A Leeds-trained musician has credited his time at Leeds Conservatoire with helping him land the role of singing as Robbie Williams in the highly anticipated musical biopic Better Man—as well as contributing to a UK number one album.
Adam Tucker, a 2018 graduate of the Popular Music course at Leeds Conservatoire (formerly Leeds College of Music), was chosen by film producers searching for a vocalist who could replicate the pop icon’s sound. His recordings and extensive experience in both television and recording studios helped him secure the role.
As a student, Adam honed his skills in specialist facilities under expert tutors, including songwriter Danny Cope and vocal coach Anna Uhuru. He also gained valuable experience performing with Leeds Contemporary Singers, a group led by staff member Craig Lees, which won BBC One’s Pitch Battle.
Adam performed approximately 90% of the vocals heard in Better Man, with the remaining music provided by Robbie Williams himself. He spent over 200 hours in the studio re-recording some of the star’s greatest hits, even adjusting his accent to match the Stoke-on-Trent native.
“I pretty much lived in the studios in Leeds and I think that had a massive influence on me, having studio time prior to working on this film,” said Adam. “I just knew how vocal coaches worked and what I’ve realised is how my tutors were so industry standard. When I went to someone in the industry, it was like ‘I’ve worked for people at this calibre before’ so I never felt like I was out of my depth.”
In an unusual twist, Robbie Williams is represented on screen as a CGI chimpanzee, with actor Jonno Davies providing the speaking voice and motion capture. Adam’s mouth was filmed during recording sessions to ensure that the special effects team could synchronise the chimpanzee’s lip movements with his singing.
The film’s soundtrack has since topped the Official Albums Chart, giving Robbie Williams his 15th number one album—matching The Beatles’ record—and earning Adam a gold trophy of his own.
With the success of Better Man, Adam now plans to release his own original music, collaborating with fellow alumni and even featuring the original Brudenell Social Club piano on some of his tracks.
For more information on Leeds Conservatoire, visit leedsconservatoire.ac.uk, and follow Adam on Instagram at instagram.com/theadamtucker.
