Unreleased George Michael duet positioned for streaming market
George Michael’s former manager is seeking clearance to release a shelved duet with Elton John, highlighting the commercial value of dormant pop catalogues.
Andros Georgiou, the late pop star’s former manager, is attempting to secure Elton John’s approval to complete a previously shelved duet. The track, titled 'This Kind Of Love', could be released posthumously.
The song features separate vocal recordings from both British artists, originally laid down over three decades ago. Georgiou disclosed the project while promoting a new documentary, Trojan Souls, which centres on Michael’s unreleased 1993 album of the same name.
That album was ultimately abandoned due to contractual disputes with Michael's record label. Its shelving prevented the commercial release of planned collaborations with major artists including Stevie Wonder, Sade, Seal and Aretha Franklin.
The renewed push to finish and monetise these dormant recordings highlights a broader economic trend in the music industry. Estates and rights-holders are increasingly unlocking vaults to supply lucrative content to a streaming market hungry for established catalogues.
Georgiou is actively shopping the Trojan Souls documentary to major technology and media companies, specifically naming Apple as a target. To secure a distribution deal, he is holding back an unreleased interview with John as an exclusive bargaining chip.
In that interview, Sir Elton shares his admiration for Michael and states he would “literally do anything for George.” Such endorsements carry significant promotional weight, capable of driving streaming volume and consumer interest upon a track's release.
Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016, but his cultural and commercial footprint remains substantial. Earlier this year, Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley accepted the Academy Fellowship on his behalf at the 2026 Ivor Novellos, the highest honour from The Ivors Academy.
Securing the rights to 'This Kind Of Love' would add another valuable asset to the Michael estate. “I’ve got George singing the track and Elton singing the track, so the dream is to make another track,” Georgiou said. “I would have to ask Elton’s permission to put the vocals together. I’m sure Elton would say yes because he was blown away by the song and was a huge supporter of George.”
