Rick Astley performs in the U.K. in June 2023.Photo:Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Rick Astley has embraced his hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up” after years of avoiding it — all thanks to an internet trend.
The singer, 57, who recently released his new albumAre We There Yet?, appeared on the U.K.‘sBBC North West Tonighton Monday and revealed that the “Rickrolling” prank helped him reconnect with his 1987 hit after not singing it for 15 years, according tothe BBC.
“Rickrolling”— which is when people trick others into clicking on a hyperlink that sneakily leads to the music video for “Never Gonna Give You Up” or watching a clip that ultimately becomes the music video — resulted in the song’sYouTube viewsrising to 1.4 billion (and counting).
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Rick Astley in 2020.Dave Simpson/WireImage
Dave Simpson/WireImage
“Without my old songs and without the Rickrolling thing and people being aware of that video on the internet in the way that they are — it’s got its own little universe almost — I wouldn’t have got the invite for Glastonbury,” Astley toldBBC North West Tonightas he reflected onhis Glastonbury festival performanceback in June.
The musician described his debut at Glastonbury as “really really special.” He added that he defies “anybody to go to Glastonbury and be on that pyramid stage and not feel the enormity of it.”
Rick Astley performs Leicester in September 2023.Cameron Smith/Getty Images
Cameron Smith/Getty Images
“It’s a great box to tick that’s for sure,” Astley continued during the interview.
Last month, the musiciansettled a vocal impersonation lawsuitagainst rapperYung Gravy. Astley filed thelawsuit in Januaryin Los Angeles, claiming that Yung Gravy used “a deliberate and nearly indistinguishable imitation” of his voice in the rapper’s popular song “Betty (Get Money).”
source: people.com
