Sombr Wore George Michael’s Own Jacket at the VMAs — as Adam Lambert, RAYE and Teddy Swims Brought His Greatest Songs Back to Life
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards gathered a new generation of singers to celebrate George Michael nearly a decade after his death.
But one detail made the tribute feel especially personal.
As Sombr stepped onto the stage to perform two of Michael’s defining songs, the 21-year-old wasn’t simply dressing in an outfit inspired by the late superstar.
According to Rolling Stone, he was wearing George Michael’s own jacket.
It became a striking visual connection between past and present during an all-star medley that also featured RAYE, Teddy Swims, Adam Lambert, MEEK and Saint Harison.
And each performer was given one of Michael’s most recognizable songs.
Sombr Walked Out Wearing a Piece of George Michael History
Sombr opened the tribute with “Faith.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)/george-michael-tribute-6a1e93b74a7c4d7ea4bd8e0a00cc41b6.jpg)
The choice immediately evoked the era that transformed Michael into one of the world’s biggest solo stars.
But seeing Sombr perform while wearing Michael’s actual jacket added another layer to the moment.
He followed “Faith” with “Father Figure,” another song from Michael’s blockbuster 1987 album Faith.
The song also has an important connection to Michael’s own VMA history.
Michael co-directed its music video with Andy Morahan and later won the VMA for Best Direction in a Video.
RAYE Took on an Aretha Franklin Classic
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2):format(webp)/Orville-Peck-092726-84794b165c954381a10b6f2e73c67764.jpg)
RAYE followed with “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” originally recorded by George Michael and Aretha Franklin.
It marked RAYE’s second performance of the evening during a year in which she also received two VMA nominations, including Song of the Year for “Where Is My Husband!”
The tribute soon moved into perhaps the most instantly recognizable opening of Michael’s career.
One Saxophone Was Enough
The unmistakable saxophone melody of “Careless Whisper” signaled Teddy Swims’ arrival.
Swims took on the classic ballad before the stage was handed to the night’s surprise guest.
Adam Lambert emerged for the finale.
His song was “Freedom! ’90,” one of Michael’s enduring statements of independence and reinvention.
Lambert was eventually joined by young U.K. singers MEEK and Saint Harison, expanding the closing number into a full-stage celebration.
Music director Adam Blackstone, whose previous work includes major Super Bowl halftime productions, assembled the George Michael tribute.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/2026-vmas371-000-128acbc7a7334054a04fa606591c8e8d.jpg)
The Timing Carried Special Meaning
The VMAs celebration arrived as Michael’s landmark Faith era approaches another major anniversary.
His debut solo album, released in 1987, is nearing its 40th anniversary.
A newly prepared live album, The Faith Tour, is scheduled for Nov. 6.
That will be followed by the feature-length concert film George Michael: The Faith Tour, which is set to reach cinemas around the world on Dec. 11.
Together, those releases will revisit one of the most important periods of Michael’s career.
The VMAs offered the first major celebration through the voices of artists who came after him.
George Michael and the VMAs Shared a Long History
Michael received 16 VMA nominations during his lifetime and won four Moon Persons.
One of those victories recognized his work behind the camera on “Father Figure.”
He also received one of MTV’s highest honors when Madonna presented him with the Video Vanguard Award in 1989.
That detail carried an interesting symmetry in 2026.
Madonna herself returned to perform on the VMAs stage this year for the first time in 23 years, while another part of the ceremony celebrated the artist she had honored nearly four decades earlier.
A Jacket, Five Classics and a Legacy That Hasn’t Faded
There were plenty of ways MTV could have revisited George Michael’s career.
Instead, his music was placed in the hands of performers from different generations and musical backgrounds.
Sombr brought youthful energy to “Faith” and “Father Figure.”
RAYE revisited his famous Aretha Franklin collaboration.
Teddy Swims tackled the enormous vocal challenge of “Careless Whisper.”
Adam Lambert took “Freedom! ’90” into the finale.
But amid the lights, voices and famous songs, one of the simplest details carried some of the greatest emotional weight.
Sombr wasn’t merely performing George Michael’s music. He walked onto the VMAs stage wearing George Michael’s own jacket — bringing a small piece of the man himself back into the spotlight as his songs filled the room once again.