Rick Astley is the first to admit he didn’t expect a comeback. But after his 2016 album 50 went platinum in the UK, the iconic crooner is riding a creative wave that shows no signs of slowing. Speaking with Kyle Meredith With…, Astley opened up about his North American tour, the unexpected success of 50, and what fans can expect from his new record.
“I made 50 just to celebrate turning 50, not hide from it,” Astley says. Recorded entirely in his home studio, 50 quickly morphed from a personal project into a chart-topping success. “I didn’t expect anything from it. So when the label said, ‘You’re going into the top ten,’ I was like, ‘What? Coldplay and Adele are in the top ten!’” The surprise didn’t stop there. “When they told me it was going number one, I just thought, ‘This is freaky.’”
But success didn’t change his day-to-day life. “The night we found out 50 went number one, we came home to find our kitchen flooded. So, we celebrated mopping the floor with Italian wine. That’s life, isn’t it?”
Astley recently wrapped up his next album, though fans won’t hear new tracks on tour just yet. “We’ve just mastered it, but we’re not close to releasing it. We’ll be playing songs from 50, though—it’s weird playing new songs at this point in my life. I didn’t think I’d be doing that again.”
Of course, no conversation with Rick Astley is complete without mentioning the phenomenon of rickrolling. While some artists might cringe at becoming a meme, Astley embraces it. “I think it’s fun. The Internet has the power to take an old song and give it a new life. Someone even rickrolled the White House—I like to think Obama got rickrolled. That tickles me.”
One of the most memorable rickrolls came courtesy of the Foo Fighters. “I was at a festival they were playing, standing side-stage, and Dave Grohl just came over, gave me a hug, and invited me onstage. I had no idea what was happening, and then he whispered, ‘We’re doing your song, but like Teen Spirit.’ It was brilliant.” Astley later joined them for encore performances in London and California. “They didn’t know if I was going to fall apart on stage, but that’s the beauty of the Foo Fighters—they just do what they want.”
Astley’s new album reflects his evolving sound, balancing introspection with upbeat tracks inspired by his live shows. “Playing 50 taught me that people my age still want to dance. I wasn’t sure if I’d be brave enough to do that a few years ago, but now the gloves are off.”
While he’s realistic about the challenges of achieving global success again, Astley remains grateful. “It’s hard for anyone to have a worldwide hit these days. But having people sing along to new songs with the same energy as Never Gonna Give You Up? That’s pretty weird—and pretty amazing.”
Catch Rick Astley on tour in North America this year and stay tuned for his forthcoming album, which promises to blend his signature sound with fresh, danceable vibes.
Listen to the interview above and then check out some videos below!
