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Rick Astley first came to fame in 1987 after the success of his song ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ but it wasn’t long before the pop star was shying away from the spotlight.
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Speaking to The Herald Sun, Rick, who was only 19 years old when the hit song came out, described how the track ultimately pigeonholed him as far as music was concerned.
“I’d had enough; people had probably had enough of me. So I quit,” Rick, now 53, told the publication.
The song was a worldwide number-one hit, initially in the UK in 1987, where it stayed at the top of the chart for five weeks and was the best-selling single of that year.
It eventually topped the charts in 25 countries, including the United States and Australia. Other major hits followed, including Together Forever, Whenever You Need Somebody and When I Fall In Love.
Despite his pop success, Rick said when it came time to changing genres, his success dried up as he was unable to shift his ‘boy-next door’ pop persona.
In a bid to shed his clean-cut image and make it as a ‘serious’ artist, Rick released an adult contemporary album in 1993, but audiences weren’t into it, and he retired from the music industry at age 27, after years of poor chart performance and negative press.
Like many musicians of the 1980s and 1990s, Rick is experiencing a revival in his career, after he returned to the music industry.
He’s even come to peace with the song that made his name.
“I had a long break and I think that’s why I can sing ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ now and still be sane.
“There were years and years when I didn’t do it. I’d only sing those songs at real close friends’ weddings,” he said.
Last year, Rick performed the track at Kylie Minogue’s 50th birthday celebration, and was then asked to sing it with US rock band Foo Fighters during one of their shows.
He also supported Take That on their recent UK tour.
Since coming out of retirement, the singer has had back-to-back hits in the UK and is heading to Australia with fellow 80s band A-Ha early next year.
