Famed English musician Rick Astley has labelled himself a fan of some homegrown talent, taking to social media to praise Your Own Kind of Girl, the new book from Aussie musician Clare Bowditch.
Released in October of 2019, Your Own Kind of Girl sees Bowditch looking back into her past for what has been described as a “no-holds-barred memoir”.
Receiving unanimous praise and acclaim across the board, a press release noted the book “reveals a childhood punctuated by grief, anxiety and compulsion, and tells how these forces shaped Clare’s life for better and for worse,” while labelling it as “a heartbreaking, wise and at times playful memoir”.
Undoubtedly a powerful read for anyone – fan or not – Your Own Kind of Girl appears to have now found a famous fan, with English musician Rick Astley singing its praises overnight.
Taking to social media recently, Astley noted how he had used the memoir as a literary escape during the global pandemic, emerging from its pages as a huge fan.
Made our night Rick! Thank you! And thank you for all you’re doing to keep all our spirits up. Really appreciate it. CB xo
— Clare Bowditch (@ClareBowditch) April 22, 2020
“I heard about Clare Bowditch coming to one of my gigs in Australia but sadly we didn’t meet,” Astley began. “I managed to buy her book before arriving home to lockdown.
“She is an amazing writer, musician and actress. If you need something new to read, check out her special story.”
News of his recommendation soon made its way to Bowditch, who responded to Astley’s Tweet with her own comment. “Made our night Rick! Thank you! And thank you for all you’re doing to keep all our spirits up. Really appreciate it.”
Though the pair haven’t previously worked together, Bowditch did comedically show her own approval of Astley in 2018 by way of a humorous Facebook share. The post in question was a faux-campaign poster for Astley as the next Prime Minister of Australia, specifically pointing to the lyrics of his viral hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” as potential campaign promises.