On Christmas day, devastating news broke in the music industry: George Michael has reportedly died at age 53, according to BBC News. The singer's publicist released the following statement to BBC News: "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." Additionally, the family requested privacy. While there's no denying he had an iconic career, you may be wondering: When was Michael's last performance? It's been a while, as he last performed over four years ago, according to an article on Metro U.K. He took the stage in 2012 during his Symphonica tour, which took place in Europe. Earlier that same year, he performed at the London Olympics.
According to Setlist.fm, Michael's last peformance took place at Earls Court in London, England on Oct. 17, 2012. During the tour, he performed three shows at the same venue, and a fan on YouTube captured the closing songs on the last night. Clocking in at just over nine minutes, the video below features the songs "I Remember You" and "Free," as well as the final curtain. While some moments of the video are blurry, it's still a powerful performance nevertheless. Watching the clip can make you feel like you were there in the audience, too.
Earlier this year, there were rumors that Michael would be embarking on a comeback tour. However, a spokesperson shot down the rumors and told Metro U.K. that they were "fabricated." Since he hadn't sung live since the performance above, it makes the moment all the more special. After his second of three shows at Earls Court, he posted the following tweet to thank the audience — showing it was just as meaningful for him as it was for the crowd.
And because the Olympic games are a major worldwide event, it's worth remembering Michael's 2012 Olympics closing ceremony performance as well. Although it evoked a bit of backlash (since he also performed a new-at-the-time song "White Light" and people on social media claimed it was self-promotional), it still seemed like a true honor to join other British legends in the event. Yup, that was the same Olympics where the Spice Girls and The Who performed, too. Check out "Freedom" below.
While Michael hadn't taken the stage in recent months (or even years), the clips below serve as proof of his impactful career. He was a star on the stage and off, and he will surely be missed.
