeral. During filming, Ozzy gave Yungblud his gold cross as a gesture of support. At Back To The Beginning, Yungblud returned the favour by gifting him a new gold cross on stage.
“You gave me an outlet,” he told Ozzy. “Everyone thought I was too fucking mad and I was like, no, I’m like Ozzy.”
Before his death, Ozzy praised Yungblud’s cover of Changes, saying, “He did an amazing job. I couldn’t have done it better myself.”
Yungblud’s tribute joins a wave of emotional messages from across the music world, as artists and fans continue to celebrate the life of one of heavy metal’s most enduring and influential figures.
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