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Universal Music
Work on the song started in 2012 and was completed shortly before George Michael’s death
A previously unheard George Michael song has premiered on BBC Radio 2.
Called This Is How (We Want You To Get High), the supple, funky track was recorded during the star’s final studio sessions in 2015.
His witty, self-aware lyrics look at how parents pass on their worst habits, with George declaring: “I will always try to get my life together.”
“It’s made me really emotional,” said Radio 2 DJ Zoe Ball after playing the track. “Absolutely beautiful.”
This Is How is the first new music from George Michael in seven years, and features in the forthcoming rom-com Last Christmas – a movie co-written by Emma Thompson and based around the star’s songbook.
The movie stars Emilia Clarke as a bored Christmas-store worker who keeps bumping into Henry Golding’s character around London in serendipitous circumstances.
Thompson recently discussed how the star gave her his personal blessing before his death, aged 53, in 2016.
“He was just the loveliest guy you could imagine,” she recalled. “[He loved] all of these themes in the movie; he was passionate about homelessness, and he had this great social conscience.”
Thompson continued: “I got really enthused and we started to write, and then – of course – he had that tragic early death in 2016, on Christmas Day. So we lost him, and I miss him so much.”
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Universal Pictures
Emilia Clarke is best known for starring in fantasy series Game of Thrones
The star’s estate subsequently greenlit the use of This Is How in the film’s closing scenes; and director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters) vowed to include all six minutes of the unheard material.
“When you get a song that has never been heard, you don’t want to just use, like, 15 seconds of it,” he told the BBC earlier this year. “The song starts at the end of the film, and then goes into the credits.”
This Is How will be included on the film’s soundtrack album, which is released on Friday.
In a statement, George’s family said they hoped fans everywhere would “rejoice in hearing this great new song written as ever with Yog’s immense passion and pride.
“This new track we proudly send as his gift to you this season to bring you all love and festive joy, whoever you worship, whoever you love.”
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