Almost nine months after the pop superstar’s death at age 53, his first posthumous single has been released and it‘s a remix of “Fantasy.” The original iteration of the song was released as a B-side in 1990, and later as a bonus track on 2011’s deluxe version of his iconic “Faith” album.
The remix by producer Nile Rodgers premiered Thursday on BBC Radio 2’s “The Chris Evans Breakfast Show.” Michael and Rodgers had been working on the song shortly before the singer’s passing, according to People. Michael died of heart failure on Christmas Day, 2016.
“To be asked by George Michael to rework one of his songs was one of the greatest honors of my life,” Rogers told People. “I was in his London living room on Dec. 23, 2016. I flew home on the 24th, and expected a call from him on the 25th. Instead, I got an alert on my phone that he was found dead. I was devastated. I only hope I’ve made him proud.”
The song differs from the original via a stripped down production that amplifies Michael’s vocals and features Rodgers’ signature guitar rhythms.
The song has won over U.K. media, with The Guardian praising it as a “reminder that George Michael could invest a dancefloor with sex and wit like few other pop stars.” The Telegraph called the song “so lean and sexy you wonder why it was never a hit before.”
Listen to “Fantasy” above.
George Michael: 9 Classic Music Videos, From 'Faith' to 'Last Christmas' (Videos)
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1984)
Wham!'s first No. 1 hit featured a bouncy video with Michael and Andrew Ridgeley performing in front of teens at London's Brixton Academy.
"Freedom" (1984)
Wham!'s second big hit featured another eye-catching video.
"Careless Whisper" (1984)
Michael's first solo single -- though it appeared on Wham!'s "Make It Big" album -- helped to launch him, boosted by this Miami-set video.
"Last Christmas" (1984)
A clean-shaven Michael appears in the video for the 1984 holiday hit -- which has been covered many times since and provides a spooky memorial to the songwriter-singer who died on Christmas Day 2016.
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984)
Bob Geldof co-wrote and organized an all-star lineup of '80s stars -- including Michael -- to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
"Faith" (1987)
The title song from Michael's debut solo album, a No. 1 hit, had a video that launched him as a male sex symbol complete with sunglasses, stubble, and a pair of Levi's blue jeans with cowboy boots.
"I Want Your Sex" (1987)
Michael co-starred with then-girlfriend Kathy Jeung for this video -- in which he tried to play up the stability of his relationship by writing "monogamy" on her back in lipstick.
"Father Figure" (1988)
Michael and Andy Morahan shared the MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction of a Video for this clip from the "Faith" album.
"Fastlove" (1996)
Michael's video plays with an early version of virtual reality -- and also tweaks the singer's contract dispute with Sony by featuring headphones with "FONY" in a very familiar looking font.
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The British pop star who helped innovate the music video in the 1980s died on Christmas Day 2016 at age 53
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (1984)
Wham!'s first No. 1 hit featured a bouncy video with Michael and Andrew Ridgeley performing in front of teens at London's Brixton Academy.
