Olly Alexander
Olly Alexander is a British singer, songwriter and actor, known for Years & Years, playing Ritchie in It’s a Sin, and releasing pop under his own name with Polari.
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Latest
Olly’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus his backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Album
Channel 4
Music video
West EndOverview
- Born
- 15 July 1990, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
- What he does
- Singer, songwriter and actor
- Breakout
- Years & Years’ King and Communion both reached UK No. 1 in 2015
- On screen
- Ritchie Tozer in It’s a Sin (2021)
- Own-name album
- Polari (2025)
Mini bio
How it started.
Music and acting grew alongside each other for Olly. He appeared in Skins and The Riot Club before Years & Years broke through. His route into the band has a very human detail: bassist Mikey Goldsworthy heard him singing the morning after a house party and invited him to join.
The breakthrough.
As the voice of Years & Years, Olly helped turn intimate songs into dance-floor pop. In 2015, King reached No. 1 in the UK, followed by the band’s debut album Communion. Palo Santo followed in 2018, and Night Call arrived in 2022, by then as Olly’s solo project under the Years & Years name.
Acting and a new chapter.
In 2021, he played Ritchie Tozer in Russell T Davies’ It’s a Sin, earning a BAFTA Leading Actor nomination. He represented the UK at Eurovision in 2024 with Dizzy, then released Polari in February 2025. Created with Danny L Harle, the album takes its name from the coded language historically used by gay communities. His work since has included a West End run as Algernon and helping organise Trans Mission in support of trans people.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2025PolariSinger and songwriter; album made with Danny L Harle
- 2024DizzyUK Eurovision representative and performer
- 2022Night CallYears & Years solo project
- 2018Palo SantoYears & Years vocalist
- 2015CommunionYears & Years vocalist
Stage and screen
- 2026Goodbye to Berlin: Christopher Isherwood in His Own WordsReader, alongside John McCrea
- 2025–2026The Importance of Being EarnestAlgernon Moncrieff
- 2021It’s a SinRitchie Tozer
Awards
Quotes
I’m just gonna make the most ‘me’ sounding thing I can.Olly Alexander, GRAMMY.com interview, 11 February 2025
On making Polari and releasing music under his own name. https://www.grammy.com/news/olly-alexander-polari-album-inspirations-years-and-years/
Trivia
- His bandmate Mikey Goldsworthy first heard him sing after staying over following a house party.
- He named Labyrinth as his favourite 1980s film in his Channel 4 interview.
- He named Pet Shop Boys as his favourite 1980s band in the same interview.
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