Rick Astley, 59, may be known around the world for his unmistakable voice and the global hit Never Gonna Give You Up, but behind the music and the fame, the singer has been quietly grappling with a personal challenge.
Astley has been open about how the very career that brought him fame has left a lasting impact on his health – and how he’s learning to adapt with the help of modern technology.
Appearing on This Morning in 2023, Astley spoke candidly about the changes in his hearing over the years. “I do now have hearing aids, and I’m just getting on that journey, finding out when is good to use them,” he told hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary. For the singer, these devices have become an essential tool in social situations, helping him follow conversations across dinner tables and gatherings where natural hearing falls short.
Astley explained that his condition has been building gradually, a combination of age and a lifetime surrounded by loud music. “We have in-ears when we play live and I’ve been turning them down over the past few years because I’ve noticed that it’s been too loud when I come off stage. I can hear it ringing,” he said.
The ringing in his ears, a symptom of what many long-term musicians experience, has been a constant reminder of the toll a career in music can take.
The pop star also reflected on the whirlwind start to his career, recalling the speed at which Never Gonna Give You Up catapulted him to global fame. “I was 21 when it came out… Because that first song just took off everywhere, I didn’t really get a chance to take anything in. It was just doing its own thing and I was chasing it round the world,” he said.
That relentless pace meant Astley spent much of his early adulthood on tour, a lifestyle that, while exhilarating, left little room for self-care or reflection.
Since sharing his struggles with hearing loss, Astley has remained highly active in both music and public life. In October 2023, he released Are We There Yet?, his first album of new music since 2018’s Beautiful Life, which debuted at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart. He followed this with his autobiography, Never: The Autobiography, in October 2024, which critics praised as a “nuanced memoir” and a “revelation.”
On the live front, Astley has maintained a full touring schedule. His Reflection Tour 2026 includes dates across the UK and Ireland, from Glasgow and Newcastle to Belfast, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Dublin, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Nottingham, Birmingham, and London, with further performances at the Isle of Wight Festival.