George Michael

George Michael:

• Full name: Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou
• Birthdate: June 25, 1963
• Birthplace: East Finchley, London, England
• Nationality: British
• Occupation: Singer, songwriter, record producer
• Genre: Pop, soul, R&B
• Years active: 1981-2016
• Labels: CBS Records, Epic Records, Aegean Music, Virgin Records, DreamWorks Records
• Awards: 2 Grammy Awards, 3 Brit Awards, 1 American Music Award, 6 MTV Video Music Awards, 11 Ivor Novello Awards

Biography:

George Michael was an English singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the 1980s as a member of the pop duo Wham! alongside Andrew Ridgeley. After the group's dissolution in 1986, Michael began a successful solo career, releasing six studio albums. He was known for his soulful vocals, catchy melodies, and introspective lyrics.

Michael was born in East Finchley, London, to a Greek Cypriot father and an English mother. He began singing at a young age and formed his first band, The Executives, in 1979. In 1981, he met Ridgeley and the two formed Wham!. The duo released three studio albums, all of which were commercially successful. Their biggest hits included "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," "Careless Whisper," and "Last Christmas."

After Wham! disbanded, Michael released his debut solo album, "Faith," in 1987. The album was a critical and commercial success, selling over 25 million copies worldwide. It featured the hit singles "I Want Your Sex," "Faith," and "Father Figure." Michael's subsequent albums, "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" (1990), "Older" (1996), "Songs from the Last Century" (1999), and "Patience" (2004), were also successful, although they did not match the commercial success of "Faith."

Michael was known for his outspokenness on issues such as gay rights and AIDS awareness. He was also a philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to various charities. In 2011, he was arrested for possession of cannabis and driving under the influence of drugs. He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, but was released after serving four weeks.

Michael died on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53. The cause of his death was dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis. He was remembered as one of the most talented and successful singers of his generation.

Discography:

• Studio albums:
  • "Faith" (1987)
  • "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" (1990)
  • "Older" (1996)
  • "Songs from the Last Century" (1999)
  • "Patience" (2004)
• Compilation albums:
  • "Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael" (1998)
  • "Twenty Five" (2006)
• Live albums:
  • "Live in London" (1993)
• Video albums:
  • "Faith" (1988)
  • "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1: The Film" (1990)
  • "Older" (1997)
  • "Songs from the Last Century" (1999)
  • "Patience" (2004)

Awards:

• Grammy Awards:
  • Best Male Pop Vocal Performance - "Faith" (1989)
  • Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals - "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (with Aretha Franklin, 1988)
• Brit Awards:
  • Best British Male Artist (1988, 1989)
  • Best British Video - "Faith" (1988)
• American Music Awards:
  • Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist (1989)
• MTV Video Music Awards:
  • Video of the Year - "Faith" (1988)
  • Best Male Video - "Faith" (1988)
  • Viewer's Choice - "Faith" (1988)
  • Best Art Direction - "Father Figure" (1988)
  • Best Choreography - "I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II)" (1988)
  • Best Editing - "I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II)" (1988)
• Ivor Novello Awards:
  • Songwriter of the Year (1985, 1989)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1985)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Careless Whisper" (1986)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "I Want Your Sex" (1988)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Father Figure" (1989)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Freedom! '90" (1991)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Fastlove" (1997)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Outside" (1998)
  • International Hit of the Year - "Outside" (1998)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Jesus to a Child" (2000)
  • Best Contemporary Song - "Amazing" (2005)