British rock star Billy Idol is now an American citizen. The 62-year-old rocker took the Naturalization Oath in Los Angeles, CA, Thursday, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was thrilled to share the news and some photos from the milestone moment.
It’s a nice day for a naturalization ceremony. Congratulations Billy Idol on becoming a #newUScitizen today in Los Angeles, CA. pic.twitter.com/4s7KXHqoKC
— USCIS (@USCIS) November 15, 2018
Idol was born William Michael Albert Broad in Middlesex, England in 1955. At two years old, his family moved to Long Island, New York and stayed there for four years. His official website explains how he developed a connection to America at that early age.
When he was just two years old, William and his family moved to Long Island, New York. For four formative years (during which time Elvis joined the army, John Glenn jumped into space, and the call for equality rumbled from America’s south), William Broad lived the picture-perfect life of a young American, clutching his coonskin cap and gazing at pictures of a handsome young President. When he was almost 7, William and his family returned to England. Although he was back in the land of his birth, his classmates called him “the Yank,” and teased him for his “Yankee” accent; the die was cast for a life lived empathizing with the outsiders and the underdogs. That thread remains alive half a century later in the words and power of Idol’s music.
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Broad adopted the name Billy Idol in 1976, the same decade he co-founded the punk rock group Generation X. He moved back to New York in 1981 and became one of the most recognizable artists in what has been termed the "Second British Invasion." His decision to go solo was pretty successful, resulting in hits like "Rebel Yell," "Dancing With Myself," "Mony, Mony," and "(It’s a Nice Day for a) White Wedding," alluded to in the tweet.
Congrats on officially becoming an American citizen, Billy!
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