The singer-songwriter died in 2016 at age 53
Credit: Rich Polk/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Sombr, Teddy Swims, RAYE and more performed a tribute to George Michael 10 years after his death
- A live album and feature-length film of the late pop star’s 1988 Faith Tour will be released in November and December
- Michael won four VMAs and the Video Vanguard Award in 1989, cementing his legacy as a music icon
There was so much love in the room for George Michael at the 2026 MTV VMAs.
At the awards show on Sunday, Sept. 27 in Los Angeles, Sombr, Teddy Swims and RAYE took the stage to perform a tribute to the late pop star. They were joined by Adam Lambert, MEEK, MNEK and Saint Harison, as well.
“George Michael was a pop god. He became an international superstar at only 19, writing and producing hit after hit, ruling the charts and paving the way for so many of us,” said Orville Peck in the tribute introduction at the Peacock Theater. “His music and videos were timeless anthems and powerful statements against the establishment. ‘I Want Your Sex’ was so raw that MTV ran a disclaimer in front of it.”
Credit: Francis Specker/CBS
The 38-year-old musician, real name Daniel Pitout, continued, “‘Freedom! ‘90‘ catapulted the era of the supermodel and the iconic outside was a reclamation of his own narrative. His millions of fans around the world are about to experience the Faith Tour like never before. With an upcoming concert film and live album, tonight we celebrate his legacy with some special guests who love him just as much as we do.”
The tribute opened with Sombr (Shane Michael Boose), 21, singing “Faith” before launching into “Father Figure.” RAYE (Rachel Agatha Keen), 28, followed with “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” originally recorded by Michael and Aretha Franklin, with the late star’s vocals woven into the performance. Teddy Swims (Jaten Collin Dimsdale), 34, then took the stage as a saxophone played the instantly recognizable opening notes of “Careless Whisper.”
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Lambert, 44, closed out the tribute with “Freedom! ‘90,” eventually joined by MEEK (Georgia Meek), 31, MNEK (Uzoechi Osisioma “Uzo” Emenike), 31, and Saint Harison (Harrison Fisher), 29, for a full-stage celebration of Michael’s enduring legacy.
The tribute performance comes 10 years after the singer-songwriter died at age 53. He also released his career-defining album, Faith, 40 years ago.
A live album titled George Michael: The Faith Tour will also drop in November and a feature-length film titled George Michael: The Faith Tour will hit theaters in December.
An official synopsis for The Faith Tour movie describes it as “an electric concert film featuring recently rediscovered, never-before-seen footage of the global superstar at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy during the European leg of the Faith Tour in 1988.”
“A triumph in archival filmmaking, George Michael: The Faith Tour transforms footage assembled from a 14-camera shoot captured on 35mm film over two nights into an extraordinary cinematic event and audio experience,” the synopsis continues.
Before Michael died, he won four awards at the VMAs and was honored with the Video Vanguard Award in 1989.
In addition to the tribute performance to Michael, Kacey Musgraves honored late country icon Dolly Parton, who died in August at age 80.
Hosted by Snoop Dogg, the 2026 MTV VMAs are airing live from L.A. on Sunday, Sept. 27, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. ET (4:30 to 6:30 p.m. PT) on CBS, with a simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. The show will be available globally on Paramount+ and MTV the following day.
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