‘It is kind of nuts’: Singer Rick Astley’s iconic track Never Gonna Give You Up becomes a huge hit on TikTok
He infamously quit music at the height of his stardom after becoming burnt out trying to shed his boy next door pop persona.
But almost 20 years later, Rick Astley has made a comeback on TikTok – and is already seeing success with the younger generation.
Speaking on Channel Nine’s Today on Friday, the 55-year-old said it was ‘kind of nuts’ to think Never Gonna Give You Up was still a big hit.
‘That is a bit weird. One of the things I like about TikTok is that there are millions of people singing songs that were made 25 years before they were born and I think that’s great,’ he said.
‘It is kind of nuts, really. I think that song obviously has got its own little kind of world on the internet.
‘I have been grateful for that because it has kind of introduced me to [a younger] audience.
‘When I do gigs, people are of an age who come to see me, of course they are, but every now and then I will look out into the audience and I see a few people and I think, “That is interesting.” Because obviously they are a bit younger.’
Online comeback! Rick Astley (pictured), 55, on Thursday told Channel Nine’s Today he was seeing great success on TikTok and that is ‘nuts’ his hit song, Never Gonna Give You Up, is popular among the younger generation
Rick said the one thing he liked about the internet and how advanced technology had become was the fact it broke down barriers and ‘made it easier for any generation of people to like what they like’.
‘So if that is your mum liking Drake, that’s fine. And if it is you liking your mum’s records, that’s fine as well. The gloves are off. Everything seems to be OK now and I think that is really positive and healthy,’ he said.
In 2019, Rick revealed his iconic track Never Gonna Give You Up almost ruined his career after he became burnt out from trying to shed his boy next door pop persona.
His opinion: Rick said the one thing he liked about the internet and how advanced technology had become was the fact it broke down barriers and ‘made it easier for any generation of people to like what they like’
‘I’d had enough; people had probably had enough of me. So I quit,’ Rick told The Herald Sun on July 25, 2019.
Rick, who was only 19 years old when the song came out in 1987, described how the track ultimately pigeonholed him as far as music was concerned.
He said even though the song was one of the most bankable at the time and led to several other pop hits, when it came time to changing genres, his success dried up.
Overnight success! Rick, who was only 19 years old when the song came out in 1987, described how the track ultimately pigeonholed him as far as music was concerned
Pop royalty! Rick was one of several artists who worked with English songwriters and producers Stock Aitken Waterman, including Donna Summer, Bananarama and Kylie Minogue
Rick, who was one of several artists who worked with English songwriters Stock Aitken and Waterman, said he was unable to shift his boy-next door pop persona.
At the same time, the trio were having great success with some of the most iconic 80s pop artists, including Donna Summer, Bananarama and Kylie Minogue.
He eventually retired from the music industry at age 27, after years of poor chart performance and negative press.
Early exit! Rick eventually retired from the music industry at age 27, after years of poor chart performance and negative press