Apple Music Announces 'George Michael Covered' Playlist To Celebrate Pride

Apple Music today announces a special playlist to coincide with Pride Month - 'George Michael Covered'. To celebrate George Michael's legacy, Apple Music has asked some of the most exciting and diverse artists in music today to reimagine songs from his iconic catalogue.

Each artist was chosen because as well as being huge George fans, they reflect his boundary-pushing work and songwriting excellence. The artists are: Years & Years, MNEK, SELF ESTEEM, Jake Shears, Billy Porter, Pale Waves, Calum Scott, Tiana Major9 and Serpentwithfeet.

The covers, all available in Spatial Audio, include personal interpretations of tracks including the classics 'Faith', 'Careless Whisper', 'Fastlove', 'Outside' and more.

Listen to the 'George Michael Covered' playlist in Spatial Audio here. George Michael's catalogue is now also available to rediscover in Spatial Audio.

Featured artists shared with Apple Music their memories of George Michael, his music and on their chosen cover:

Billy Porter, who covers 'Monkey', says: "This was a white boy who could sing. This was a white boy who really had soul, but he wasn't trying to be Black, he wasn't trying to sound Black. It was like he was subliminally speaking to all of us through his music ... There was an inherent sass in it that not a lot of men were doing. I like the subversive energy of what it's about because in the queer and gay scene back then, we used to try to alleviate some of the pain that was the AIDS crisis. We came together with the knowledge and the understanding that this little pill, this little ecstasy pill that we took, could transport us away. We were with our friends, we were with the community for the weekend, and then we could lock back in on Monday and go back to fight. And you know what happened, which is what happens very often with drugs, is that it went too far. I think the song just speaks to me in that way. It's nonjudgmental and not about shaming. It's about going, 'I've got to move on now. I've got to be an adult and move on. I have to face all of the things. I have to hold space for the good stuff, and I have to hold space for the really complicated and awful stuff all at the same time.' It all belongs, and that's what life is. I chose that song as a subliminal message to all my people out there who might be struggling, 'It's OK, and it'll be fine. Go and get yourself together because we got work to do and we have to be sober doing it'."

Serpentwithfeet, who covers 'Kissing A Fool', says: "George's career and impact reminds me that I do not have to leave my heart behind. I think in many industries, we are told to leave some parts of ourselves at home. And I think what he has done is remind me that it's best to bring your whole self to the office, your whole self to the studio. I chose to cover 'Kissing a Fool'. There's one line that I think about, 'You'll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.' And I think that's just a great reminder for everyone that the path to peace, the path to joy, is listening to your heart."

Olly Alexander of Years & Years, who covers 'Outside', says: "One of the things I love most about George Michael was his ability to own his narrative. He was a huge, huge star. I'm sure he struggled with some of the attention and issues that come with worldwide fame, and he still remained so iconic, so true to who he was. He still had fun with it. He was always trying new things and taking risks and unashamedly himself. And I take so much inspiration from that ... He got arrested in 1998-I think the terminology is 'soliciting a police officer in a public toilet'-then goes and writes a song about it. And it's such a banger. Wow! I just think it's so incredible for him to just own that narrative and really go, 'Yeah, I like to have sex outside.' And it's such a bop."

MNEK, who covers 'Fastlove', says: "What made George so special was just his ear. He's always been an incredible songwriter. I don't think anyone ever really realised that he was writing and producing his material all himself-and he was a genius. There was no one who made music quite like him ... I loved [the album] 'Older'. And to me, George is just the epitome of the white man who can really just turn it and be respectful of him being a guest in R&B and dance and electronica and Black music, which he was clearly a fan of and just really good at."

SELF ESTEEM, who covers 'Praying For Time', says: "I don't think I can remember when I first became aware of George Michael. I'm a bit worried because I think it might have been when Robbie Williams did 'Freedom'. I'm only just learning now what an absolute genius George Michael was, which I'm slightly embarrassed to admit, but it's also one of the nice things about life, isn't it. I'm getting treated now to the catalogue of George Michael ... I only just heard 'Praying for Time' in the last couple of years. My mate sent it to me and was like, 'These lyrics!' I still can't believe them. Recording this has been gobsmacking in a way. It is talking things that are hot-button topics right now, and it was 1990. And that's what George always did. I see now he could see through the bulls**t and call the bulls**t out. There's a bit of me that tries to do that, too. I'm learning that the more successful I get, the more brave I have to be-and I can't believe someone as big and famous as him was so brave. Because the scrutiny and the f**king p**s-taking, to still just be your authentic self ... no one gives him credit for that. He was hard as nails."

Jake Shears, who covers 'Amazing', says: "George Michael gave me a licence to have fun with music. I first became aware of George when I was about four years old. Wham! was out in full force with 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go', [which] was on MTV. I remember my older sisters watching it. And they were everywhere. Their faces were everywhere. You were seeing them on T-shirts at malls and on people. And I just remember thinking that I loved his voice and that he was a very handsome man. I remember feeling really influenced and inspired by 'Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)' when I was making that early Scissors stuff. I felt like it gave me a licence to have fun with music that we were making and allow myself to get a little bit goofy with the writing. There's a joy to it that I plugged into and identified with ... There's so many George Michael stylings that I use in my own voice. And so, it was fun to sing this song. Also, it just made me realise, singing it, how much of an influence he has been to me. It's an honour to get to do it, and I really hope that he's out there somewhere digging it."

Pale Waves' Heather Baron-Gracie, who covers 'Faith', says: "I must have been about 12 when I first heard George Michael. It was through my dad. He introduced me to a lot of great artists, and I think the first song he played me was 'Careless Whisper'. Immediately, I thought, 'This is so cool. Who is he?' What made George Michael so special is that he did everything himself. Everything that he put out there was completely his own creative direction. He was very open about his sexuality; he was very unapologetic about it, and that's how I strive to be. I think a lot of people look up to him and admire him for that ... The entire band immediately gravitated to 'Faith'. It's our favourite song by him. It's obviously a challenge trying to do it justice, but we brought it into our own world and did the best we could. It was really fun to do."

Tiana Major9, who covers 'Careless Whisper', says: "My concern was to just nail it. I chose to do 'Careless Whisper' because I wanted to do my own take on a classic. I wanted to pay homage to an icon-but I would say my main concern when it came to recording 'Careless Whisper' was to nail it, honestly. Just nail it. I wanted to make sure that it still felt like a song that I could sing today without it being a cover. I wanted to do it in my own way."

Calum Scott, who covers 'One More Try', says: "I wanted a challenge. His talent was undeniable. His writing and his attention to detail, his performances-his vocal is unmatched in terms of tone and quality and consistency. He could perform and write and produce-he was a one-stop shop ... People I've spoken to in the industry that have either worked with him or around him have said how humble or gracious he was, how human he was. He was always putting himself down and thinking he could do better-and that's something that I massively relate to as an artist. Listening to his music just shows how much he cared about what he did. What makes him even more special is all of the charity work he did that he kept completely hidden. He was such a special person and should be celebrated every day."

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