Adam Lambert made a surprise appearance during the tribute for George Michael at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs).
At the ceremony held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night, previously announced performers Sombr, Teddy Swims, and RAYE saluted the late British singer-songwriter, who died at the age of 53 in 2016.
“George Michael was a pop god. He became an international superstar at only 19, writing and producing hit after hit, ruling the charts and paving the way for so many of us,” musician Orville Peck declared in the introduction.
“His music and videos were timeless anthems and powerful statements against the establishment. (1987 song) I Want Your Sex was so raw that MTV ran a disclaimer in front of it. Freedom! ’90 catapulted the era of the supermodel and the iconic outside was a reclamation of his own narrative.”
Sombr – real name Shane Boose – began the tribute by performing 1987 tracks Faith and Father Figure before RAYE, born Rachel Keen, launched into I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) – a track George originally performed with Aretha Franklin in 1987.
Teddy Swims, also known as Jaten Dimsdale, sang 1984’s Careless Whisper, while Adam stunned fans with a rendition of 1990’s Freedom! ’90. Other artists to join the Whataya Want from Me singer included MEEK, MNEK, and Saint Harison.
George was honoured with the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1989.
A new live album, George Michael: The Faith Tour, is set to be released in November, while a film, George Michael: The Faith Tour, will open in theatres in December.
Meanwhile, the 2026 MTV VMAs also included a tribute to the late Dolly Parton. In a pre-taped recording, Kacey Musgraves delivered an emotional rendition of Parton’s 1973 hit, I Will Always Love You.
The country music icon died at the age of 80 last month.
