The year of 2016 has seen the death of a slew of celebrities and musicians such as Prince and David Bowie. On Christmas day, another legendary singer, George Michael, passed away due to heart failure.
The late musician was one of the most successful artists in the world as he sold more than 100 million albums globally, and won several Grammy awards. George Michael will be remembered for his heartfelt songs and electrifying performances.
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Here are five of George Michael’s best moments.
What is your favorite George Michael moment?
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George Michael with Wham!
George Michael was part of one of the most popular bands in the 1980’s with Wham!
Alongside fellow musician Andrew Ridgeley, the two skyrocketed into stardom with catchy tunes such as “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” and “Freedom.” While Michael would eventually go on to have an extremely successful solo career, he first made it to the global spotlight as part of Wham!
At the time of his death Andrew Ridgeley tweeted: “Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog. Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx.”
Heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend Yog. Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx https://t.co/OlGTm4D9O6
— Andrew Ridgeley (@ajridgeley) December 26, 2016
“Last Christmas”
As part of the music duo Wham!, Michael delivered one of the most memorable Christmas songs of all time.
“Last Christmas” was the biggest-selling single in the U.K. chart history even though it didn’t quite reach No. 1. The song has been played a countless amount of times including 200 million views on YouTube. Artists such as Carly Rae Jepsen, Jimmy Eat World, Hilary Duff, and Ariana Grande have all covered “Last Christmas,” according to Yahoo.
“Careless Whisper”
“Careless Whisper” was George Michael’s first solo single. The heartfelt tune displayed the late singer’s knack for being able to tap into people’s emotions through song.
Michael was so confident in his own instincts regarding the song that he turned down Atlantic records legend Jerry Weller’s production for his own. Clearly George Michael knew exactly what he was as the song was a worldwide No. 1.
Faith (1987)
The Faith album propelled George Michael to a level of stardom on par with Michael Jackson and Madonna in the 1980’s.
The smash hit album had six top-five singles such as “I Want Your Sex,” “Father Figure,” and “Faith.” The album sold more than 25 million copies worldwide to date, according to USA Today.
Not only was the album a commercial success, but also it won a Grammy award for Album of the Year.
George Michael Charitable Contributions
One aspect of George Michael’s life that sometimes went unnoticed was how charitable he was. A report came out just this weekend that the late singer once donated nearly $18,500 to a woman secretly to pay for her IVF treatment.
A woman on ‘Deal Or No Deal’ told us she needed £15k for IVF treatment. George Michael secretly phoned the next day and gave her the £15k.
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) December 26, 2016
Michael’s charitable work dates back to the 1980’s. He raised money for AIDS research and terminally ill children, and even penned a Band Aid single Do They Know It’s Christmas?
After the story surfaced about Michael’s generosity, other fans told stories of the pop star volunteering at a homeless shelter, and giving £25k to a woman in a cafe who was crying over debt.
The incidents haven’t been officially confirmed, but the touching tales certainly detail an honorable image of George Michael that often went under the radar.
