Singer George Michael died suddenly at age 53 over Christmas, EW has confirmed. “It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period,” the representative said in a statement to EW. “The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time. There will be no further comment at this stage.”
The music industry and many others, however, are in mourning and sharing their grief on social media. Michael, who was born in north London, first found success with Wham! in the ’80s and then continued as he became a solo artist. His career, which spanned nearly four decades, touched many.
“Unbelievable. RIP George Michael,” wrote Ricky Gervais.
“I just heard about my friend @GeorgeMichael’s death,” Ellen DeGeneres said. “He was such a brilliant talent. I’m so sad.”
“2016 – loss of another talented soul. All our love and sympathy to @GeorgeMichael’s family,” Duran Duran tweeted.
See more tweets and memories below.
This article originally appeared on EW.com
- What a Photographer Saw in the West Bank
- The Dirty Secrets of Alternative Plastics
- Accenture’s Chief AI Officer on Why This Is a Defining Moment
- We Should Get Paid for Our Online Data: Column
- Inside COP28's Big 'Experiment'
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time