Musician Adam Tucker, from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, has found himself in an extraordinary yet surreal position: millions have heard him sing, but almost no one knows it’s him. Tucker provided the singing voice for pop icon Robbie Williams in the biographical musical film Better Man, and the experience has been both a dream and a curious twist of fate.
Between 3 January and 9 January, the Better Man soundtrack reached number one on the Official Album Downloads Chart, an achievement Tucker described as “crazy.”
“I see people like Pink, Hugh Jackman, and Zac Efron posting about this film, and I think, ‘They’ve all just heard me sing for two and a half hours and don’t know it.’ But I guess that means I did the job right,” Tucker said.
The Voice Behind the Hits
The musical required re-recording some of Williams’ biggest hits to fit the choreography and energy of the film’s scenes. Tucker estimates he spent about 200 hours in the studio from May 2023 to August 2024, lending his voice to around 90% of the film’s music.
To achieve this seamless portrayal, Tucker worked with special effects company Wētā FX, which synced his mouth movements with the CGI chimpanzee representing Williams on screen.
“I’ve spent years trying to write songs that get heard,” Tucker said. “To finally be in the charts in some capacity is amazing, even if people don’t know it’s me.”
Appreciating Robbie’s Talent
Recording the songs also gave Tucker a newfound respect for Williams’ vocal ability.
“Some of his songs are really high. I don’t think people give him enough credit. He must’ve been 16 when he sang some of these parts, and he still performs them in the same key today,” Tucker said.
Mastering Williams’ Stoke-on-Trent accent added another layer of complexity. “I have some family from Stoke, so I was tuned into that accent. But we spent hours on those little tweaks,” he recalled.
The Other Hidden Voice
West End performer Kayleigh McKnight from Hertfordshire also played a pivotal role, providing the singing voice for Nicole Appleton, Robbie’s on-screen girlfriend. McKnight’s version of She’s The Oneaccompanies a key emotional scene in the movie
