The MTV VMAs turned a decade of missing George Michael into a full musical celebration, and it landed. Orville Peck opened the segment by calling him a pop god, then Sombr, Raye and Teddy Swims traded off on“Faith,”“Father Figure,”“I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”and“Careless Whisper.”Just when it felt complete, Adam Lambert appeared in a fringed black outfit and tore through“Freedom!’90”while the other artists sang and danced behind him.
The timing was deliberate. Producer Van Toffler said the upcoming“George Michael: The Faith Tour”concert film and live album made this the right moment, and the tribute stayed a straight musical salute instead of an award presentation.“We’re just recognizing his songs,”he said. The film hits theaters December 11 with previously unseen footage, and Michael’s debut solo album“Faith”is closing in on its 40th anniversary after arriving in 1987.
A decade after his passing on Christmas Day 2016 at age 53, the VMAs proved the catalog hasn’t aged a day. Younger artists are carrying these songs forward, and now there’s a December release date giving everyone a reason to press play again. Which George Michael track is your all-timer, and did Adam Lambert just deliver the best VMAs moment of the night?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.