Yungblud festival goes international, but not everyone's convinced

Rock singer Yungblud is taking his music festival BludFest abroad, but the move has split fans.

The third edition of the event is going to take place in the Czech Republic in June, after being held in Milton Keynes for the past two years.

Some fans told BBC Newsbeat they are glad festival-goers in Europe will get a chance to attend.

The 28-year-old previously said he created the event in response to the rising cost of festival and gig tickets.

Yungblud's team has said he felt it was was "important" for his fans in Europe to have a chance to experience the festival.

The statement added that the singer was hoping to see fans at his UK arena tour in April, and teased "very exciting" plans were in the works for 2027.

Student Colby Wallis,18, tells Newbeat she was "really upset and quite annoyed" after learning the festival was moving outside the UK.

The fan from west Yorkshire says flying to the Czech Republic with her friends would be unaffordable.

The first festival's in 2024 saw 30,000 people attend for £50 each, while tickets ranged from from £65-125 last year.

Prices haven't yet been released for this year's event, which will also feature artists including Primal Scream, Biffy Clyro and former Irish Eurovision entry Bambie Thug.

The Doncaster-born singer won for his live rendition of Black Sabbath's Changes, recorded during Ozzy Osbourne's farewell concert in Birmingham last year.

Despite the frustration, Colby said she was "incredibly proud" of Yungblud being able to take Bludfest abroad and was happy for those who would get to attend.

Yungblud has previously said he would like to grow the festival internationally.

Other fans, like Sasha Stinger, feel it is time for the festival to expand.

The 22-year-old has followed Yungblud since 2018 after coming across his YouTube channel and felt his energy was "her vibe".

"I think it's just crazy how a guy from this town in the north of England can really grow in other countries, that he can bring his own festival abroad - I think it's amazing to see," she tells Newsbeat.

Sasha is still hoping to go to Bludfest in the Czech Republic as she feels it's "not too far away".

However, she empathises with fans who aren't able to make it and believes he will bring it back to the UK.

Morgan Christie, from Fife, fell in love with Yungblud when she was 15 due to his "outspoken and very political" songs.

The 22-year-old tells Newsbeat it is "a bit upsetting" that BludFest is not staying in the UK as she feels it was "built on that British culture".

However, she says it would probably cost her about the same amount to travel from Scotland to the Czech Republic as it was for her to go to BludFest in Milton Keynes.

"I would have liked to have a UK show and an international show," she says.

"But it's a festival, they're expensive. We're a bit lucky we had two before anyone else anyway."

Freelance music journalist Emma Wilkes feels Yungblud's upcoming arena tour could have made it "trickier" to have BludFest in the UK as it may have "affected the ticket sales of both".

She says cheaper costs abroad to put on a festival could also be a factor, but feels the festival is moving because "he's on the form of his life" after his Grammy win and the release of his fourth studio album, Idols, last year.

"I feel like he's at the point where he wants to bring his music to as many people as possible," she adds.

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