Madonna, All Saints And Blur Pay Tribute To William Orbit

Madonna has remembered her former collaborator William Orbit as a musical “genius”.

Over the weekend, the Queen of Pop paid tribute to the British musician and producer, with whom she most notably worked on her Grammy-winning album Ray Of Light in the mid-1990s.

“Goodbye William Orbit,” she wrote on Instagram, following the news of his death at the age of 69, alongside footage of them accepting one of their Grammys.

“I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you. I realised that music did not have to fit into categories or genres. So we created our own.

“You pressed a magic button inside of me and I fell into a galaxy of unrealised dreams. Your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on and I visited many places, sad and joyful. I sang in ways I’d never sung before. I used words without caring if they made sense or not.”

She recalled: “In many ways you were my Ray Of Light – as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time. I was starting a new chapter, I was choosing another road to walk down – and you were right by my side with your crooked teeth and your genius, way of hearing music.

“The studio was often church-like and I would sit in silence, waiting for your ideas to explode out of your keyboard or your guitar and then I would run with them…”

“I miss those days,” she admitted. “Only you could inspire me to write a song like Drowned World or Swim. You were so otherworldly. So singular.”

Madonna continued: “The years passed and I moved on to make music with other people, but I have never forgotten you or the magical time we spent together.

“Goodbye Billy Bubbles. I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you.”

William co-wrote co-produced some of Madonna’s biggest hits of the 90s and 2000s, including the UK number one singles Frozen and American Pie, as well as Ray Of Light, Nothing Really Matters, Drowned World/Substitute For Love, The Power Of Good-Bye and Beautiful Stranger.

He also released 12 of his own studio albums, including the UK number two Pieces In The Modern Style, in addition to his work with All Saints, Blur and Robbie Williams, among others.

Since the news was confirmed last month that he’s died, many of the other singers and performers who worked with him in his lifetime have also been paying their respects on social media…