George Michael facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Michael
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George Michael performing at Wembley Stadium in 1985
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou |
| Also known as | George Michael |
| Born | June 25, 1963 |
| Origin | East Finchley, London, England |
| Died | December 25, 2016 (aged 53) Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England |
| Genres | Pop Pop rock Dance pop R&B Jazz Blue Eyed Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals Piano Keyboards Guitar Bass guitar Drums Percussion |
| Years active | 1982 - 2016 |
| Labels | Columbia Records, DreamWorks, Virgin, Epic, Sony Music |
| Associated acts | Wham! |
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was a very famous English singer and songwriter. He won two Grammy Awards for his music. George Michael was known for his amazing voice and his catchy songs. He became a global superstar in the 1980s.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in London on 25 June 1963. His father, Kyriacos "Jack" Panayiotou, was from Cyprus. His mother, Lesley Angold, was an English dancer. George had two older sisters, Yioda and Melanie.
When George was a teenager, his family moved to Radlett. He went to Bushey Meads School in Bushey. There, he met and became friends with Andrew Ridgeley. They both dreamed of becoming musicians. George used to sing songs on the London Underground to earn money. He also worked as a DJ in restaurants and at local schools. Before Wham!, he was in a short-lived band called The Executive.
Rising to Stardom: Wham!
George Michael became famous in the 1980s. He formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend Andrew Ridgeley. They released their first hit singles in 1982. These included Young Guns (Go For It) and Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do). George wrote both of these songs.
In 1983, Wham!'s first album, "Fantastic", came out. It quickly reached number one in the UK music charts. The album featured the popular song Club Tropicana. Its music video was filmed in Ibiza.
A year later, Wham! released their second album, "Make it Big". This album was a huge success. It reached number one in both the UK and the USA. It had four hit singles, all topping the charts. One of the most famous songs was Careless Whisper. This was George Michael's first solo song, released in 1984. He was still part of Wham! at the time. Wham! broke up in 1986 after releasing a third album and playing a final concert.
Solo Success
After Wham! ended, George Michael started a very successful solo career. He released four studio albums. These included "Faith" (1987) and "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1" (1991). Other albums were "Older" (1996) and "Patience" (2004).
By 2010, George Michael had sold over 100 million records worldwide. He had 11 number-one singles and 9 number-one albums in the UK. In the US, he had 10 number-one singles and 2 number-one albums. His 1987 album, Faith, sold over 20 million copies. Many music critics consider it one of the best pop albums ever.
In 2004, Radio Academy named George Michael the most played artist on British radio. This was for the period between 1984 and 2004. In 2006, he announced his first tour in 15 years. The 25 Live tour was a huge worldwide event. It lasted for five years, from 2006 to 2010.
Helping Others Through Music
George Michael used his fame to help others. In November 1984, he joined other famous British and Irish pop stars. They formed a group called Band Aid. They sang the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to help people suffering from famine in Ethiopia. This song became the UK Christmas number one in December 1984.
George Michael's own song, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, was number two that year. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" sold 3.75 million copies in the UK. It became the best-selling single in UK Chart history. George Michael gave all the money from "Last Christmas" to Band Aid. He also sang with Elton John at Live Aid in 1985. Live Aid was a big charity concert for Band Aid.
Awards and Achievements
George Michael achieved many great things in his music career. He had 13 number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart. He also had 10 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100.
He won many music awards. These included two Grammy Awards and three BRIT Awards. He also won twelve Billboard Music Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards. Billboard magazine listed him among the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time". Rolling Stone magazine named him one of the “200 Greatest Singers of All Time.” In 2023, George Michael was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Death
George Michael passed away on 25 December 2016. He died at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England.
Images for kids
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Michael (left) and Andrew Ridgeley as Wham!, c. 1984–1985
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Michael performed at Live Aid at the old Wembley Stadium (exterior pictured) on 13 July 1985, and Wham! played their last concert, The Final, at the same venue on 28 June 1986.
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Michael onstage during The Faith Tour in 1988
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Garth Brooks and Michael at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, 29 April 2000
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Michael performing in Antwerp, Belgium, 2006
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Michael onstage in Munich, 2006
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Michael performing "Outside" at the Olympic Stadium, Athens in 2007
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5, The Grove, Michael's home in Highgate, north London, is a grade II listed building.
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Grave of Michael alongside his mother and sister in Highgate Cemetery
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Unofficial memorial garden outside Michael's home in Highgate, 29 July 2017
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Elton John performing a tribute to Michael at Twickenham, London, in June 2017
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See also
In Spanish: George Michael para niños
