Raye, Lambert, Teddy Swims Salute George Michael at VMAs — SkimNews
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- Raye, Sombr, Teddy Swims, and Adam Lambert performed a George Michael medley at the VMAs, with Sombr covering "Faith" and "Father Figure," Raye on "Knew You Were Waiting," Teddy Swims on "Careless Whisper," and Lambert closing with "Freedom! '90" alongside U.K. singers Meek and Saint Harison.
- The tribute coincides with the 40th anniversary of Michael's 1987 solo debut Faith, the Nov. 6 release of live album The Faith Tour, and the Dec. 11 worldwide cinema opening of feature film George Michael: The Faith Tour.
- George Michael, who died a decade ago on Christmas Day, won four Moon Persons across 16 VMA nominations, including Best Direction for "Father Figure" co-directed with Andy Morahan; Madonna presented him with the Video Vanguard Award in 1989.
- Adam Blackstone, music director for Dr. Dre's and Rihanna's Super Bowl halftime shows, served as music director for the tribute segment.
- Raye made her second VMAs appearance and earned two 2026 nominations including Song of the Year for "Where Is My Husband!"; Sombr arrived with three nominations; Teddy Swims — not nominated — will release a new album, Ugly, in January.
- The Snoop Dogg-hosted VMAs, which also featured a Dolly Parton tribute and Madonna's first VMA performance in 23 years, aired on CBS and MTV and stream on Paramount+.
Why it matters: The VMAs tribute caps a coordinated George Michael relaunch built around three deliverables stated by the source — a Nov. 6 live album, a Dec. 11 worldwide cinema film, and a prime-time TV performance — all anchored to Faith's 40th anniversary and the 10-year mark since Michael's death on Christmas Day.
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