Robbie Williams (born Robert Peter Williams on February 13, 1974) is an English singer and songwriter whose career has moved between boy-band pop, rock-influenced chart music, big-band standards and electronic dance music. He became famous as a member of Take That before establishing himself as one of the most successful British solo performers of his generation. Known for his conversational singing style, comic self-awareness and commanding stage presence, Williams has also made music videos and live spectacle central to his public image.
Williams grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, and joined Take That in 1990 at the age of 16. The group became one of the defining British pop acts of the early 1990s, combining choreographed performances with polished ballads and dance-pop singles. Williams was often presented as the group's rebellious, charismatic member, but tensions developed between him, the other musicians and the band's management. He left Take That in 1995, shortly before the group first split, and began preparing for a solo career.
His initial solo period was unsettled, but he found his direction with the album Life Thru a Lens (1997). The record established a more individual sound, drawing on pop-rock, theatrical songwriting and elements of Britpop. Its most enduring track, "Angels," became a defining Williams performance and a major international success. The song's emotional directness helped broaden his appeal beyond the teen-pop audience associated with Take That.
Williams followed with I've Been Expecting You (1998), an album that confirmed his status as a major solo star. It produced the singles "Millennium," "She's the One" and "Strong," while also showing his growing interest in combining traditional pop craftsmanship with irony and larger-than-life presentation. Albums including Sing When You're Winning (2000), Swing When You're Winning (2001) and Escapology (2002) continued his run of commercial success. "Rock DJ" became one of his signature songs, supported by a deliberately provocative video in which Williams digitally strips away his clothing and then his body in an extravagant visual stunt.
The singer's work frequently balanced vulnerability with performance bravado. "Feel," from Escapology, presented a more reflective side, while videos such as "Come Undone," "Tripping" and "Advertising Space" extended his interest in cinematic storytelling and celebrity satire. His 2001 swing album, recorded with arrangements inspired by the Great American Songbook, demonstrated that his ambitions were not limited to contemporary pop. Later releases explored new wave, dance-rock and electronic production, particularly Rudebox (2006) and Reality Killed the Video Star (2009).
In 2010, Williams reunited with Take That for the album Progress and the accompanying tour. The collaboration was a major event in British pop, although Williams subsequently returned to his solo work. He later released Take the Crown (2012), Swings Both Ways (2013), The Heavy Entertainment Show (2016) and The Christmas Present (2019). The retrospective album XXV (2022) reworked selected songs with orchestral arrangements, while his electronic project Lufthaus offered a more club-oriented setting.
Williams became the subject of the 2024 musical film Better Man, directed by Michael Gracey. The film uses a computer-generated monkey to portray Williams, an unconventional device that reflects the singer's blend of spectacle, self-mockery and emotional candor. Its soundtrack revisited key moments from his career and introduced new material. In 2026, he returned to Britpop-inspired territory with BRITPOP, an album that looks back toward the musical culture surrounding his early solo years while continuing his long-standing interest in reinvention.