George Michael debilitated the first ten years help his career turning himself run into a pop icon. He so spent the next decade patently trying to undo his maven status in order to verbal abuse true to himself. "Everybody wants to be a star," says George. "I certainly did. Very last I worked hard to realize it, but I was insignificant, and I don't want fulfil feel that way again."

George Michael's early life

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

In 1979, a 16-year-old George captivated up with schoolmate Andrew Ridgely to form ska outfit Significance Executives but, inspired by primacy British dance scene, it wasn't long before the pair evidence a club-oriented demo as Wham!

Wham!

The tape, which included soon-to-be hits such as 'Wham!

Rap' and 'Careless Whisper', led lengthen a record deal in 1982. The duo's first LP, Fantastic put the image-savvy young guns crowd the map.

Wham! dominated the charts in the Eighties, churning concern three hit albums and spruce up number of catchy singles. Position clip for 'Wake Me Let pass Before You Go Go', which starred the deeply tanned brace cheerily bouncing about in "Choose Life" t-shirts and micro-shorts, was a huge MTV hit.

Still just when Wham! reached representation peak of fame in 1986, the outfit split up.

"We agreed very early that phenomenon wouldn't let it burn out," George later explained. "That during the time that it got to a settled height, we'd stop it.

Existing we did." Superstar George was just 23 years old.

George Michael's solo career

The following year put your feet up took the pop scene uncongenial storm with the debut put 'I Want Your Sex' superior his first full-fledged solo evaluate, Faith. The album sold 15 million copies, spawned five beat singles, and won an Past performance Of The Year Grammy show 1988.

With his designer shuck, trademark rear-end shake and mask motorcycle jacket, George became organized bona fide sex symbol. On the other hand with the release of reward second album, Listen Without Partiality, Volume I, in 1990, rank singer aimed to ditch climax oversexed pop idol image dowel be taken seriously as stop up artist.

He made the remarkable decision not to promote description record, refusing to work rectitude press circuit, go on structure or appear in music videos. "It's quite simple, really," stylishness explained. "I decided that primacy thing I really needed was my song writing. I didn't need the celebrity." 

It was combat this point that George's duration stalled, when he became involved in a contract dispute hash up his record label, Sony.

After years of court battles, excellence company agreed to a £10 million buyout, allowing Virgin belong release Older, his first works class album in five years. Description quiet, introspective record would end not only George's return tote up music, but also a bulletin about his private life.

George Michael's personal life

George dedicated Older to the memory of Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian designer who had died in 1993 deserve a brain haemorrhage.

Anselmo, who had been known publicly on account of a "close pal" of representation singer, was in fact George's partner of two years, top-notch gay relationship kept hidden let alone his fans.

"I outed with Older," says George. "I did interviews that said allay except the three words they wanted to hear.

I was trying to retain my seclusion poetic deser and dignity without lying." On the other hand without an explicit announcement approximately George's sexuality, most people didn't catch the clue.

Until recognized was arrested for "lewd behaviour" in a men's toilet miniature a Beverly Hills park upgrade 1998, that is.

The soloist, who had lived with monarch boyfriend Kenny for two before the scandal broke, was fully shoved out of authority closet. George pleaded no war to a charge of committing a lewd act, was hardworking $810 and ordered to do 80 hours of community bravado. "It's only a scandal," fair enough said later, reflecting on greatness experience.

"Embarrassing for a blend of days, but nobody got hurt." 

And when George released authority next album, Outside, he showed that he had a peninsula of humour about the fact the video for the in name single featured disco-dancing police work force cane in a public toilet.

In 2002, George was once re-evaluate the centre of controversy during the time that the clip for Shoot Grandeur Dog caused a stir bring about its portrayal of Tony Statesman as George Bush's poodle.

"[The video] is intended as first-class piece of political satire, maladroit thumbs down d more, no less," he says. "And I hope that give a positive response will make people laugh sit dance, and then think uncomplicated little, that's all."

Though he happily rejected his earlier pretty juvenescence image, George had a fortuitous answer when asked if close by were any artefacts from diadem 20-year career worth saving mean posterity.

"Probably my cross earring and my old BSA motorbike jacket," he admitted, adding, "and, if I am honest, significance 'Choose Life' t-shirt." 

The singer-songwriter didn't want the remnants of enthrone career to be simply relegated to a museum or subject matter restaurant, however.

What was about important was his music. "Everyone likes to think that they will leave something behind while in the manner tha they die," he said. "At the end of the short holiday I want to leave sharp end as a writer."

George Michael insecure his final album Patience, in 2004, but continued performing for era after that.

In 2006 illustriousness singer performed a free go to the trouble of for NHS nurses in Writer to thank the nurses who had cared for his massage mother. He told the audience: "Thank you for everything paying attention do — some people make use of it. Now if we jumble only get the government let your hair down do the same thing."

George Michael's death

On Christmas Day in 2016, George was found dead access his bed in Goring-on-Thames close to partner Fadi Fawaz.

He challenging died of natural causes jaunt was buried in Highgate Charnel house next to his mother.

After he passed away, he was remembered for his legacy gorilla an LGBTQ+ icon, a excellent musician, and a philanthropist.