Brendon Boyd Urieis an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of Panic! at the Disco, of which he is the only original member remaining.
In high school, his friends chose him to be the band's lead singer after initially considering him for the guitarist position. Urie has appeared in albums, singles, musicals, a movie soundtrack, an award ceremony, and more. Many of his songs have achieved commercial success, reaching high spots on Billboard charts and millions of sales. Urie is known for his expansive four octave tenor vocal range.
In 2018, he launched a non-profit organization for human rights and started streaming on Twitch.
Early life
Urie was born in St. George, Utah, and his family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, when he was two years old. He is the fifth and youngest child born to Grace and Boyd Urie. He is of about one quarter Polynesian descent from Hawaii, through his mother's side. He was raised in an LDS family, but left the faith around 17 due to displeasure with the church and not believing in its ideology. Urie attended Palo Verde High School in Las Vegas, where he met future Panic! bassist Brent Wilson in his guitar class. Wilson asked Urie to try out for a band he was in, since they needed a replacement guitarist.
Urie described himself as a "spaz in high school," and explained that one student would always bully him. He worked at Tropical Smoothie Cafe in order to pay his band's rent for their practice space. At the cafe, Urie often sang for customers. He explained, "I would sing anything I was listening to at the time, but I was down to take requests. I remember singing some Scorpions songs, some W.A.S.P. 80s anthems are usually good for tips. It was a huge range of stuff. Some people liked it, and some people didn't. I had to respect other people's wishes, but I had a couple people come in who would ask me to sing for a tip. That's always fun." Urie graduated high school in 2005.
Panic! at the Disco
Urie met Brent Wilson while taking guitar classes offered at their high school and Wilson asked Urie to try out as lead guitarist for Panic! at the Disco, as they were looking for a replacement at the time. Originally, Ryan Ross was their lead singer. When Urie filled in for Ross during a band rehearsal, they were impressed with Urie's vocal abilities and he was chosen as their lead singer. He officially joined the band in 2004.
Since then, Panic! at the Disco has released six studio albums with Urie as lead vocalist. A Fever You Can't Sweat Out was released in 2005 with the hit lead single "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" propelling it to 1.8 million sales. For their second album, Pretty. Odd. (2008), Urie also took lyrical responsibility and wrote two of the tracks on the record by himself; those tracks being "I Have Friends in Holy Spaces" and festival favorite "Folkin' Around". He also wrote "New Perspective" for the soundtrack to the motion picture Jennifer's Body.
On March 22, 2011, the band released their third album Vices & Virtues following the departure of Ross and Walker. On October 8, 2013, the fourth album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! was released. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. On July 21, 2014, Urie won "Best Vocalist" at the Alternative Press Music Awards. In 2015, founding drummer Spencer Smith left the band and bassist Dallon Weekes departed from the official lineup, being downgraded to a touring member, leaving Urie as the only member of the official lineup.
On January 15, 2016, Panic! at the Disco released their fifth studio album, Death of a Bachelor, eventually earning the band its best sales week and first number one album.
On March 21, 2018, the band released two new songs "Say Amen (Saturday Night)" and "(Fuck A) Silver Lining". At the same time, the band also announced a tour, and a new album called Pray for the Wicked.
On June 6, 2022, Panic! At The Disco announced their seventh studio album "Viva Las Vengeance", and released the title single along with announcing a tour.
