Ex-Wham singer and solo artist,George Michael, who sold more than 100 million albums over a pop music career spanning almost four decades, has died at the age of 53.
Michael died, Sunday, at his home in Goring, England. His publicist, Cindi Berger, who confirmed his demise, said he had not been ill.
The singer’s manager, Michael Lippman, attributed his the cause of death to heart failure. His family issued a statement through Thames Valley Police, saying he “passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.
“The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”
Lippmann’s announcement
Before Lippmann’s announcement, police issued a statement calling the death “unexplained but not suspicious” and that “a post mortem will be undertaken in due course.”
The death of Michael reportedly continues a year of grief in the music industry, with David Bowie, Prince and Glenn Frey among who died before age 70.
One of the giants of ‘80s and ‘90s music, and an early idol for the MTV generation, Michael enjoyed immense popularity early in his career as a teenybopper idol, delivering a series of hits such as. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Young Guns (Go For It)” and “Freedom.” As a solo artist, he developed into a more serious singer and songwriter, lauded by critics for his tremendous vocal range. He earned numerous Grammy and American Music Awards, and. recorded duets with legends like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Luciano Pavarotti and Elton John.
Throughout his career, his drug use and taste for risky sex brought him into frequent brushes with the law, most famously in 1998 when he was arrested for public lewdness in Los. Angeles. Yet, he managed to turn the. incident into fodder for a popular song that poked fun at his behavior, and his acknowledgment of his homosexuality at that time made him even more popular with his fans.
Michael, with startling good looks and an easy stage manner, formed the boy band WHAM! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley in the early 1980s.
Helped by MTV, which was an. emerging music industry force at the time, the cheerful duo easily crossed the Atlantic to become popular in the United States with Michael, as lead singer, usually the focal point.
He started his solo career shortly. before WHAM! split, with the release of the megahit single “Careless. Whisper,” making a seamless transition.
Critics generally viewed his WHAM! songs as catchy but disposable pop and gave his solo efforts far higher. marks.
His first solo album, 1987’s “Faith,” sold more than 20 million copies, and he enjoyed several hit singles including the raunchy “I Want Your Sex,” which was helped immeasurably by a provocative video that received wide air play on MTV.
The song was controversial not only. because of its explicit nature, but also because it was seen as. encouraging casual sex and promiscuity at a time when the AIDS epidemic was deepening. Michael and his management tried to tamp. down this point of view by having the singer write “Explore Monogamy” on the leg and back of a model in the video.
At the time, Michael had not. disclosed his homosexuality, and. much of his chart success was. based on his sex appeal to young. women. His look was raw and provocative, with tight jeans, tight T-shirts, black leather jackets and designer stubble, and his videos. pushed the accepted limits with many lingerie-clad models vying for Michael's attentions on screen.
But Michael’s situation changed abruptly in 1998 when he was arrested for lewd conduct in a public. toilet in Los Angeles after being spotted by a male undercover police. officer.
The arrest received international media attention, and seemed for a brief time to jeopardize Michael's stature as a top recording artist.
No excuses for behaviour
But instead of making excuses for his behaviour, he went on to release a. single and video, “Outside,” that made light of the charges against him and mocked the Los Angeles. police who had arrested him.
On marijuana
Michael was an admitted user of marijuana and. prescription sedatives and several times was found slumped over his car’s steering wheel after using both at the same time.
His driver’s license was finally revoked for five years in 2010 after Michael drove his Land Rover into the side of a Snappy Snap photo. shop with so much force that his vehicle dented the wall.
Madonna, Elton John lead tributes for George Michael
Meanwhile, Madonna and Elton John are leading tributes from around the world for the pop star.
“Farewell my Friend! Another Great Artist leaves us. Can 2016 Fuck Off NOW?” Madonna wrote in a post on Instagram accompanied by a video of her presenting Michael with an award.
Elton John also published a picture of himself with Michael, saying: “I am in deep shock. I have lost a beloved friend – the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist”.
Michael shot to fame with the 1980s band, Wham! and sold over 100 million albums in his career, winning two Grammies and three Brit awards.
Referring to him by his nickname “Yog” (Yours Only George), Wham! co-star Andrew Ridgeley said he was “heartbroken” by Michael’s death.
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