George Michael’s partner has spoken of his sadness at discovering the 53-year-old musician, a multi-million selling idol of 1980s and 1990s pop, dead at his Oxfordshire home on Christmas morning.
British police said the death of Michael, who had a turbulent private life and problems with drugs, was “unexplained but not suspicious”. His manager, Michael Lippman, said the singer had died of heart failure, according to the BBC.
“It’s a Xmas I will never forget finding your partner dead 7peacefully in bed first thing in the morning,” Fadi Fawas, 43, said in a Tweet posted late on Monday. “I will never stop missing you xxx.”
Michael’s fans continued to pay tribute at his homes in north London and at the riverside mansion where he died, leaving flowers, cards and candles. Musicians such as Madonna, Paul McCartney and Elton John praised his talent and warm sense of humor.
With pin-up good looks and soulful voice Michael burst onto the pop scene in the 1980s as one half of Wham!, one of the most successful pop duos ever.
Singles like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and ”Careless Whisper” were hits with Wham! before he reinvented himself as a solo artist with sexually daring and heartfelt lyrics in multimillion-selling albums like “Faith” and “Listen Without Prejudice”.
