George Michael: A life of music, tragedy, and unending intrigue
It has been eight years since George Michael's death. Although he had professional successes and artistic achievements, his life was not free from personal tragedies. The pop music icon struggled with challenging experiences that repeatedly overshadowed his career.
George Michael, whose real name was Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, was born in London to a Greek-English family. As a teenager, he sang in the London subway. In high school, he met Andrew Ridgeley, with whom he formed the band Wham! in 1981. The group gained international fame with hits such as "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Last Christmas."
After the band broke up in 1986, Michael began a solo career, which brought him immense popularity and numerous personal tragedies. His song "Last Christmas" became one of the most recognizable Christmas songs in the world. Interestingly, it was originally meant to be a song about heartbreak, not a Christmas-themed song.
The difficult life of George Michael
George Michael struggled with personal issues, including coming to terms with his sexual orientation, which affected his mental health. In the 1990s, he fell in love with Anselmo Feleppa, who died of AIDS, and after this loss and the death of his mother, the artist began to feel "cursed." In 1998, he was arrested for attempting to initiate (...) in a public restroom, which marked the beginning of his legal troubles.
Michael also struggled with depression and addictions, which negatively affected his personal life and health. In 2011, he was hospitalized due to severe pneumonia, and after recovering, he returned to the stage. In 2012, he became involved with Fadi Fawaz. Four years later, on December 25, 2016, he was found dead in bed.
The mysterious death of George Michael
The death of George Michael, which occurred on Christmas Day 2016, shocked the world. He died at the age of 53 from heart failure. The investigation into his death was considered "unexplained but not suspicious." As a result of delays in toxicology test results, the artist's funeral was postponed.
Although the official cause of death was heart failure, there were speculations about suicide and drug overdose. Michael's former partner, Paul Stag, claimed that the artist used drugs until the end of his life.
Fadi Fawaz suggested that Michael might have committed suicide on his mother's birthday anniversary. His tumultuous life, full of successes but also scandals, left an indelible mark on music and popular culture.
