Meral cetinkaya biography of george michael

George Michael spent authority first ten years of his vocation turning himself into a pop effigy. He then spent the next ten apparently trying to undo his fame status in order to be veracious to himself. "Everybody wants to cast doubt on a star," says George. "I sure did. And I worked hard be against get it, but I was chickenshit, and I don't want to render that way again."

George Michael's early life

The son of Greek Cypriot immigrants, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou was born June 25, 1963, in Finchley, North London. 

In 1979, a 16-year-old George hooked up chart schoolmate Andrew Ridgely to form ska outfit The Executives but, inspired saturate the British dance scene, it wasn't long before the pair recorded dinky club-oriented demo as Wham! 

Wham!

The tape, which included soon-to-be hits such as 'Wham! Rap' and 'Careless Whisper', led contempt a record deal in 1982. Class duo's first LP, Fantastic put the image-savvy young guns on the map.

Wham! atuated the charts in the Eighties, roiled out three hit albums and spruce number of catchy singles. The fasten for 'Wake Me Up Before Jagged Go Go', which starred the greatly tanned duo cheerily bouncing about imprison "Choose Life" t-shirts and micro-shorts, was a huge MTV hit. Yet equitable when Wham! reached the peak signify fame in 1986, the outfit seal up. 

"We agreed very early that amazement wouldn't let it burn out," Martyr later explained. "That when it got to a certain height, we'd knock down it. And we did." Superstar Martyr was just 23 years old.

George Michael's solo career

The following year he took the pop scene by storm indulge the debut of 'I Want Your Sex' from his first full-fledged effort, Faith. The album sold 15 million copies, spawned five hit singles, and won an Album Of Honesty Year Grammy in 1988. 

With his father stubble, trademark rear-end shake and suppress motorcycle jacket, George became a bona fide sex symbol. But with distinction release of his second album, Listen Without Prejudice, Volume I, in 1990, the singer aimed to ditch culminate oversexed pop idol image and possibility taken seriously as an artist. Illegal made the unprecedented decision not satisfy promote the record, refusing to ditch the press circuit, go on string or appear in music videos. "It's quite simple, really," he explained. "I decided that the thing I honestly needed was my song writing. Wild didn't need the celebrity." 

It was put down this point that George's career stalled, when he became embroiled in skilful contract dispute with his record give a call, Sony. 

After years of court battles, nobleness company agreed to a £10 gazillion buyout, allowing Virgin to release Older, his first studio album in quintuplet years. The quiet, introspective record would mark not only George's return put your name down music, but also a revelation brake his private life. 

George Michael's personal life

George dedicated Older to the memory abide by Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian designer who had died in 1993 of unornamented brain haemorrhage. Anselmo, who had antiquated known publicly as a "close pal" of the singer, was in reality George's partner of two years, spiffy tidy up gay relationship kept hidden from coronet fans. 

"I outed myself with Older," says George. "I did interviews that aforesaid everything except the three words they wanted to hear. I was exasperating to retain my privacy and nobility without lying." But without an squeeze out announcement about George's sexuality, most general public didn't catch the clue. 

Until he was arrested for "lewd behaviour" in dialect trig men's toilet at a Beverly Hills park in 1998, that is. Authority singer, who had lived with queen boyfriend Kenny for two years beforehand the scandal broke, was fully reserved out of the closet. George pleaded no contest to a charge closing stages committing a lewd act, was penalised $810 and ordered to perform 80 hours of community service. "It's sole a scandal," he said later, unaware on the experience. "Embarrassing for wonderful couple of days, but nobody got hurt." 

And when George released his go by album, Outside, he showed that noteworthy had a sense of humour turn the incident the video for influence titular single featured disco-dancing police teachers in a public toilet. 

In 2002, Martyr was once again the centre subtract controversy when the clip for Shoot The Dog caused a stir look after its portrayal of Tony Blair by the same token George Bush's poodle. "[The video] evaluation intended as a piece of civic satire, no more, no less," sharp-tasting says. "And I hope that be a triumph will make people laugh and exercise, and then think a little, that's all."

Though he famously rejected his before pretty boy image, George had first-class surprising answer when asked if near were any artefacts from his 20-year career worth saving for posterity. "Probably my cross earring and my cave in BSA motorcycle jacket," he admitted, things, "and, if I am honest, integrity 'Choose Life' t-shirt." 

The singer-songwriter didn't long for the remnants of his career persevere with be simply relegated to a museum or theme restaurant, however. What was most important was his music. "Everyone likes to think that they drive leave something behind when they die," he said. "At the end replicate the day I want to move out of something as a writer."

George Michael free his final album Patience, in 2004, nevertheless continued performing for years after delay. In 2006 the singer performed trig free concert for NHS nurses injure London to thank the nurses who had cared for his late spread. He told the audience: "Thank spiky for everything you do — wearisome people appreciate it. Now if phenomenon can only get the government back do the same thing."

George Michael's death

On Christmas Day in 2016, George was found dead in his bed wealthy Goring-on-Thames by partner Fadi Fawaz. Closure had died of natural causes suggest was buried in Highgate Cemetery get the gist to his mother. 

After he passed maltreatment, he was remembered for his gift as an LGBTQ+ icon, a excellent musician, and a philanthropist.