George Michael fans reacted with dismay to a tribute honoring the late pop star at Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards.
This Christmas will mark 10 years since Michael died at the age of 53 from heart and liver problems, following a public life often overshadowed by repeated drug scandals.
Teddy Swims, Raye and Sombr joined forces to celebrate Michael’s music during the ceremony, held at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater.
Swims quickly faced a wave of criticism online, with viewers branding his performance a “mess.” One X user even claimed he had “killed George Michael all over again.”
The tribute gained momentum with a surprise appearance from Adam Lambert, who ignited the crowd with his performance of Michael’s classic “Freedom! ’90.”
Lambert’s performance was the clear favorite on social media, with one X user declaring: “The entire tribute should’ve been Adam Lambert.”
George Michael fans were left unimpressed by the tribute performance for the late pop star at Sunday night’s MTV Video Music Awards.
From left, Saint Harison, Adam Lambert, MNEK, Raye, Meek, Sombr and Teddy Swims honor Michael at Sunday’s MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles.
Sombr, 21, whose real name is Shane Boose, performed Michael’s “Faith” and “Father Figure,” both released on the singer’s 1987 debut solo album.
Raye, 28, whose full name is Rachel Keen, sang “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” Michael’s 1987 duet with Aretha Franklin.
Swims, 34, took on “Careless Whisper,” one of Michael’s most recognizable songs. The track was released in 1981, when he was part of the duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley.
Lambert delivered his high-energy rendition of “Freedom! ’90” with support from Saint Harison, MNEK and Meek, alongside Raye, Swims and Sombr.
“Teddy Swims killed George Michael all over again. What a miss. Adam Lambert should have handled the whole damn tribute, though Raye & Sombr acquitted themselves admirably,” one X user wrote.
Another viewer offered a more measured assessment: “I think Teddy Swims connected well with the song’s tale, but his voice couldn’t do some of the highlights George did.” The user added: “Sombr was so bad I’d rather listen to myself sing ‘Father Figure.’”
“It was awful. Adam saved it. I don’t know who that skinny dude was but he sucked,” a third commenter wrote, apparently referring to Sombr.
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Another viewer was more sympathetic toward Raye, posting: “Raye is usually much better. Seemed to have some tech problems.” The commenter concluded: “Thank goodness for Adam Lambert.”
Adam Lambert rescued the tribute with a surprise performance of George Michael’s classic “Freedom! ’90,” setting the audience alight.
Teddy Swims, 34, performed “Careless Whisper,” one of George Michael’s best-known songs, originally released in 1981 during his time in Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley.
Raye, 28, also known as Rachel Keen, performed “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” Michael’s 1987 duet with Aretha Franklin.
Sombr, 21, whose real name is Shane Boose, sang “Faith” and “Father Figure,” both featured on Michael’s 1987 debut solo album.
Viewers poured scorn on Swims online and called him a ‘mess,’ with one X user going as far as to shriek that he had ‘killed George Michael all over again’
Still another struck a note of sympathy, tweeting: ‘It must be very hard to pay tribute to George Michael. There will never be another talent like him. He was one of a kind.’
Michael expressed warm words for Lambert’s singing abilities in 2010, when the latter had just achieved his first dose of stardom as a contestant on American Idol.
‘He’s the guy with the eyeliner and black nails, right? I’ve heard him perform. He certainly seems talented,’ said Michael to People.
Having risen to fame nearly three decades before Lambert did, Michael reflected on their differing experiences of being gay in the public eye.
‘I didn’t come out until after my mother died, as I was sure the papers would attack me and that would hurt her,’ recalled the English pop icon. ‘Adam is out, so he won’t have that problem. I wish him a lot of success.’
Four years after the Last Christmas singer died, Lambert remarked that he would be interested in playing Michael in a potential biopic
‘I’d like to see a George Michael biopic,’ he told Metro. ‘I think that would be very interesting. That’d be cool, I just feel like, we don’t know that much about him. You know, to me, it would be great to kind of explore George’s life.’
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