George Michael‘s former manager has expressed hopes to release a previously-unfinished duet that the late pop icon recorded with Elton John.
The former WHAM! singer was a close friend of Sir Elton’s, and worked with him on a chart-topping remake of ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’ in the 1990s, following them singing it together at Live Aid in 1985. He died on Christmas Day in 2016 due to issues related to heart and liver disease.
Now, his former manager Andros Georgiou has revealed that the ‘Careless Whisper’ singer once started work on a duet with Sir Elton – providing vocals for a song called ‘This Kind Of Love’.
The track has remained unfinished and unreleased for over three decades now, however Georgiou has expressed hopes to add the final touches and release it posthumously.
The manager spoke about the song in The Sun’s Bizarre column, promoting his new film Trojan Souls. The movie centres on Michael’s unreleased 1993 album of the same name, which was set to see him collaborate with big names including Stevie Wonder, Sade, Seal and Aretha Franklin, but ultimately got shelved due to disputes with the label.
“Elton came in to do a song called ‘This Kind Of Love’,” Georgiou told the outlet, adding that he has also got an “incredible interview with Elton that no one has seen” yet, which he is “saving for when the film gets snapped up by a streamer like Apple.”
In that interview, the manager said, Sir Elton shares his admiration for the ‘Freedom! ’90’ singer and adds that he would “literally do anything for George.”
Speaking to The Sun about the unreleased track, Georgiou said that he and Michael “focused on finishing that song first because we knew Elton was going to come in.” He also added that both vocal parts were recorded separately, and he is now seeking approval from Sir Elton to finish the song and release it.
“I’ve got George singing the track and Elton singing the track, so the dream is to make another track,” the manager said. “I would have to ask Elton’s permission to put the vocals together. I’m sure Elton would say yes because he was blown away by the song and was a huge supporter of George.”
The ‘Rocket Man’ singer has often paid tribute to the WHAM! star since his death nearly a decade ago. When news first broke of his passing, Sir Elton described him as the “most generous man” and said that he was “so kind to so many people”.
That look he gives to the picture of his friend, the lovely George Michael, on what would have been his 60th birthday. 💔#eltonjohn #Glastonbury #glastonbury2023 pic.twitter.com/58C3Mih0Nq
— Eddie Burfi (@EddieBurfi) June 25, 2023
He also praised him as “one of the most brilliant songwriters this country’s ever produced, and certainly one of the best vocalists ever”, before adding that he would miss both his music and “more than anything, his humanity”.
At his massive Glastonbury headline set in 2023, the musician paid tribute to Michael again on what would have been his 60th birthday.
On stage, he described him as “one of Britain’s most fantastic singers, songwriters, and artists”, before performing a rendition of ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me’.
Earlier this year, WHAM!’s Andrew Ridgeley spoke to NME about the legacy of his late bandmate, and said that his music continues to resonate with people because it “speaks to core human emotions”.
“I think it’s fundamentally about how we feel, and therefore that is timeless. Whether it’s the type of vibrant vitality that WHAM! represented, or the rather more deep, soulful [songwriting] and the questions that he asked as a more mature songwriter,” he told us at the 2026 Ivor Novellos, where he accepted the Academy Fellowship on Michael’s behalf.
That award is the highest honour from The Ivors Academy, and recognises an individual who has created an unforgettable, lasting impact with their music. Previous recipients have included Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Kate Bush, Sting, U2 and Elton John.
