Odera nwobu biography of george michael
George Michael
George Michael | |
|---|---|
Michael in | |
| Born | Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou ()25 June East Finchley, London, England |
| Died | 25 December () (aged&#;53) Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England |
| Cause&#;of death | Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis caused by fatty liver disease[1] |
| Resting place | Highgate cemetery |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, Record producer |
| Years&#;active | – |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Pop Pop rock Dance pop R&B Jazz Blue Eyed Soul |
| Instruments | Vocals Piano Keyboards Guitar Bass guitar Drums Percussion |
| Labels | Columbia Records, DreamWorks, Virgin, Epic, Sony Music |
| Website | |
Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (25 June &#; 25 December ), known professionally as George Michael, was an Englishsinger-songwriter, and record producer.
He is regarded as one of the greatest cultural icons of all time and one of the greatest artists in music history.
Career
[change | change source]George Michael rose to fame in the s, when he formed the pop duo Wham!
with his school friend Andrew Ridgeley. The duo released a string of massive singles in like "Young Guns (Go for It)" and "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)", both written by Michael. In , Wham!'s debut album, Fantastic was released. It reached #1 in the UK charts and had the hit single "Club Tropicana" with a music video, shot in Ibiza.
George Michael: Biography, Death, Songs, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June – 25 December ) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, [2] he is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time [3] and was named one of the greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone. [4].
After a year, Wham changed its image with the release of their second album Make It Big, which was a critical and commercial success, hitting #1 in both the UK and the USA. It produced four singles, all topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic. One of the most popular songs in the album, "Careless Whisper", Michael's first solo single, was released in while he was still performing with Wham!.[2] In , Wham!
disbanded after release of a third studio album, single and concert at Wembley Stadium.
Following his split with Wham!, George Michael began a successful solo career, releasing four studio albums, Faith (), Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (), Older (), and Patience (). Michael has sold over million records worldwide as of ,[3] encompassing 11 British #1 singles, 9 British #1 albums, 10 US #1 singles, and 2 US #1 album.
His debut solo album, Faith has sold over 20&#;million copies worldwide alone and its considered by some music critics to be one of the greatest albums in pop music history.[4] In , Radio Academy has named Michael the most played artist on British radio between the period of [5]
In , George Michael announced his first tour in 15 years.
25 Live tour was a massive, worldwide undertaking by Michael that spanned forth individual tours over the course of five years (, , , and ).[6]
Charity
[change | change source]In November , Michael joined other popular British and Irish pop stars to form Band Aid, singing on the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for relief of famine in Ethiopia.
George Michael spent the first ten years of his career turning himself into a pop icon. He then spent the next decade apparently trying to undo his superstar status in order to be true to himself. And I worked hard to get it, but I was miserable, and I don't want to feel that way again. In , a year-old George hooked up with schoolmate Andrew Ridgely to form ska outfit The Executives but, inspired by the British dance scene, it wasn't long before the pair recorded a club-oriented demo as Wham! The tape, which included soon-to-be hits such as 'Wham!This single became the UK Christmas number one on the UK Singles Chart in December Michael's own song, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, was held at number two.[7] "Do They Know It's Christmas?" sold &#;million copies in the UK. It became the biggest selling single in UK Chart history. It held this position until when it was overtaken by Elton John's "Candle in the Wind ", released in tribute to Princess Diana following her death Michael also attended Diana's funeral with Elton John.[7] Michael donated the royalties from "Last Christmas" to Band Aid and subsequently sang with Elton John at Live Aid (the Band Aid charity concert) in [8]
Personal life
[change | change source]Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou was born in London to White English parents, his mother is of Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and German descent and his father is of Greek and Cypriot descent.
Michael was raised there and in Hertfordshire. He was initially private about being homosexual. During his Wham! career, he was in relationships with well-known women such as actress Brooke Shields, and model Pat Fernandes.[9][10][11] Between and , he was romantically involved with Kathy Yueng, an American makeup artist who was featured in the "I Want Your Sex" music video.[12][13][14] Nonetheless, his sexual orientation was well known among London music business people.[15]
These persisted into his solo career, but Michael had already established a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa, whom he had met at the concert Rock in Rio.
Odera nwobu biography of george michael wikipedia As a teenager, George Michael formed the band Wham! In , Michael announced that he was gay after being arrested for lewd conduct in a public restroom. Michael continued to perform and his career had a reboot in the mids with the release of his greatest hits album Twenty Five. He continued to tour and donated much of his time and wealth to charity. Michael died of heart and liver disease on December 25, , in his home in England at the age ofFeleppa died of an AIDS-related brainhemorrhage in Michael's single "Jesus to a Child" is a tribute to Feleppa: he consistently dedicated it to him before performing it live, as is his album Older.[16] Starting in , Michael was in a long-term relationship with businessman Kenny Goss. They had homes in London and Dallas.[17]
Death
[change | change source]On 25 December before GMT, Michael died at his property in Goring, Oxfordshire, England from heart failure and a fatty liver, aged Before GMT his publicist stated that he had "passed away peacefully" and Thames Valley Police said they were treating the death as unexplained and there were no suspicious circumstances.
South Central Ambulance Service had attended his property at GMT on Christmas Day.[18]
Discography
[change | change source]Studio albums
[change | change source]| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| Faith | |
| Listen Without Prejudice Vol.
1
| |
| Older | |
| Patience |
References
[change | change source]- ↑Reed, Ryan (30 December ). "Autopsy: George Michael's Cause of Death 'Inconclusive'". He was the youngest child in a large family, with his father Jack Panos, a Cypriot restaurateur, and his mother Leslie Angold, an English dancer. From a young age, George, or "Yog" as he was called in his family, had weak eyesight and a very shy personality. He initially learned to play the violin but did not excel due to being left-handed. He later developed a passion for music, particularly influenced by the band Queen and Elton John. A pivotal moment in George's character and future biography was his family's move and his enrollment in Bushy Meads School.
Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 31 December Retrieved 30 December
- ↑"George Michael's highs and lows". 21 September &#; via
- ↑" Michael seeking 'a quieter life'". 12 June Archived from the original on Retrieved : CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- ↑"George Micahel at HP Pavilion at San Jose".
Yahoo Inc. 24 March Archived from the original on 1 February Retrieved 3 May
- ↑"George Michael dominates airwaves".Odera nwobu biography of george michael George Michael was a beloved pop icon whose career spanned several decades, starting with Wham! He first made his mark in the music world as part of the pop duo Wham! Despite his fame, Michael faced personal challenges and controversies, particularly regarding his sexuality, which he openly acknowledged in after an incident in Los Angeles. His music continued to evolve, incorporating various genres, and he remained active in the industry until his untimely death on December 25, Michael was not only known for his incredible talent but also for his philanthropic efforts, donating significant sums to various charities throughout his life.
28 April &#; via
- ↑"Latest Entertainment News & Celebrity News". . Archived from the original on Retrieved
- ↑ Sedghi, Ami (4 November ). "UK's million-selling singles: the full list". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved 26 December
- ↑Butcher, Asa (20 November ).
"30 years later the original Band Aid performers". Archived from the original on 26 December Retrieved 25 December
- ↑ (7 June ). "GEORGE CONFESSES".
mirror.
- ↑Abdulatief, Soraya (27 November ). "24 Facts: George Michael". Channel.
- ↑"Brooke Shields and George Michael".
- ↑"THE SHAM OF WHAM; GEORGE MICHAEL'S SEX SHAME: 'Four girls a night' boasts to boost his image. - Free Online Library". .
- ↑"::YOGCHICK Kathy Jeung: George Michael's Girlfriend in the 80s".
Archived from the original on Retrieved
- ↑"Account Suspended". .[permanent dead link]
- ↑Fiona Russell Powell (). "My High Times with Gay George". Punch. Archived from the original on Retrieved
- ↑ "The life of celebrities & royals, biographies, news, photos".
.
- ↑"Goss Gallery to Open in Dallas Featuring International Contemporary Art". Retrieved April 27, [permanent dead link]
- ↑"Ex-Wham singer George Michael dies". BBC. 25 December Retrieved 25 December