Olly Alexander (born Oliver Alexander Thornton, 15 July 1990), is an English singer, songwriter and actor. He is the lead singer of the band Years & Years.
Alexander was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire. His mother, Vicki Thornton, was one of the founders of the Coleford Music Festival. Alexander attended St John's Primary School in Coleford and Monmouth Comprehensive School leaving to study Performing Arts at Hereford College of Arts. While at Monmouth Comprehensive School, he acted in two school plays: Guys and Dolls, as Benny, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle, as the Corporal. The New York Times reported that he wrote his first song on his father's Casio keyboard aged 10. His parents separated when he was 13 and he was brought up by his mother as a single parent.