LONDON: British singer George Michael, who became one of the pop idols of the 1980s with Wham! and then forged a career as a successful solo artist with sometimes provocative lyrics, died at his home in England on Sunday. He was 53.
In the mid-1980s, “Wham! was one of the most successful pop duos ever, ahead even of Simon & Garfunkel, with singles like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper,” “Last Christmas” and “The Edge of Heaven.”
“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,” his publicist said in a statement.
“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 statement said.
British police said Michael’s death was “unexplained but not suspicious.”
Born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou June 25, 1963 in London to Greek Cypriot immigrant parents in a flat above a north London laundrette, Michael once played music on the London underground train system before finding fame with Wham!.
With a school friend, Andrew Ridgeley, he formed Wham! in 1981, a partnership that would produce some of the most memorable pop songs and dance-floor favorites of the 1980s.
“I am in deep shock,” said Elton John. “I have lost a beloved friend — the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My heart goes out to his family and all of his fans. @GeorgeMichael #RIP.”
The duo had their first hit with their second release ““Young Guns (Go For It)” (1982) before their debut release ““Wham Rap” became a hit the following year. The 1984 album “Make It Big” was a huge success in the United States.
““No way could I have done it without Andrew,” Michael once said. “I can’t think of anybody who would have been so perfect in allowing something which started out as a very naive, joint ambition, to become what was still a huge double act but what was really...mine.”
But Michael was keen to reach beyond Wham!’s teenage audience and to experiment with other genres. Wham! announced their split in 1986.
In the space of the next five years, Michael had six US Number One hit singles including ““Faith,” ““Father Figure,” ““One More Try,” ““Praying For Time” and a duet with Aretha Franklin ““I Knew You Were Waiting For Me.”
Questions about his sexuality were raised when he was arrested in 1998 for “engaging in a lewd act” in a public restroom of the Will Rogers Memorial Park in Beverly Hills, California.
“I feel stupid and reckless and weak for letting my sexuality be exposed that way,” Michael told CNN at the time. “But I do not feel shame [about my sexuality], neither do I think I should.”
“I can try to fathom why I did what I did,” he continued, “but at the end of the day, I have to admit that maybe part of the kick was that I might get found out,” he told CNN.
While Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was in power, Michael voted for Britain’s opposition Labour Party but criticized Tony Blair’s support for George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Michael’s death comes at the end of a year that has seen the passing of several music superstars, including David Bowie, Prince and Leonard Cohen. Rick Parfitt, the guitarist of British rock group Status Quo, died on Saturday at 68.
Singer George Michael of Wham! fame dies at 53
Singer George Michael of Wham! fame dies at 53
Cameroon end South Africa hopes to reach AFCON last eight
RABAT: Goals either side of half-time by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane took Cameroon through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals at South Africa’s expense on Sunday as the Indomitable Lions edged their last-16 clash 2-1.
Tchamadeu opened the scoring in the 34th minute at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat and teenage Bayer Leverkusen forward Kofane headed in the crucial second goal two minutes after half-time.
A late rally from South Africa saw Evidence Makgopa pull one back, but it is Cameroon who go through, and the five-time champions now play hosts Morocco in a heavyweight quarter-final on Friday.
They can go into that match in relaxed mood, knowing all the pressure is on Morocco as they look to win a first AFCON title in 50 years in front of their home support.
“I want to savour this victory first of all. The game against Morocco is still a long way away,” said Cameroon coach David Pagou.
“The lads are celebrating just now. We suffered today even though we won, and I think we all need a rest.”
For Cameroon, reaching the last eight means their AFCON is already a success after a chaotic build-up in which football federation president and Indomitable Lions legend Samuel Eto’o sacked coach Marc Brys, replacing him with Pagou.
The new coach got the better of South Africa’s Hugo Broos, who had promised to show no mercy to Cameroon nine years after leading them to their last continental crown at the Cup of Nations in Gabon.
There will be major disappointment for Bafana Bafana, who finished third at the last AFCON two years ago, but they can console themselves by turning their attentions toward the upcoming World Cup.
“Everyone is very disappointed and sad that we are eliminated today,” said Broos.
“We had three open chances in the first half an hour and normally the game has to be done then, but we paid the bill with a lucky goal ,” he added.
“Then unfortunately very soon in the second half they get a second goal and then you know it will be very difficult.”
Eto’o in attendance
Relebohile Mofokeng squandered a golden opportunity fpr South Africa inside seven minutes, blazing over after finding himself in on goal when Cameroon defender Che Malone failed to deal with a simple ball forward.
Lyle Foster then had the ball in the net only to be denied by the offside flag, and instead Cameroon went in front just after the half-hour mark.
When the South African defense could only partially clear a corner, the ball fell to Carlos Baleba on the edge of the area.
He took a touch and tried a shot which was deflected into the path of Tchamadeu and the London-born full-back with Stoke City rolled home from close range.
That goal — confirmed after a long VAR check — was celebrated by the Cameroonian fans who made up the majority of the 14,127 crowd, with two-time AFCON winner as a player Eto’o among those in attendance.
South Africa would have been hoping for a strong start to the second half but instead Cameroon scored again within two minutes of the restart.
Substitute Mahamadou Nagida crossed from the left and Kofane headed in his second goal of the tournament so far.
Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy then made good saves from Samukele Kabini and from a Teboho Mokoena free-kick before Makgopa turned in a low cross by fellow substitute Aubrey Modiba on 88 minutes.
That set up a grandstand finish, but Cameroon nervously held on.
