Geri Horner is releasing her first solo single in 12 years as a tribute to her late friend George Michael.
The former Spice Girl, also known as Geri Halliwell, was shocked by the death of her close friend George, who passed away on December 25, 2016 at the age of 53.
To honor her late pal, Geri is returning to her solo music career by releasing Angels In Chains on June 23, two days before what would have been George’s 54th birthday.
She wrote the song, which references his hits Faith and Freedom, to deal with her grief and has been working on it secretly for six months with some of George’s collaborators; backing singer Shirley Lewis and producer Chris Porter.
“He had such an impact on my life,” she told Britain’s The Sun newspaper. “I didn’t know what to do with all my feelings. When we have grief, you have to share it with each other. It was like a gift, it pushed me out the door.”
The 44-year-old revealed that she had discussed making a music comeback with the former Wham! frontman before his death.
“It’s not until I sit here with you and realize how, for the last 12 years I’ve been writing and writing and writing – and I think I was quite scared if I’m really honest… I thought, you know, I’m not the hotpants girl, the young thing. That was an era and how am I going to come back?
“So I kept on writing these songs, and I used to always play them to George and he’d say, ‘Leave a bit of time – you can have an evolution.’?”
Geri, who will be donating all proceeds from the song to Childline, one of George’s favorite charities, also revealed he had sent her Christmas presents and had been working on a documentary when he died.
The singer gave birth to her son Montague a month after George’s death and she paid tribute to her friend by giving her newborn the middle name George.
