George Michael Memorium & 2018 Documentary Video Archives 2017-2018 Volume IX (Wham!)

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1. The 59th Annual Grammy Awards 02/12/17: Adele returned to the Grammy stage to delivered an emotionally fraught tribute to George’s passing with a a stunning cover of “Fastlove” Backed by a full orchestra, Adele’s performance got off to a rocky start as the singer stopped a quarter of the way into the “Older” track, swore, apologized and began again. On her second go, Adele delivered “Fastlove” with stunning command, building to a chilling belt over a striking new arrangement that featured an ominous piano melody and a growing swell of strings. It was a haunting rendition of the song – however still appearing slightly thrown. The Performance drew a standing ovation from the audience as Adele was pictured in tears after she finished.
2. The Brit Awards 2017 02/22/17: The 2017 BRIT Awards remembered George Michael’s legacy with a pair of tributes as the singer’s Wham! bandmates saluted Michael before Coldplay’s Chris Martin performed his 1986 song “A Different Corner.” Michael’s Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley and the duo’s backing singers Pepsi & Shirlie (real names Helen DeMacque and Shirlie Holliman) came onstage following the In Memoriam portion of the ceremony to eulogize the singer. “On Christmas Day 2016, the greatest singer-songwriter of his generation, an icon of his era, and my beloved friend, George Michael, was lost,” Ridgeley said in his first non-social media comments following Michael’s death.”A supernova in a firmament of shining stars had been extinguished, and it felt like the sky had fallen in. It started out ordinarily enough: In 1975, we were two boys that happened to share a mutual sense of humor, a love of life-affirming music, the records and artists it gave birth to, and a shared sense that we understood it.” Ridgeley, DeMacque and Holliman then recounted their early days together and personal memories of the late singer. “George’s contribution to the great archive of contemporary music rests alongside the immortals,” Ridgeley added. “His is a legacy of unquestionable brilliance and one that will continue to shine and resonate for generations to come.” Following the tribute, Coldplay’s Chris Martin took the BRIT Awards stage to sing “A Different Corner.” During the performance, the Brits’ screen showed archival footage of Michael, with the singer admitting, “I never really wanted to be somebody else.” Following another Martin verse, the screen behind the Coldplay singer again projected Michael, who took over singing “A Different Corner.” Through some immaculate timing, Martin and the archival Michael performance sang together for the remainder of the tribute. Martin previously remembered Michael with a rendition of “Last Christmas” following the singer’s December 25th death
3. Reelz George Michael’s Lonely Life 06/02/18: George Michael was a world-wide super star selling over 100 million albums. He started pop group Wham! with his childhood friend Andrew Ridgeley in the 1980s then continued to have solo success with a career that spanned four decades. He was adored by millions and yet he died alone on Christmas Day 2016. His extraordinary life was marred by contradictions – from soaring highs to crashing lows. In the last ten years of his life, George Michael became more known for run-ins with the press and the law than he did for his music. So what tipped him over the edge? George Michael’s Lonely Life shows viewers the countless setbacks in Michael’s life from his mother dying to losing his lover Anselmo Feleppa and also his numerous brushes with the law resulting from an addiction to drugs. Still, the recurring theme in his life was a remarkable resilience and ability to turn potential career-ending moments into massive career boosts and chart-topping new music. But with his life cut tragically short at just 53 years old millions of fans were left wondering what could’ve been. George Michael’s Lonely Life features interviews from Wham! manager Simon Napier Bell, Wham! photographer Chris Craymer, friend and music journalist Lesley-Ann Jones, biographer Robert Steele, collaborator Toby Bourke, music historian Paul Gambaccini and many more.