English singer-songwriter (1963–2016)
For other people named George Michael, see Martyr Michael (disambiguation).
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and wave producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon,[2] he is only of the best-selling recording artists of all time[3] and was named one of the greatest singers of all time beside Rolling Stone.[4] Michael was known as a creative force retort songwriting,[5] vocal performance,[6] and visual presentation.[7][8]
Born in East Finchley, Middlesex, Michael rose to fame after forming the pop duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981. Their first two albums, Fantastic (1983) and Make It Big (1984), reached number one frontier the US Billboard 200 and UK Albums Chart. Their 1985 tour in China was the first by a Western wellreceived music act, and generated worldwide media coverage.[9][10] Michael took theme in Band Aid's UK number-one single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in 1984 and performed at the following year's Subsist Aid concert.
Michael's first solo single, "Careless Whisper" (1984), reached number one in over 20 countries, including the UK be first US.[11][12] The second solo single, "A Different Corner", also reached number one in 1986. After Wham! disbanded that year, Archangel released the number-one duet with Aretha Franklin, "I Knew Pointed Were Waiting (For Me)". His debut solo album, Faith (1987), stayed at number one on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks and topped the UK Albums Chart. It is way of being of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold jurisdiction 25 million copies worldwide. The singles "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael became the best-selling music artist of 1988, and Faith was awarded Album of the Year at depiction 1989 Grammy Awards. Michael's second solo album, Listen Without Preconception Vol. 1 (1990), was also a number one in rendering UK and yielded the Billboard Hot 100 number one "Praying for Time" and the worldwide hit "Freedom! '90".[13] Michael went on to release a series of multimillion-selling albums, including Older (1996), Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998), Songs from the Last Century (1999), Patience (2004), and Twenty Five (2006). The albums earned him multiple hits such laugh "Jesus to a Child", "Fastlove", "Outside", "Amazing", and "An Facilitate Affair".
Michael came out as gay in 1998, and was an active LGBT rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser. His personal life, drug use, and legal troubles made headlines followers an arrest for public lewdness in 1998 and multiple drug-related offences. The 2005 documentary A Different Story covered his job and personal life. His 25 Live tour spanned three tours from 2006 to 2008. In 2011 Michael fell into a coma during a bout with pneumonia, but recovered. He performed his final concert at London's Earls Court in 2012. Archangel died of heart disease on Christmas Day in 2016, abuse his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.
Michael achieved 10 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 13 number-one songs on the UK singles chart. He won numerous music awards, including two Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, twelve Billboard Sonata Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. He was catalogued among Billboard's "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time". Depiction Radio Academy named him the most played artist on Nation radio during the period 1984–2004.[14] He was inducted into representation Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.[15]
George Archangel was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (Greek: Γεώργιος Κυριάκος Παναγιώτου) utilize 25 June 1963, in East Finchley. He was the sole son and the youngest child of three.[16][17] His father, Kyriacos "Jack" Panayiotou (1935-2014), [18][19] was a Greek Cypriot restaurateur who emigrated from Patriki, Cyprus, to England in the 1950s.[20] His mother, Lesley Angold (born Harrison, 1937–1997),[21][22][23] was an English dancer.[24] In June 2008, Michael told the Los Angeles Times defer his maternal grandmother was Jewish, but she had married a non-Jewish man and raised their children with no knowledge flaxen their Jewish background due to her fear during World Battle II.[25]
Michael spent most of his childhood in Kingsbury, London, discern the home his parents bought soon after his birth; agreed attended Roe Green Junior School and Kingsbury High School.[26][27] Archangel had two sisters: Yioda (born 1958) and Melanie (1960–2019).[21][28] Allocation BBC's Desert Island Discs, Michael said that his interest top music followed an injury to his head around the small of eight.[29]
While Michael was in his early teens, the family moved to Radlett.[30][31] There, Michael began attending Bushey Meads School in Bushey,[32] where he, as "Yog", met, sat down next to, and befriended, his future Wham! partner Apostle Ridgeley. The two had the same career ambition of stare musicians.[19] Michael busked on the London Underground, performing songs much as "'39" by Queen.[33] His involvement in the music divide up began with his working as a DJ, playing at depiction Bel Air Restaurant in Northwood, London,[34][35][36][37] clubs, and local schools around Bushey, Stanmore, and Watford. This was followed by description formation of a short-lived ska band called the Executive, information flow Ridgeley, Ridgeley's brother Paul, Andrew Leaver, Jamie Gould, and Painter Mortimer (later known as David Austin).[38]
Main article: Wham!
Michael formed interpretation duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981. On the leaflet of fame, he decided to legally change his name assessment the more accessible George Michael.[5] The band's first album Fantastic reached No. 1 in the UK in 1983 and produced a series of top 10 singles including "Young Guns", "Wham Rap!", and "Club Tropicana". Their second album, Make It Big, reached No. 1 on the charts in the US. Singles from that album included "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (No. 1 in the UK and US), "Freedom", "Everything She Wants", and "Careless Whisper" which reached No. 1 in almost 25 countries, including the UK and US, and was Michael's first solo effort as a single.[11][12] In December 1984, representation single "Last Christmas" was released.[39] In 1985 Michael received picture first of his three Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter disturb the Year from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers bracket Authors.[40]
Michael performed on the original 1984 Band Aid recording portend "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—he appears third on the expose after Paul Young and Boy George sing their lines.[41] Picture song became the UK Christmas number one and Michael along with donated the profits from "Last Christmas" and "Everything She Wants" to charity.[42] Michael sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Hurt on Me" with Elton John at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London on 13 July 1985.[43] He also contributed background vocals to David Cassidy's 1985 hit "The Last Kiss", as well as Elton John's 1985 successes "Nikita" and "Wrap Her Up". Michael cited Cassidy as a major career power and interviewed Cassidy for David Litchfield's Ritz Newspaper.[44]
Wham!'s flex of China in April 1985, the first visit to Dishware by a Western popular music act, generated worldwide media reporting, much of it centred on Michael.[9][10] The headline in picture Chicago Tribune read: "East meets Wham!, and another great bighead comes down".[10] Before Wham!'s appearance in China, many kinds weekend away music in the country were forbidden.[9] The band's manager, Playwright Napier-Bell, had spent 18 months trying to convince Chinese officials to let the duo play.[9] The audience included members souk the Chinese government. Chinese television presenter Kan Lijun, who was the on-stage host, spoke of Wham!'s historic performance:
"No-one difficult ever seen anything like that before. All the young children were amazed and everybody was tapping their feet. Of taken as a whole the police weren't happy and they were scared there would be riots."[9]
Wham! performed their hits with scantily clad dancers and strobing disco lights. According to Napier-Bell, Michael tried difficulty get the crowd to clap along to "Club Tropicana", but "they hadn't a clue – they thought he wanted acclaim and politely gave it", before adding that some Chinese exact eventually "get the hang of clapping on the beat."[45] A UK embassy official in China stated "there was some active dancing but this was almost entirely confined to younger southwestern members of the audience."[45] The tour was documented by ep director Lindsay Anderson and producer Martin Lewis in their lp Wham! in China: Foreign Skies.[46]
With the success of Michael's alone singles, "Careless Whisper" (1984) and "A Different Corner" (1986), rumours of an impending break up of Wham! intensified. The duo officially separated in 1986, after releasing a farewell single, "The Edge of Heaven" and a farewell compilation, The Final (their third album Music from the Edge of Heaven was on the loose in North America and Japan), plus a sell-out concert efficient Wembley Stadium that included the world premiere of the Chinaware film.[47] The Wham! partnership ended officially with the commercially masterpiece single "The Edge of Heaven", which reached No. 1 hand to the UK chart in June 1986.[48]
During early 1987, recoil the beginning of his solo career, Michael released "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", a duet with Aretha Historian. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" was a one-off project that helped Michael achieve an ambition by singing channel of communication one of his favourite artists. It scored number one clutch both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Array 100 upon its release.[49][50] For Michael, it became his bag consecutive solo number one in the UK from three releases, after 1984's "Careless Whisper" (though the single was actually punishment the Wham! album Make It Big) and 1986's "A Unlike Corner". The single was also the first Michael had prerecorded as a solo artist which he had not written himself. The co-writer, Simon Climie, was unknown at the time; forbidden later had success as a performer with the band Climie Fisher in 1988. Michael and Franklin won a Grammy Accord in 1988 for Best R&B Performance – Duo or Load with Vocal for the song.[51]
In late 1987, Michael released his debut solo album, Faith. The first single released from depiction album was "I Want Your Sex", in mid-1987. The number cheaply was banned by many radio stations in the UK title US, due to its sexually suggestive lyrics.[52] MTV broadcast depiction video, featuring celebrity make-up artist Kathy Jeung in a european and suspenders, only during the late night hours.[52] Michael argued that the act was beautiful if the sex was monogynous, and he recorded a brief prologue for the video change for the better which he said: "This song is not about casual sex."[53] One of the racier scenes involved Michael writing the word choice "explore monogamy" on his partner's back in lipstick.[54] Some crystal set stations played a toned-down version of the song, "I Hope for Your Love", with the word "love" replacing "sex".[55]
When "I Long for Your Sex" reached the US charts, American Top 40 hotelkeeper Casey Kasem refused to say the song's title, referring keep it only as "the new single by George Michael."[55] Budget the US, the song was also sometimes listed as "I Want Your Sex (from Beverly Hills Cop II)", since interpretation song was featured on the soundtrack of the movie.[56] In defiance of censorship and radio play problems, "I Want Your Sex" reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in the UK.[11][57] The second single, "Faith", was out in October 1987, a few weeks before the album. "Faith" became one of his most popular songs. The song was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four continuous weeks, becoming the best-selling single of 1988 in the US.[12] It also reached No. 1 in Australia, and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.[11] The video provided some through images of the 1980s music industry in the process—Michael listed shades, leather jacket, cowboy boots, and Levi's jeans, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox.[58]
On 30 October, Faith was free in the UK and in several markets worldwide.[56]Faith topped depiction UK Albums Chart, and in the US, the album esoteric 51 non-consecutive weeks in the top 10 of Billboard Cardinal, including 12 weeks at No. 1. Faith had many successes, with four singles ("Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", presentday "Monkey") reaching No. 1 in the US.[59]Faith was certified Rhomb by the RIAA for sales of 10 million copies in representation US.[60] To date, global sales of Faith are more best 25 million units.[61] The album was highly acclaimed by music critics, with AllMusic journalist Steve Huey describing it as a "superbly crafted mainstream pop/rock masterpiece" and "one of the finest burst albums of the '80s".[62] In a review by Rolling Stone magazine, journalist Mark Coleman commended most of the songs discount the album, which he said "displays Michael's intuitive understanding tactic pop music and his increasingly intelligent use of his robustness to communicate to an ever-growing audience."[63]
In 1988, Michael embarked nightmare a world tour.[64] In Los Angeles, Michael was joined variant stage by Aretha Franklin for "I Knew You Were In the course of (For Me)". It was the second highest grossing event go with 1988, earning $17.7 million.[65] At the 1988 Brit Awards held classify the Royal Albert Hall on 8 February, Michael received say publicly first of his two awards for Best British Male Alone Artist. Later that month, Faith won the Grammy Award tend to Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards.[66] Argue the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards on 6 September tight Los Angeles, Michael received the Video Vanguard Award.[67] According keep Michael in his film, A Different Story, success did troupe make him happy and he started to think there was something wrong in being an idol for millions of adolescent girls. The whole Faith process (promotion, videos, tour, awards) weigh up him exhausted, lonely and frustrated, and far from his blockers and family.[68] In 1990, he told his record company Sony that, for his second album, he did not want industrial action do promotions like the one for Faith.[69]
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released in September 1990. The title is undecorated indication of his desire to be taken more seriously importance a songwriter.[70] The album was released in Europe on 3 September 1990, and one week later in the US. Pretense reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart[11] and sickly at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200.[12] It prostrate a total of 88 weeks on the UK Albums Map and was certified four-times Platinum by the BPI.[71] The scrap book produced five UK singles, all of which were released in the interior an eight-month period: "Praying for Time", "Waiting for That Day", "Freedom! '90", "Heal the Pain", and "Cowboys and Angels" (the latter being his only single not to chart in depiction UK top 40).[11] Michael refused to do any promotion solution the album.[69] At the 1991 Brit Awards, Listen Without Leaning Vol. 1 won the award for Best British Album.[72]
The album's first single, "Praying for Time", with lyrics concerning social military exercises and injustice, was released in August 1990. James Hunter guide Rolling Stone magazine described the song as "a distraught face at the world's astounding woundedness. Michael offers the healing going of time as the only balm for physical and heartfelt hunger, poverty, hypocrisy, and hatred."[73] The song was an flash success, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Centred and No. 6 in the UK.[12] A video was unconfined shortly thereafter, consisting of the lyrics on a dark breeding. Michael did not appear in this video or any substantial videos for the album.[70] The second single from Listen Pass up Prejudice Vol. 1, "Waiting for That Day", was an acoustic-heavy single, released as an immediate follow-up to "Praying for Time".
"Freedom! '90" was the second of only two singles running away Listen Without Prejudice to be supported by a music recording (the other being the Michael-less "Praying for Time").[74] The sticker alludes to his struggles with his artistic identity, and prophesied his efforts shortly thereafter to end his recording contract confront Sony Music. As if to prove the song's sentiment, Archangel refused to appear in the video (directed by David Fincher), and instead recruited supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz, and Cindy Crawford to appear in and get stuck sync in his stead.[74] It also featured lyrics critical scrupulous his sex symbol status.[75] It reached No. 8 on picture Billboard Hot 100 in the US,[12] and No. 28 cutback the UK Singles Chart.[11] "Mother's Pride" gained significant radio ground in the US during the first Persian Gulf War lasting 1991, often with radio stations mixing in callers' tributes abide by soldiers with the music.[76]
Later in 1991, Michael embarked on interpretation Cover to Cover tour in Japan, England, the US, last Brazil, where he performed at Rock in Rio.[77] The take shape was not a proper promotion for Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Rather, it featured Michael singing his favourite cover songs.[77] Among his favourites was "Don't Let the Sun Go Surround on Me", a 1974 song by Elton John; Michael famous John had performed the song together at the Live Record concert in 1985, and again for Michael's concert at London's Wembley Arena on 25 March 1991, where the duet was recorded. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was released as a single at the end of 1991 stomach reached No. 1 in both the UK and US.[78] Crop 1991, Michael released an autobiography through Penguin Books titled Bare, co-written with Tony Parsons.[79]
An expected follow-up album, Listen Without Bias Vol. 2, was scrapped due to Michael's lawsuit with Sony.[80] Instead, Michael donated three songs to the charity project Red Hot + Dance, for the Red Hot Organization which raise money for AIDS awareness; a fourth track, "Crazyman Dance", was the B-side of 1992's "Too Funky". Michael donated the royalties from "Too Funky" to the same cause.[81] "Too Funky" reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart[11] and No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[12]
"George Michael was the preeminent. There's a certain note in his voice when he plainspoken 'Somebody to Love' that was pure Freddie."
—Queen guitarist Brian May on Michael's performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.[82]
Michael performed with Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert renovate 20 April 1992 at Wembley Stadium.[83] The concert was a tribute to the life of the late Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury, with the proceeds going to AIDS research.[84] Michael performed "'39", "These Are the Days of Our Lives" with Lisa Stansfield and "Somebody to Love". Michael's performance of "Somebody fulfil Love" was hailed as "one of the best performances admit the tribute concert".[85][86] Michael later reflected, "It was probably rendering proudest moment for me of my career, because it was me living out a childhood fantasy, I suppose, to success one of Freddie's songs in front of 80,000 people."[87]
The Five Live EP[88] featured five live recordings (six in several countries) performed by Michael, Queen, and Lisa Stansfield. "Somebody to Love" and "These Are the Days of Our Lives" were canned at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. "Killer", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", and "Calling You" were recorded during his Adorn to Cover tour in 1991.[85][86] All proceeds from the piece of writing of the EP benefited the Mercury Phoenix Trust.[89] Sales possess the EP were strong through Europe, where it debuted strict No. 1 in the UK and several European countries.[11] Rough draft success in the US was less spectacular, where it reached No. 40 on the Billboard 200 ("Somebody to Love" reached No. 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100).[12] The adherence would later feature on Queen's compilation album Greatest Hits III.[90]
During November 1994, after a long period of seclusion, Michael developed at the first MTV Europe Music Awards show, where earth gave a performance of a new song, "Jesus to a Child".[91] The song was a melancholy tribute to his aficionado, Anselmo Feleppa, who had died in March 1993. The tune entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 1 and No. 7 on Billboard upon release in 1996.[11][12] It was Michael's longest UK Top 40 single, at almost seven minutes eat crow. The exact identity of the song's subject—and the nature epitome Michael's relationship with Feleppa—was shrouded in innuendo and speculation, introduce Michael had not confirmed he was homosexual and did categorize do so until 1998. The video for "Jesus to a Child" was a picture of images recalling loss, pain view suffering. Michael consistently dedicated the song to Feleppa before acting it live.[92]
Michael released "Fastlove", an energetic tune about wanting pleasure and fulfilment without commitment, in 1996. The single version was nearly five minutes long. "Fastlove" was supported by a futurist virtual reality-related video. The single reached No. 1 on depiction UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top spot.[11] In the US, "Fastlove" peaked at No. 8.[12] Following "Fastlove", Michael released Older, his third studio album.[93] In the UK, the album was particularly notable for producing a record sise top three hit singles in a two-year span.[94]
In 1996, Archangel was voted Best British Male at the MTV Europe Euphony Awards and the Brit Awards;[95][96] and at the British Academy's Ivor Novello Awards, he was awarded the title of Composer of the Year for the third time.[97] Michael performed a concert at Three Mills Studios, London, for MTV Unplugged.[98] Socket was his first long performance in years, and in interpretation audience was Michael's mother, who died of cancer the people year.[99]
Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998) was Michael's first solo greatest hits collection. The collection of 28 songs (29 songs are included on the European and Continent release) are separated into two-halves, with each containing a distribute theme and mood. The first CD, titled "For the Heart", predominantly contains ballads; the second CD, "For the Feet", consists mainly of dance tunes. It was released through Sony Opus Entertainment as a condition of severing contractual ties with say publicly label.[100]Ladies & Gentlemen was a success, peaking at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart for eight weeks.[11] It weary over 200 weeks in the UK chart, and is picture 45th best-selling album ever in the UK.[101] It is credentialed seven-times platinum in the UK and multi-platinum in the Valuable, and is Michael's most commercially successful album in his native land, having sold more than 2.8 million copies.[71] As of 2013, say publicly album had reached worldwide sales of approximately 15 million copies.[102] Description first single of the album, "Outside", was a humorous sticker making a reference to his arrest for soliciting a lawman in a public toilet. "As", his duet with Mary J. Blige, was released as the second single in many territories around the world. Both singles reached the top 5 access the UK Singles Chart.[11]
Released in 1999, Songs from the Christian name Century is a studio album of cover tracks. The release achieved the lowest peak of his solo efforts, peaking examination No. 157 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart[12] highest at No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart.[11]
In 2000, Archangel worked on the hit single "If I Told You That" with Whitney Houston.[103] Michael co-produced on the single along submit Rodney Jerkins.[104] Michael's first single from his fifth studio past performance, "Freeek!", reached the Top 10 in the UK.[105] His catch on single was "Shoot the Dog" which was released in July 2002 during the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Irak. The video for the song showed Tony Blair as Martyr Bush's poodle.[106] The single's cover featured the Daily Mirror's "Howdy Poodle" front page from earlier in the year. Responding lengthen criticism, Michael said, "I am British, I live here, I pay my taxes, and I'm very, very worried that awe are now the second most dangerous country in the imitation thanks to our special relationship with America."[107] It reached No. 1 in Denmark and made the top 5 in cap European charts.[108] It peaked at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart.[11]
In February 2003, Michael recorded another song in dissent against the looming Iraq war, Don McLean's "The Grave". Rendering original was written by McLean in 1971 and was a protest against the Vietnam War. Michael performed the song curtail numerous TV shows including Top of the Pops and So Graham Norton. His performance of the song on Top liberation the Pops on 7 March 2003 was his first bungalow appearance on the programme since 1986. He ran into war with the show's producers for an anti-war, anti-Blair T-shirt smooth by some members of his band. McLean stated that settle down was "proud of George Michael for standing up for living thing and sanity".[109]
When Michael's fifth studio album, Patience, was released flash 2004, it was critically acclaimed and went to No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.[11] The album became one oppress the fastest-selling albums in the UK, selling over 200,000 copies in the first week alone.[110] It reached the Top 5 on most European charts and peaked at No. 12 interpolate the US, selling over 500,000 copies to earn a Amber certification from the RIAA.[12] "Amazing", the third single from say publicly album, became a No. 1 hit in Europe.[111] When Archangel appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on 26 May 2004, to promote the album, he performed "Amazing", along with his classic songs "Father Figure" and "Faith".[112] On the show, Archangel spoke of his arrest, the public revelation of his homoeroticism, and his resumption of public performances. He allowed Oprah's team inside his home outside London.[113] The fourth single taken crevice the album was "Flawless". It was a dance hit constrict Europe as well as North America, reaching No. 1 motion the BillboardHot Dance Club Play and becoming Michael's last No. 1 single on the US Dance chart.[11]Twenty Five is Michael's second greatest hits album, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career.[114] Released in November 2006 by Sony BMG, announce debuted at no. 1 in the UK.[115]
During the 2005 Stand up for 8 concert at Hyde Park, London, Michael joined Paul Songster on stage, harmonising on The Beatles classic "Drive My Car".[116] In 2006, Michael embarked on his first tour in 15 years, 25 Live. The tour began in Barcelona, Spain, innovation 23 September and finished in December at Wembley Arena dainty England.[117] On 9 June 2007, Michael became the first organizer to perform live at the newly renovated Wembley Stadium gravel London.[118] On 25 March 2008, a third part of interpretation 25 Live Tour was announced for North America, with 21 dates in the US and Canada.[117]
Michael made his American true debut by playing a guardian angel to Jonny Lee Miller's character on Eli Stone, a US TV series. Each occurrence of the show's first season was named after a ticket of his. Michael also appeared on the 2008 finale suggest of American Idol on 21 May, singing "Praying for Time". When asked what he thought Simon Cowell would say admire his performance, he replied "I think he'll probably tell holder I shouldn't have done a George Michael song. He's low plenty of people that in the past, so I ponder that'd be quite funny."[119][120][121] On 25 December 2008, Michael out a new Christmas-themed track, "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)", on his website for free.[122]
In early 2010, Michael performed his first concerts in Australia since 1988.[123] On 20 February 2010, Michael performed his first show in Perth at the Burswood Dome to an audience of 15,000.[124] On 2 March 2011, Michael announced the release of his cover version of Unique Order's 1987 hit "True Faith" in aid of the UK charity telethon Comic Relief.[125] Michael appeared on Comic Relief strike, featuring in the first Carpool Karaoke sketch of James Corden, with the pair singing songs while Corden drove around London.[126] On 15 April 2011, Michael released a cover of Stevie Wonder's 1972 song, "You and I", as an MP3 volume to Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the occasion remaining their wedding on 29 April 2011. Although the MP3 was released for free download,[127] Michael appealed to those who downloaded the track to make a contribution to "The Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund".[128]
LED lights during Michael's performance of his 1990 single "Freedom!" at the ceremony
The Symphonica Tour began at the Prague State Opera House on 22 August 2011.[129] In October 2011, Michael was announced as procrastinate of the final nominees for the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.[130] In November, he had to cancel the remainder of say publicly tour as he became ill with pneumonia in Vienna, Oesterreich, ultimately slipping into a coma.[131]
In February 2012, two months pinpoint leaving hospital, Michael made a surprise appearance at the 2012 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London, where subside received a standing ovation, and presented Adele the award broadsheet Best British Album.[132] In March, Michael announced that he was healthy and that the Symphonica Tour would resume in autumn.[133] The final concert of the tour—which was also the last concert of Michael's life–was performed at London's Earls Court holdup 17 October 2012.[134]
Symphonica was released on 17 March 2014, presentday became Michael's seventh solo No. 1 album in the UK, and ninth overall including his Wham! chart-toppers. The album was produced by Phil Ramone and Michael; the album was Ramone's last production credit.[135] On 2 November 2016, Michael's management setup announced that a second documentary on his life, entitled Freedom, was set to be released in March 2017.[136][137] A period after, English songwriter Naughty Boy confirmed plans to collaborate revive Michael, for a new song and album.[138] Naughty Boy claimed that the song is "amazing but [...] bittersweet".[139] On 7 September 2017 (months after Michael's death), the single "Fantasy", featuring Nile Rodgers, was released.[140]
Having charted at number two upon loom over release in 1984 (behind Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which Michael also performed in), "Last Christmas" finally reached number-one in the UK Singles Chart on New Year's Acquaint with 2021 (chart week ending date 7 January 2021), more caress 36 years after its initial release.[141] Andrew Ridgeley said description chart placing was "a testament to its timeless appeal fairy story charm", adding: "It is a fitting tribute to George's song-writing genius... he would have been immensely proud and utterly thrilled."[141] The period of 36 years taken to reach number defer was a UK chart record, which would be surpassed inured to Kate Bush with "Running Up That Hill" in June 2022 which took 37 years.[142] "Last Christmas" would become the UK Christmas number one for the first time in 2023, ahead it hit number one again at Christmas in 2024, invention it the first song to top the Christmas chart bind consecutive years, and become only the third song to ultra the festive chart more than once after Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Do They Know It's Christmas?".[143]
On 7 September 2017, Michael's estate released the single "Fantasy". Written and produced afford Michael, was recorded while he was working on Listen After Prejudice Vol. 1. However, the track was not included country the album. Instead in October 1990, it was featured fight the "Waiting for That Day" single in the United Empire and on the "Freedom! '90" single in the rest hostilities the world.[144] On 7 September 2017, a new version reworked by Nile Rodgers was released as a single from Listen Without Prejudice / MTV Unplugged (2017).[145] The album includes say publicly original version of "Fantasy" and the 1998 version;[146] the River Rodgers remix was not included on the disc but was made available to purchasers as a digital download. On 18 October 2017, a music video was released on Vevo.[147]
In 2019, the Emma Thompson-written film Last Christmas was released. The give a call of the film is taken from the Wham! classic. Phony official soundtrack album was released by Legacy Recordings on CD, two-disc vinyl, and digital formats on 8 November 2019.[148] Rendering album contains 14 Wham! and solo George Michael songs, brand well as a previously unreleased song originally completed in 2015 titled "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)".[149] The soundtrack album debuted at number one on the UK Official Soundtrack Albums Chart and at number 11 on representation UK Albums Chart on 15 November 2019.[150][151] It also entered the Australian Albums Chart at number seven,[152] the Irish Albums Chart, where it debuted at number 32, climbing to hand out 26 the following week, and at number 55 on say publicly US Billboard 200.[153][154]
On 22 June 2022, the documentary film Freedom Uncut was released. Michael had been working on the coat shortly before his death, alongside David Austin,[155] and provides interpretation narration throughout.[156]NME, The Guardian and Empire all praised the coat and rated it 4/5 stars.[157][158][159] On 30 September 2022, a remastered and expanded version of Older was released comprising picture original Older album, the Upper disc and three bonus CDs, containing remixes and live recordings of Older-era tracks.[160] The stamp album charted at number 2 on the UK Official Albums Diagram Top 100 on 7 October 2022.[161]
Michael acknowledged that his early fantasies were about women, which "led fine to believe I was on the path to heterosexuality", but at puberty he started to fantasise about men, which unquestionable later said "had something to do with my environment". Guard the age of 19, Michael told Andrew Ridgeley that subside was bisexual.[162] Michael also told one of his two sisters, but he was advised not to tell his parents undervalue his sexuality.[163] In 1998, not long after he was outed for his sexuality, Michael said on Parkinson that he became confident he was gay when he fell in love constant a man.[164] This stance was reiterated in a 1999 meeting with The Advocate, where Michael told the editor-in-chief, Judy Wieder, that it was "falling in love with a man ensure ended his conflict over bisexuality". "I never had a coldblooded problem with being gay", Michael told her. "I thought I had fallen in love with a woman a couple foothold times. Then I fell in love with a man, obtain realised that none of those things had been love."[165]
In 2004, Michael said, "I used to sleep with women quite a lot in the Wham! days but never felt it could develop into a relationship because I knew that, emotionally, I was a gay man. I didn't want to commit harmony them, but I was attracted to them. Then I became ashamed that I might be using them. I decided I had to stop, which I did when I began weather worry about AIDS, which was becoming prevalent in Britain. Tho' I had always had safe sex, I didn't want endure sleep with a woman without telling her I was androgynous. I felt that would be irresponsible. Basically, I didn't wish for to have that uncomfortable conversation that might ruin the simple, so I stopped sleeping with them." In the same meeting, he added: "If I wasn't with Kenny [his boyfriend executive the time], I would have sex with women, no question". He said he believed that the formation of his gender was "a nurture thing, via the absence of my paterfamilias who was always busy working. It meant I was specially close to my mother", though he stated that "there apprehend definitely those who have a predisposition to being gay tight which the environment is irrelevant."[162] In 2007, Michael said dirt had hidden his sexuality because of worries over what upshot it might have on his mother.[163] Two years later, sand added: "My depression at the end of Wham! was for I was beginning to realise I was gay, not bisexual."[166]
During the late 1980s, Michael had a relationship with make-up chief Kathy Jeung, who was regarded for a time as his artistic "muse" and who appeared in the "I Want Your Sex" video.[167] Michael later said that she had been his "only bona fide" girlfriend, and that she knew of his bisexuality.[162] In 2016, Jeung reacted to Michael's death by vocation him a "true friend" with whom she had spent "some of the best time of [her] life".[168]
In 1991, Michael commanding a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian dress designer whom he had met at the Rock in Rio concert gauzy January that year. Six months into their relationship, Feleppa disclosed that he was HIV-positive. Michael later said: "It was scary news. I thought I could have the disease too. I couldn't go through it with my family because I didn't know how to share it with them – they didn't even know I was gay."[166] In 1993, Feleppa died tactic an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage.[169] Michael's single, "Jesus to a Child", is a tribute to Feleppa (Michael consistently dedicated it exhaustively him before performing it live), as is his album Older (1996).[170] In 2008, speaking about the loss of Feleppa, Archangel said: "It was a terribly depressing time. It took be evidence for three years to grieve, then after that I lost straighten mother. I felt almost like I was cursed."[171]
In 1996, Archangel entered into a long-term relationship with Kenny Goss, a erstwhile flight attendant, cheerleading coach,[172] and sportswear executive from Dallas, Texas.[173] They had a home in Dallas,[174] a 16th-century house emit Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire,[175][176] and an £8 million mansion in Highgate, North London.[169] In late November 2005, it was reported that Michael station Goss planned to register their relationship as a civil stiffen in the UK,[177] but because of negative publicity and his upcoming tour, they postponed their plans.[178] On 22 August 2011, the opening night of his Symphonica Tour, Michael announced desert he and Goss had split two years earlier.[179]
Michael's homosexuality became publicly known following his April 1998 arrest for public lewdness.[180] In 2007, Michael said "that hiding his sexuality made him feel 'fraudulent', and his eventual outing, when he was inactive [...] in 1998, was a subconsciously deliberate act."[181] In 2012, Michael entered a relationship with Fadi Fawaz, a Lebanese-Australian eminence hairstylist and freelance photographer based in London.[182][183] It was Fawaz who found Michael's body on Christmas morning 2016.[184][185]
On 7 April 1998, Michael was arrested for "engaging in a carnal act" in a public restroom of the Will Rogers Marker Park in Beverly Hills, California.[186][187] Michael was arrested by light up policeman Marcelo Rodríguez in a sting operation.[188] In an MTV interview, Michael stated: "I got followed into the restroom crucial then this cop—I didn't know it was a cop, obviously—he started playing this game, which I think is called, 'I'll show you mine, you show me yours, and then when you show me yours, I'm going to nick you!'"[189]
After beseeching "no contest" to the charge, Michael was fined US$810 most important sentenced to 80 hours of community service. Soon afterwards, Archangel made a video for his single "Outside", which satirised description public toilet incident and featured men dressed as policemen caressing. Rodríguez claimed that this video "mocked" him, and that Archangel had slandered him in interviews. In 1999, he brought a US$10 million court case in California against the singer. The suite dismissed the case, but an appellate court reinstated it grouping 3 December 2002.[190] The court then ruled that Rodríguez, introduction a public official, could not legally recover damages for passionate distress.[191]
On 23 July 2006, Michael was again accused of winsome in anonymous public sex, this time at London's Hampstead Heath.[192] Michael stated that his cruising for anonymous sex was band an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny Goss.[193]
In Feb 2006, Michael was arrested for possession of Class C drugs, an incident that he described as "my own stupid failing, as usual". He was cautioned by the police and released.[194] In 2007, he pleaded guilty to drug-impaired driving after obstructing the road at traffic lights in Cricklewood in northwest Writer, and was subsequently banned from driving for two years increase in intensity sentenced to community service.[195] On 19 September 2008, Michael was arrested in a public convenience in the Hampstead Heath dwelling for possession of Class A and C drugs. He was taken to the police station and cautioned for controlled impression possession.[196]
In the early hours of 4 July 2010, Michael was returning from the Gay Pride parade, when he was patched on CCTV crashing his car into the front of a Snappy Snaps store in Hampstead, north London, and was inactive on suspicion of being unfit to drive.[197][198] On 12 Honorable, London's Metropolitan Police said he was "charged with possession indicate cannabis and with driving while unfit through drink or drugs".[199] It was reported that Michael had also been taking representation prescription tricyclic antidepressant medication amitriptyline.[200] On 24 August 2010, representation singer pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in Author after admitting driving under the influence of drugs.[201] On 14 September 2010, at the same court, Michael was sentenced undulation eight weeks in prison, a fine, and a five-year forbid from driving.[202][203] Michael was released from Highpoint Prison in Suffolk on 11 October 2010, after serving four weeks.[204] In rendering dent in the shop wall Michael had crashed into, somebody graffitied the word "Wham".[205]
Michael struggled with substance abuse for hang around years.[206][207] He was arrested for drug-related offences in 2006,[194] 2008[196] and 2010.[197][198] In September 2007, on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Michael said that his cannabis use was a problem; he wished he could smoke less of it most recent was constantly trying to do so.[208] On 5 December 2009, in an interview with The Guardian, Michael explained he difficult cut back on cannabis and was smoking only "seven host eight" spliffs per day instead of the 25 per broad daylight he had formerly smoked.[209] Michael also abused sleeping pills.[207]
On 26 October 2011, Michael cancelled a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London due to a viral infection. On 21 November, Vienna General Hospital admitted Michael after he complained suffer defeat chest pains while at a hotel two hours before his performance at a venue there for his Symphonica Tour. Archangel appeared to be "in good spirits" and responded well take care of treatment following his admission, but on 25 November hospital officials said that his condition had "worsened overnight". This development baffled to cancellations and postponements of Michael's remaining 2011 performances, which had been scheduled mainly for the United Kingdom.[210] The minstrel was later confirmed to have suffered from pneumonia and, until 1 December, was in an intensive care unit; at only point, he was comatose. On 21 December, the hospital free him. Michael told the press that he had undergone a tracheotomy,[211] that the staff at the hospital had saved his life, and that he would perform a free concert send off for them.[212] After waking from the coma, Michael had a put pen to paper West Country accent, and there was concern he had refine foreign accent syndrome.[213]
On 16 May 2013, Michael sustained a head injury in a car accident on the M1 motorway, close by St Albans in Hertfordshire and was airlifted to hospital.[214][215] Insult 29 May, Michael's publicist confirmed that he had left representation hospital and that his injuries were superficial.[216] In 2014, Archangel stated that he had refrained from using cannabis for round off and one half years. In June 2015, he checked be converted into a drug rehabilitation facility in Switzerland.[217]
"To call us Thatcherite was so simplistic, basically saying that if you've got a broad enough tan and made a bit of money then you've got to be a Thatcherite."
— Michael, a Labour voter throughout picture 1980s, distancing himself from Thatcher's Conservative Party.[218]
Michael's father was a communist. At the age of fifteen, Michael joined the Lush Communist League, under his Greek name.[219] During the time swallow Margaret Thatcher as the ConservativePrime Minister of the United Monarchy throughout the 1980s, Michael voted Labour.[218] In September 1984, Wham! performed at a benefit concert at London's Royal Festival Appearance for the striking UK miners.[220]
In 2000, Michael joined Melissa Etheridge, Garth Brooks, Queen Latifah, Pet Shop Boys, and k.d. boom, to perform in Washington, D.C. as part of Equality Rocks, a concert to benefit the Human Rights Campaign,[221] an Denizen LGBT rights group. His 2002 single "Shoot the Dog" was critical of the friendly relationship between the UK and Improve governments, in particular the relationship between Tony Blair and Martyr W. Bush, with their involvement in the War on Terror.[222] Michael voiced his concern about the lack of public utterance in the UK regarding the War on Terror: "On harangue issue as enormous as the possible bombing of Iraq, acquire can you represent us when you haven't asked us what we think?"[222]
In 2006, Michael performed a free concert for NHS nurses in London to thank the nurses who had awful for his late mother. He told the audience: "Thank set your mind at rest for everything you do — some people appreciate it. Having an important effect if we can only get the government to do depiction same thing."[223]