George Michael was honored at the 2026 MTV VMAs, but not all fans approve.
Artists such as Sombr, Teddy Swims, RAYE, and Adam Lambert paid tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter at the star-studded event on Sunday, Sept. 27, in Los Angeles.
The tribute began with Sombr, born Shane Boose, performing two of the late singer’s most popular songs, “Faith” and “Father Figure.” MTV posted footage of him singing on social media, drawing mixed reactions.
The video, captioned “It just feels right to hear ‘Father Figure’ on the #VMAs stage, honoring George Michael ⭐️ @sombr,” has gained over 850,000 views and 800 comments on Instagram two hours after it was posted.
One Michael fan wrote, “He brought zero soul into one of the most beautiful songs of all time. I had to turn down the volume bc it made me miss George Michael so much I wanted to cry. But I will say Teddy and Adam did great !” While one user commented, “That last note tells you everything you need to know. Shocking. So many singers way more qualified than sombr to deliver a tribute to George.”
Lambert, who closed out the tribute with “Freedom! ‘90,” was mentioned positively in multiple comments of Sombr’s performance. One fan posted, “Adam Lambert should have performed the entire medley! Time for a tribute concert tour @adamlambert,” and another shared, “Adam Lambert was the only one who did George justice.”
Other performances honoring Michael included RAYE with “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” and Teddy Swims with “Careless Whisper,” while country singer Orville Peck introduced the tribute.
“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,” he said. “His music and videos were timeless anthems and powerful statements against the establishment. ‘I Want Your Sex’ was so raw that MTV ran a disclaimer in front of it.”
The “Dead of Night” singer added, “‘Freedom! ‘90‘ catapulted the era of the supermodel and the iconic outside was a reclamation of his own narrative. His millions of fans around the world are about to experience the Faith Tour like never before. With an upcoming concert film and live album, tonight we celebrate his legacy with some special guests who love him just as much as we do.”