Thursday, January 12, 2017

George Michael dies at 53

Liz Donahue
Staff Writer

George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in East Finchley, London, on June 25, 1963. George Michael, who was a popular music icon from the duo Wham!, died at age 53 at his home in Goring in Oxfordshire, England. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death is being described as "unexplained but not suspicious," indicating they discovered no evidence of foul play. He died from apparent heart failure in his bed, however he was sleeping while this happened so he felt no pain. He died on Christmas day.
 Michael’s former love, Kenny Goss will play a major role in his funeral. It is not accepted in his father’s culture to be homosexual, so inviting one of his son’s former lovers is a step toward acceptance. The couple was together between 1996 and 2009. After learning the news, Goss stated "I'm heartbroken with the news that my dear friend and long time love George Michael has passed. He was a major part of my life and I loved him very, very much. He was an extremely kind and generous man. The beautiful memories and music he brought to the world will always be an important part of my life and those who also loved and admired him."
 George Michael was a big pop superstar in the ‘80s and ‘90s. For lots of his successful music, he was his own producer and studio backup band. Amongst his number one singles and one hundred million album sales, he has also won multiple Grammys and other music awards. In 1998, Michael came out as gay after an arrest of lewd conduct charges. He used his name and music to help support AIDS prevention. Later, he described himself as bisexual. His last studio album was produced in 2004, however he could still sell out arenas year after that.
 An early idol of the MTV generation, Michael gained immense population from hits like "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," "Young Guns (Go For It)" and "Freedom." He will always be remembered through his music that impacted the lives of many and his music will continue to be listened to and loved by all generations.