Joseph Ryan-Hicks explores the heartbreak behind George Michael’s third solo album, Older
Emerging from 80s blockbuster pop band Wham!, George Michael released his first solo album in 1987, seamlessly transitioning from teen heart-throb to serious musician. Yet his personal life remained private. It wasn’t until his third LP, 1996’s Older (re-released on Spatial Audio in July), that he sang about the tragedies that had shaped his world.
Three years prior, George’s partner of two years, Anselmo Feleppa, had tragically passed following complications with Aids, while during Older’s recording, George’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. The emotional trauma was surely paralysing, but making music, he said, helped him heal.
Sonically, George steered away from the lager-guzzling Britpop that was dominating the 90s, opting instead for a sophisticated R&B/jazz blend. Along with…
