Adam Tucker, a musician from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, has found an unexpected claim to fame as the singing voice of Robbie Williams in the star’s biographical musical film, Better Man.
Tucker described the experience as “the weirdest claim to fame,” yet one that has propelled him into the spotlight in an unconventional way.
After being frequently told he sounded like the Stoke-on-Trent pop star, Tucker submitted recordings to the film’s producers, who were seeking a sound-alike for Williams’ younger voice.
His efforts paid off, and between 3 January and 9 January, the film’s soundtrack topped the Official Album Downloads Chart—a surreal milestone for the Norfolk musician.
“I see people like Pink, Hugh Jackman, and Zac Efron posting about the film,” Tucker said. “They’ve just heard me sing for two and a half hours and don’t know it. But I guess that means I’ve done the job right.”
Tucker spent roughly 200 hours re-recording Williams’ iconic songs between May 2023 and August 2024.
His renditions cover about 90% of the music featured in the film, as producers aimed to recreate Williams’ youthful energy while matching the demands of the musical’s dynamic scenes.
The recordings were precise and labor-intensive, with cameras capturing Tucker’s mouth movements so that New Zealand-based Wētā FX could sync the CGI chimpanzee representation of Williams with the vocals.
“Some of the parts were on the brink of my vocal range,” Tucker shared.
“Robbie must have been 16 when he sang this. Some of his songs are really high. People don’t give him enough credit—he still sings them in the same key today.”
Another challenge was mastering Williams’ Stoke accent. Fortunately, Tucker’s family ties to the region helped him perfect the subtle tweaks necessary to match the pop star’s distinctive tone.
Tucker’s favorite songs to perform were My Way and She’s The One, both pivotal emotional moments in the film.
The latter featured a duet with a character portrayed as All Saints’ Nicole Appleton, whose singing voice was provided by West End performer Kayleigh McKnight from Hertfordshire.
McKnight, who provided vocals for Appleton’s character, shared the thrill of hearing her voice on the big screen.
“It’s kind of fun. I was sat in the cinema watching it, and no one knew it was me. It felt like The Masked Singer,” she said.
Unlike Tucker’s months of work, McKnight’s contribution was recorded over two days after filming had concluded.
She received praise for her performance of She’s The One, with fans describing it as moving and emotional.
Both Tucker and McKnight joked about taking their involvement further, offering their vocal talents to Williams for any future performances.
“If Robbie needs someone for She’s The One on tour, I’m available,” McKnight laughed. Tucker echoed the sentiment, ready to step up should the call come.
The unique project has brought Tucker and McKnight newfound recognition while showcasing the skill and dedication required to recreate the essence of a music icon.
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