Perth Mother's Permanent Tribute to Rockstar Yungblud
A devoted Perth mother has turned a fleeting encounter with British rock sensation Yungblud into a lifelong keepsake, getting his autograph tattooed on her arm just hours before his electrifying Northbridge performance.
From Fan to Inked Superfan
Melanie Parsons, a 50-year-old mother of two from Perth, discovered Yungblud's music through her sons and quickly became an ardent admirer. "I love him, I think he's fantastic — I really sort of resonate with his music and the way he comes across with his words," she told PerthNow. "There are lots of influences from the old rock stars in his work."
What began as playful teasing with her children about getting a tattoo for the 28-year-old artist became a serious mission when Melanie set herself a challenge: she would only get inked if she could meet Yungblud in person. She shared her "crazy" idea on Facebook with the motto "you only live once," framing it as a lesson for her kids about pursuing dreams.
Airport Ambush and Quick Thinking
When Yungblud publicly shared his flight arrival time at Perth Airport on social media, Melanie saw her opportunity. She joined approximately 200 excited fans waiting at the terminal on Monday afternoon, hoping for a moment with the IDOLS singer.
"We were all waiting at the exit gate, they had some security and police around but the crowd was really good and really polite," Melanie recalled. "Yungblud walked out and the crowd followed him — he signed hats and a few things, then they ushered him out faster."
Through quick maneuvering, Melanie managed to reach the rockstar just as he was leaving. "I managed to scoot around the side and catch him just at the end, when I asked him to sign my arm," she said. "It was fantastic."
The Race for Permanent Ink
With the fresh signature on her arm, Melanie faced her next challenge: finding a tattoo artist who could immortalize the autograph before that evening's concert at Ice Cream Factory. After reaching out to friends on Facebook, she visited Foothills Electric tattoo studio in Byford first thing Tuesday morning.
"They were booked," she explained. "When I said how important it was, that I needed to have a tattoo before the concert, they quickly set the studio up and were able to tattoo it pretty much immediately."
Rocking Out with New Ink
With her new tattoo complete, Melanie joined roughly 4,000 fans at Ice Cream Factory for what she described as a "phenomenal" two-hour show. "He's the whole everything — from the stage, to the crew, to his stage presence, he really is a rock star," she gushed.
She particularly appreciated the diverse crowd Yungblud attracts. "(Yungblud fans) are just such a lovely, kind group of people, you've got some younger and some older people there but we're all there for the same reason: because we can resonate with these songs."
Melanie noted that Yungblud made special efforts to acknowledge younger fans who couldn't enter the 18+ venue, spotting them through openings in the crowd barriers.
More Than Just Music
Beyond appreciating his musical talent, Melanie praised Yungblud's advocacy work, particularly around mental health awareness. The rockstar has spoken openly about his ADHD diagnosis — a condition one of Melanie's children also shares.
"He's leading a bit of a cultural revolution in both music and mental health," she observed. "He was a misfit, he had his little crew of misfit followers, and he's just grown up — seeing him guide all these misfits into adulthood, and all the good things he's doing is just so important."
Reflecting on the entire experience, from airport meeting to tattoo to concert, Melanie concluded: "He is a rockstar with a good heart, and his mum must be so proud." Her own children now have tangible proof that with determination, even seemingly wild dreams can become reality.
