Rick Astley Breaks Down in Tears Onstage, Opens up on Past Trauma and Depression

Throughout his career in the music industry, Rick Astley spent nearly four decades sharing his love for music. During that time, he released nine studio albums. His last album, Are We There Yet? released just last year. But while Astley sold millions of albums, nothing compared to the success that followed his iconic song “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Besides a hit on the airwaves, the song even dominated the internet as it became a meme. Although thrilled about the success he found, Astley recently admitted to suffering from depression when it came to his career.  

“Music Has Just Saved Me”

During an Oct. 16 show in Liverpool, England, the ’80s star broke down before a crowd of 1,500 people as he opened up about his “unconventional” childhood and bumpy relationship with his parents.

The fourth of five children, Rick Astley explained that his second-eldest brother died of meningitis when the hitmaker was young. The tragedy led to his parents’ divorce when Astley was 5. The children were then raised by their dad, who struggled mightily with his own mental health battles.

An emotional Astley admitted that growing up, all he ever wanted was “normality.” “Never Gonna Give You Up” provided the escape he needed when it became the best-selling single of 1987.

Once royalties began arriving, a local bank manager invited Astley into a Warrington branch to show him how much money he had in his account. Spoiler alert: it “was a stupid amount, like winning the lottery,” the now 58-year-old star said onstage.

“And I thought, I’m saved. Music has just saved me,” Astley told the crowd. “I don’t have to go back and live in that way ever again. This is my life now and I can choose what I want.”

Rick Astley Found Success Once Again

While success followed him after he released the hit song, Astley’s career appeared to slow down during the 1990s and early 2000s. Still producing music, the singer couldn’t capture the same magic that came with “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Speaking with The Daily Mirror, the star explained his slowing career mixed with his relationship with Lene Bausager led to some dark times. 

At the time, Astley decided to remove himself and focus on renovating his property in London. But that didn’t work as he insisted, “I spent so much time at the new house it was almost as if Lene and I had separated. The therapy helped me switch the overthinking off and to see things in a different way… it really sorted me and Lene out.” 

[RELATED: Watch Rick Astley Cover Foo Fighters’ “Everlong” in England]

Agreeing to go to therapy, Astley noted how it didn’t fix the issues he struggled with but gave him the tools to help him in the future. “It didn’t fix anything exactly, but it gave me the tools to deal with stuff better. Gradually Lene and I managed to close the gap and get back onto something like an even keel.”

As for Astley’s career, the singer continues to perform. Back in 2017, he joined the Foo Fighters on stage at the Summer Sonic Festival. He would perform with Dave Grohl again just two years later. And just last year, Astley crossed a massive milestone when he received the chance to perform at the Glastonbury Festival.  

(Photo by Mike Lewis Photography/Redferns)