How To Sing Like George Micheal (Here is How)

George Michael was an English songwriter and singer who rose to fame with the classic singing duo, Wham!.

He started singing in 1981 when he formed the group with Andrew Ridgeley before going solo in 1987. 

George Michael is attributed to being one of the greatest singers of all time and is renowned for billboard topping songs like, ‘Faith’ ‘Careless Whisper’ and ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’.

He was and still is a significant figure in the music world. 

A lot of upcoming artists and amateur singers have always wanted to sing like George Michael.

To be able to do that, you need to know his voice type, vocal range and learn the steps needed to sing like him. 

This article will discuss in depth how you can train your voice like that of George Michael. 

What Are The Steps Needed To Sing Like George Micheal?

Some people believe singing like George Michael is a difficult thing to achieve, however if you follow the proper steps and you are dedicated, you would be able to sing like George Michael.

I will be explaining some things needed to be able to sing like him below:

1. Consistently Watch Videos of His Life Performance

Frequently watching a video of George Michaels’ performance is the first step to being able to sing like him. 

There is an unconscious internal connection between mimicking expressions and mimicking the artist’s voice. This will help you internalize the voice and pitch as you watch.

2. Choose A Suitable Song  

Before you start practicing, pick a song which is suitable for you and which won’t place a strain on your voice. Don’t start off on a difficult song. 

Start off with a song within your vocal range and you’ll be more at ease to sing along with Georges’ songs without straining your voice.

3. Play The Song Repeatedly and Listen

After choosing a song, play it over and over again and listen for changes in the pitch and inflections.

Focus on one stanza at a time and keep at it till you have internalized the lyrics and the voice

4. Mimic His Pitch and Modulate

Mimicry and modulation is a great way of learning to sing like someone.

Practice in a mirror and act out the way you see George Michael on stage. Watch out for the details, things like breathing, smoothness and even pronunciation. 

As a budding singer, you already know your voice type and range.

An important factor to put into consideration is voice. If you do not have the same voice type with George Michael, then your efforts might be useless as you would sound ridiculous singing some of his songs.

However, if you have the same voice type and you are consistent, it is possible to achieve your desires. I will be explaining George Michaels’ voice type in the next section. 

What Voice Type Does George Micheal Have?

George Michael is a singer who in both life and death inspired a lot of people especially singers, songwriters and upcoming artistes. 

He had a magnificent voice with many colors and shadings that he used to great effect.

He was a fantastic live performer, intensely musical but always spontaneous. 

A major step to singing like George Michael is recognizing and understanding his voice type.

There have been quite a number of controversies on George Michaels’ actual voice type and vocal range.

He has most often been classified as a tenor even though his voice range does not cover all the notes on that part.

His voice also sometimes overlaps into a baritone; however, he should not be classified as that as his voice was not strong enough.

The Range Planet classifies him as Tenless Carespnor and gives a breakdown of his vocal range on his songs. 

What Makes George Micheal’s Voice So Unique?

George Michael was everything from a songwriter, recorder and producer but best of all he was known for his amazing singing ability.

His voice was one of a kind and he is on a list that has some of the worlds’ notable singers such as Charles Aznahour, SInatra, Barbra Streisand and Bennet.

Like I said earlier, George had a great singing inflection and his voice was so richly colored that his performances always did stand out.

Another major contributor to George Micheals’ unique voice was his performing ability.

Anyone who has watched his live performances can see he throws himself into the act, with so much dynamism in his every move. 

This in itself was the driving force behind his great voice and which made most of his performances remarkable. 

Here is an article I wrote on how to sing like Howlin Wolf

Can George Micheal Actually Sing?

Personally, I am not a fan of George Michaels’ songs but it would be a great disservice to the music world to say he was not a good singer.

George recorded most of his own music and this might have been seen as an avenue to cover up mistakes and inconsistencies.

However, watching him perform live on stage would quickly clear all doubts.

For me, George was especially shining when he was singing a cover song of which he had many. Consider his cover of ‘As’ by Wonder which he performed with Mary J Blige. 

His ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’ duet with Aretha Franklin is really one of the greatest duet of all time.

He not only owned the song, he lit up the performance with Aretha and matched her tone for tone.

Georges’ songs and performances will always remain with us and he was definitely an A list singer.

How Did George Micheal Start Singing?

George Michael started out singing with his high school friend Andrew Ridegeley and they got their first global hit in 1984 with Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.

He developed his passion for singing early while growing up in London. 

After dropping out of high school, Michael and Ridgeley formed the Executive, a short-lived ska band. The band only played a few shows before disbanding, but Michael and Ridgeley quickly found success. 

They signed a recording contract with Innervision Records in 1982 and called the duo Wham! ‘Fantastic’, their first album, was released in the UK in 1982 and peaked at No. 4 on the charts. 

George was the main songwriter and also the lead vocalist and by 1986 he left the group to start his solo career which was on till he died.

Also check out this article I wrote on how to sing like Geoff Tate 

What Is George Micheal’s Vocal Range?

George Michael definitely wowed us with most of his performances and the radios were reeling with the sound of his catchy whisper any time his songs came on.

Generally, George has been classified as a tenor although he prefers not to use high notes in his performances. 

His vocal range is between C#2 – A5. Some of his songs were performed on this range of notes. ‘Bad Boys’ and the famous ‘Careless Whisper’ are on the F5 note.

George Michael had a great vocal range which he exercised in his songs and performances. 

What Is The Highest Note George Micheal Can Sing?

George Michael has been placed as one of the greatest vocalists of his time. George performed on a musical range that was fascinating and expressive.

As a light tenor, George was comfortable singing both high and low notes in his performances.

I would say George’s highest note is the C5 which he used in some of his famous songs like ‘The Edge of Heaven’ and ‘Do You Really Want To Know’.

What Are Some Classic George Micheal Songs To Practice?

As a pop singer, George Michael gave the world a number of hit songs both in solo performances and in several duets.

I’ll be sharing 3 of my favorite classic George Michael songs which you can practice with. 

• Careless Whisper: Careless Whisper screams George Michael in every way and it was a foundation for his solo career after Wham!.

• A Different Corner: A Different Corner is another song which placed George Micheals’ solo career on a great pedestal. It was a number 1 hit in the UK and was also on the US Top 10.

• I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me): This fantastic duet with Aretha Franklin carried the whole of Georges’ musical career on its’ back. It is his most famed song which won him his first ever Grammy Award. It is a great song to practice with.

 

Conclusion

We can all agree that George Michael has left his footprints in the musical sands of time with his unique voice and astounding performances. It is unfortunate that we lost him quite suddenly however his legacy lives on.

Many upcoming artists and singers look up to the British singer and a lot of them want to be able to sing like him. George Michael was a tenor who could score as high as C5 and had a rich voice with many inflections.

He gave us some of our classic favorites including ‘Freedom’ ‘I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)’.