He may be 66, but Limahl — the peroxide-blond crooner who gave us the endlessly catchy “The NeverEnding Story” — isn’t riding off into any musical sunset. The former Kajagoogoo frontman, born Christopher Hamill, is staging a low-key comeback with a synth-drenched cover of “A Horse with No Name” that proves queer legends age like fine wine — and maybe a splash of glitter.
Yes, that song from the 1984 fantasy flick went viral again thanks to Stranger Things, earning Limahl a jaw-dropping 800% spike in YouTube views and reminding Gen Z that gays did it better in the ’80s. But don’t call it a comeback — the man never really left. He’s been performing across Europe and is slated to light up Cologne Pride this summer, where he’ll be bringing the house down for the queers, the nostalgics, and everyone in between.
Reinvention on His Own Terms
Limahl’s latest track isn’t just a retro remix — it’s a reimagination. “Horse with No Name,” originally a folk-rock hit, has been given a slick, moody electronic makeover that’s as haunting as it is danceable. “It has been in my subconscious for quite some time,” he says. With lush synths and stratospheric reverb, the track is basically a desert dream with eyeliner. Even better? It’s self-produced. No label. No execs. Just Limahl and his vision — which, by the way, includes a trippy, end-of-the-world video featuring a guy named Goat. Seriously.
The song’s visuals channel post-apocalyptic surrealism, but Limahl’s presence is anything but bleak. Looking sharp and sounding even sharper, he credits his vocal longevity to clean living — “no drugs, no smoking, just a little wine,” and the occasional gym session. He’s doing it all solo now, no industry machine, no pressure. “At 66, I just want to enjoy it,” he says. Honestly, goals.
A Queer Legacy Worth Celebrating
While Limahl was out to his friends and family during his Kajagoogoo days, he kept it hush-hush with fans — an understandable move, considering the teen-girl fandom of the time and the still-hostile music industry. “I wasn’t ready,” he reflects. “But I was right behind artists like Bronski Beat.” It’s a sobering reminder of how far we’ve come — and how visibility has always come at a cost. Today, though? Limahl is out, proud, and happy to be performing for “like-minded people who know my music.” For him, Pride is “the biggest hug you could ever get.” Yes, diva. We felt that.
He’s also not afraid to get real about HIV. Having lost countless friends in the ’80s and ’90s, Limahl speaks candidly about survival and the importance of ongoing awareness. “It’s weird — the HIV message isn’t talked about now,” he says. But he’s making sure it doesn’t vanish. Last year, he joined forces with the Terrence Higgins Trust, the UK’s largest sexual health charity, and reminded us all that the fight isn’t over — especially when STIs are on the rise again.
Love, Loss & That NeverEnding Flame
Limahl has been with his partner Steve for over 32 years — a rare feat in any community, but especially the gay one. Their secret? Mistaking peace for boredom. “He didn’t cause me pain, so I thought I wasn’t in love,” Limahl says with a laugh. But one big fight later, he realized the truth. “If they’re not hurting you, maybe that is love.” Somebody get these two a damn crown.
As for regrets? Maybe just one: not doing more with Kajagoogoo before the breakup. But even that has a silver lining. “If the band hadn’t broken up, would I have done ‘The NeverEnding Story’?” he muses. “You can’t go back.” Spoken like a true gay icon who’s still writing his story — and it’s nowhere near ending.
Limahl isn’t just a nostalgic footnote. He’s a living, breathing reminder that queerness and creativity don’t age out. He’s proof that being “Too Shy” doesn’t mean staying silent — and that every queer kid with a synth and a dream still has a place in the spotlight.