The year 2016 has been one that saw the death of some of the best know celebrities. While the world was gearing towards the end of December, they learned of the shocking news that pop singer George Michael had passed away.
George Michael is famous for his song “Last Christmas, ” and it was indeed ironic that the singer breathed his last on the Boxing Day. The untimely death of the pop star left millions shocked and devastated.
The pop singer died peacefully in his sleep and the morning left his fans wanting. Michael was known for his mellow songs and his untimely death further left the fans stunned. While George Michael made his mark with the help of his music, he left an indelible mark on the fans thanks to his generosity and kindness.
The Guardian reported that George Michael had once kept tickets for his concerts aside for the staff of NHS. He had also organized a free of charge show for the nurses as a sign of gratitude after they helped take care of his mother.
With Michael’s sudden death, there were numerous tributes dedicated to him from celebrities and musicians. Martin Fry, Bryan Adams, Duran Duran, Boy George and even Madonna and Robbie Williams to name a few, shared photos and videos of the great singer to express their emotion and pay tribute to him. Even Jeremy Corbyn, the British Labor party leader, paid tribute to the late singer.
Even though George Michael was known for his charities and benevolence he had often skirted controversies with his outspoken nature. He had openly criticized Margaret Thatcher’s government and again irked political leaders when he supported the miners’ strike in 1984.
Singer George Michael had started his music career with Wham! But later went on to become a popular solo performer. After the announcement of his death, his Wham! Bandmate Andrew Ridgeley came out to express his sorrow and loss.
Ridgeley addressed Michael by his nickname, Yog and said that he had lost one of his closest friends. It was not just his loss, but a loss shared by the music industry and the world as a whole. Even Sir Elton John posted a photograph with George Michael and said that he was shocked to have lost his beloved friend and one of the kindest souls he had ever known.
George Michael’s family announced his death in a statement that was issued by his publicist. The family urged the fans to give them some privacy while they mourned the singer’s death. BBC reported that George Michael’s manager Michael Lippman confirmed that the reason for his death was heart failure.
Given the unprecedented number of tributes that are being released and the reaction of the fans following the death of George Michael, British broadcaster Andy Kershaw termed the whole episode as over-reaction. Immediately after Kershaw made a comment, he was attacked by fans and supporters.
Andy Kershaw didn’t stop after he sparked the anger of fans, he went on to add a comment, which he later deleted, stating that there is a flow of sentimentality after the premature death of some figures irrespective of the contribution they have had in the culture. He insisted that George Michael wasn’t one of the greats and that he was a fleeting pop star.
The fans hit back at Kershaw stating that the former BBC DJ didn’t have the right to tell them how they should mourn the death of an individual. Some even said that while George Michael might not have been great to him, he was to his fans and hence they would grieve.