Madonna pays tribute to 'genius, otherworldly' producer William Orbit
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- William Orbit (real name William Wainwright), a Grammy-winning British producer, died at home on 23 July at age 69; his family announced the death on Friday without disclosing a cause.
- Madonna posted an Instagram tribute on Saturday calling Orbit 'genius' and 'otherworldly,' writing that 'your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on' and that he inspired her to sing and write in ways she never had before.
- Orbit produced Ray of Light in 1998, a genre-blending fusion of electronic dance, ambient techno, pop, and trip-hop that won three Grammy Awards and is still widely considered Madonna's greatest record.
- The collaboration extended to Madonna's 2000 album Music and several tracks on her 2012 album MDNA.
- Beyond Madonna, Orbit built a career collaborating with Blur, Pink, U2, All Saints, Robbie Williams, and Britney Spears.
Why it matters: Orbit's production on 'Ray of Light' helped reinvigorate Madonna's career in 1998, with the album winning three Grammys and still widely considered her best. His death at 69 removes a producer whose career spanned collaborations with Blur, Britney Spears, U2, and others — a reach across pop and alternative that few producers match.
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