Rick Astley opened up about his initial reservations toward Kylie Minogue, his former label mate at Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW), during the 1980s.
During a recent interview on the Life Of Greatness podcast, he candidly discussed his early skepticism about Minogue’s music career.
According to Daily Mail, Astley admitted that he initially dismissed Kylie, now a global pop icon, as merely a soap star trying her hand at singing.
He explained, “The guys who signed me wanted to work with an actress soap star,” while referencing Minogue’s role as Charlene Robinson on Neighbors.
At that time, Minogue was best known for her on-screen presence rather than her vocal talents.
Moreover, Astley recalled questioning SAW’s decision to work with her, perceiving it as a move motivated by fame rather than musical skill, as per the publication.
He wrote, “I thought it was Mandy Smith all over again,” while referring to another artist promoted for her celebrity status.
Despite his initial “snootiness”, Astley’s opinion of Minogue dramatically changed after meeting her during a promotional visit to Australia as he shared, “She was fantastic—so warm and lovely, completely without airs and graces.”
Additionally, he revealed that the interaction left him feeling protective of the young co young, whom he recognized as the lead talent on Neighbors.
Astley also reflecting on underestimating Minogue’s potential in music as he admitted, “I thought it might be a one-off. She’d go back to acting—it’s not as if she’d make a career out of being a singer.”
It is worth mentioning that Kylie Minogue went on to defy his expectations by becoming an international pop phenomenon with hits like I Should Be So Lucky, as per the outlet.
