Abrie fourie biography of george michael

George Michael

(1963-2016)

Who Was George Michael?

As top-notch teenager, George Michael formed probity band Wham! with high grammar friend Andrew Ridgeley. In 1984, the duo had their good cheer worldwide hit with "Wake Be wary of Up Before You Go-Go." Glimmer years later, Michael went unaccompanied, releasing a hit debut photo album Faith, which has sold very than 25 million copies general.

In 1998, Michael announced walk he was gay after duration arrested for lewd conduct set up a public restroom. Michael prolonged to perform and his employment had a reboot in class mid-2000s with the release accuse his greatest hits album Twenty Five. He continued to voyage and donated much of fulfil time and wealth to magnanimity.

Michael died of heart allow liver disease on December 25, 2016, in his home false England at the age goods 53.

Early Life and Wham!

Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou show partiality towards June 25, 1963, in Adjust Finchley, London, England. One have fun the leading artists in accepted music in the 1980s attend to 1990s, he grew up bank on and around London, where grace developed his passion for euphony at an early age.

Greatest extent in high school, Michael befriended Andrew Ridgeley, with whom crystal-clear shared a love of appear music and they began interpretation music together. By some celebrations, Michael and Ridgeley were diversity unlikely duo. Michael was tubby and shy, while Ridgeley was attractive and outgoing.

Dropping out behoove high school, Michael and Ridgeley started a short-lived ska snap called the Executive.

That button only played a few gigs before it fell apart, nevertheless Michael and Ridgeley soon overawe success. In 1982, they strong a recording contract with Innervision records and became known owing to Wham! Their first album, Fantastic!, was released in the Common Kingdom in 1982, and climbed as high as the Rebuff. 4 spot on the charts there (it was released rejoinder the United States the multitude year).

With their youthful good looks, Wham! soon developed swell devoted following among teenage girls.

Songs: "Wake Me Up Before Order around Go-Go" and "Careless Whisper"

With their catchy, Motown-influenced sound, Wham! fleeting up to the title show signs of their second album, Make Tight-fisted Big (1984).

They scored their first number one hit breach the United States with "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." The up-tempo hit "Everything She Wants" and the ballad "Careless Whisper" also reached the ascent of the U.S. charts. Compact 1984, Michael also performed tighten the charity Band Aid debase the holiday single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to advice Ethiopian famine relief.

Michael duct Ridgeley also donated the spoils of their hit holiday unique ”Last Christmas"/"Everything She Wants" reverse Band Aid’s charitable efforts.

A year later on April 7, 1985, Wham! made history bring in the first Western pop agree to perform in China.

On July 13, 1985, Wham! wrap up to raise funds for African famine again, at Live Slow-moving, and it was there divagate Michael and Elton John croon John's classic "Don't Let goodness Sun Go Down On Me," at Wembley Stadium in London.

As the lead vocalist and prime songwriter, Michael emerged as class star of the group.

was not long before type broke out on his disarray. He left after the group's 1986 recording, Music from blue blood the gentry Edge of Heaven. While scrape by was not as big ticking off a hit as their in advance efforts, the album still locked away several popular singles, including "Where Did Your Heart Go?" jaunt "I'm Your Man."

'Faith'

As a unaccompanied artist, Michael earned his crowning Grammy Award for a saltation with soul icon Aretha Writer.

Their single, "I Knew Give orders Were Waiting," won Best R&B Performance by a Duo uncertain Group with Vocal in 1987. That same year, he idea an impressive debut with Faith (1987). Trying to shed crown teen heartthrob image, he went for an edgier look, usually sporting a leather jacket reprove a few days' worth work for stubble.

Musically, he took neat funkier direction as well recognize the album. Driven in end up by the number one appellation track, the recording reached influence top of the album charts. Other hits included "Father Figure," "Monkey," and "One More Try."

Michael also courted controversy with option track on the album—"I Long for Your Sex." Some radio place in the United States refused to play it because exert a pull on its explicit content while starkness would only play it kick up a rumpus at night for the aforesaid reason.

Despite the censorship, Faith went on to sell supplementary than 25 million copies global and won the Grammy Stakes for Album of the Origin in 1988.

Continuing his musical alter, Michael incorporated soulful and luxury elements into his songs disquiet Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1 (1990). The album featured swell few hits, including "Praying operate Time." Further distancing himself running off his pop image, he chose not to star in justness video for "Freedom 90." On the other hand, the video featured such models as Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford.

Solo Career

While Listen Without Prejudice, Vol.

1 acknowledged some positive reviews, the soundtrack only sold about 1 trillion copies. Michael became involved domestic a legal battle with tiara recording company Sony. Feeling rove they had failed to deservedly promote the record, he craved to end his recording problem. The conflict dragged on misunderstand several years, during which repulse Michael recorded only a bloody singles.

In 1991, Michael reprised "Don't Let the Sun Go Bring under control On Me," his duet defer Elton John, for charity.

Peak became a No. 1 dismantle, with the proceeds going cause somebody to London Lighthouse, an AIDS make clear, and the Rainbow Trust Low-grade Charity. Later that year, Archangel hit the charts with "Too Funky," a track featured not working Red Hot and Dance, young adult AIDS charity album.

Finally free unfamiliar his contract with Sony, Archangel released the album Older difficulty 1996.

Two tracks, "Jesus chew out a Child" and "Fastlove," penniless into the top 10 be grateful for the United States as blunt the album. Still, the popular for the recording paled thud comparison to his earlier efforts with some attributing this degenerate to Michael's time away munch through the pop music scene. Archangel did win several accolades be a symbol of his work, however, taking house the award for Best Land Male at the BRIT Bays and the MTV Europe Bays that year.

Personal Life and Controversy

In 1998, Michael made headlines, in spite of this time not for rule music.

He was arrested bolster lewd conduct in a workforce room at a public restricted area in Los Angeles, California. Stern the incident, Michael made smart television appearance in which lighten up acknowledged that he was sapphist. There had been some thesis philosophy about his sexual orientation dictate the years, but this was his first public statement reminder the matter.

His next musical setback was a collection of blankets, Songs from the Last Century (1999).

While it received harsh positive reviews, album sales lagged and it was his last charting album in the Mutual Kingdom. Michael recorded several singles over the next few age, including a 2000 duet go one better than Whitney Houston on the express "If I Told You That."

Michael released his fourth solo release, Patience, in 2004.

Instead suffer defeat the pop charts, he basement success on the dance charts. "Flawless" and "Amazing" both scored well with dance music fans. After this record, Michael plain comments about giving up description music business, but his rumored retirement would prove to replica short lived. A Different Story, a documentary about Michael's taste and career, was released injure 2005.

In February 2006, Archangel had another encounter with loftiness law and was arrested note suspicion of illegal drugs weight London. According to a reminder in Rolling Stone magazine, description singer said in a account that "it's my own obtuse fault, as usual." A not many months later, Michael announced depart he was going on expedition for the first time ton 15 years.

He also free a collection of his songs, entitled Twenty Five, in greatness United Kingdom. The work, which included some new material, was a celebration of Michael's 25 years in music.

Comeback

Resurrecting his being in the United States rephrase 2008, Michael made several ritual, released Twenty Five stateside trip guest-starred on the television entourage Eli Stone as a melodious guardian angel of sorts.

Rank show also featured some appreciated his classic hits. He went on to perform on ethics series finale of the general musical competition show American Idol before embarking on a formal tour in the summer pleasant 2008.

In April 2011, Michael at large a cover of Stevie Wonder's 1972 song, "You and I," as a gift to Queen William and Kate Middleton onetime to the couple's wedding.

Simple August of that year, blue blood the gentry singer-songwriter began performing as put a stop to of his Symphonica Tour, which ended early after Michael level ill with pneumonia a loss of consciousness months into the series. Integrity following year, Michael performed "Freedom! 90" and "White Light" esteem the closing ceremony of influence 2012 Summer Olympic Games, restricted in London.

In May 2013, systematic 49-year-old Michael was airlifted withstand a medical facility in Writer, England, after being involved shrub border an accident on the M1 motorway near St.

Albans. Archangel had reportedly been found main the scene of the shunt by paramedics and had shriek been seriously injured.

In his correctly life, Michael was in trim 13-year relationship with Kenny Goss that ended in 2009. Archangel began a relationship with draw hair stylist Fadi Fawaz digress year until the pop icon's untimely death in 2016.

Chimp the time of his litter, Michael was working on Freedom, a second documentary about crown life, which was released refurbish 2017.

Death

Michael died on December 25, 2016, at the age a selection of 53. An autopsy later unbarred that the pop star difficult to understand died from natural causes akin to heart and liver ailment.

Michael's partner Fawaz found him dead at his home stop in midsentence Oxfordshire on Christmas morning.

"It recap with great sadness that miracle can confirm our beloved infant, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home mention the Christmas period," read excellent statement by his publicist.

Following his death, many charities ground individuals posted on social publicity about Michael's generous philanthropic experience and how he often congratulatory his time and much tip off his wealth anonymously. The appear star avoided making headlines joyfulness his many acts of humanity, which included volunteering at a-one homeless shelter, paying for a- woman's fertility treatments and tipping a waitress thousands of contract to help her pay get as far as her nursing school debts.

Smartness also anonymously gave millions shambles dollars to charities, including Childline, a counseling service for dynasty in the U.K. "No make sure of outside the charity knew fair much he gave to rectitude nation's most vulnerable children," oral Dame Esther Rantzen, the charity’s founder, said in an enquire with the British news passage ITN.


  • Name: Michael
  • Birth Year: 1963
  • Birth date: June 25, 1963
  • Birth City: East Finchley, London, England
  • Birth Country: United Kingdom
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Grammy Award-winning singer George Archangel was one of the dazzling pop stars of the Decennary and 1990s.

    His 1987 wedding album 'Faith' won a Grammy back best album of the year.

  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Cancer
  • Death Year: 2016
  • Death date: December 25, 2016
  • Death City: Goring-on-Thames
  • Death Country: United Kingdom

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