The estate of the late singer George Michael has initiated legal action against his former best friend, Andros Georgiou, over the release of an unreleased album and unseen footage.
The estate has filed a case at London's Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court, alleging a breach of rights. The material in question is a film titled "Trojan Souls - The Greatest Album That Was Never Made," which features approximately 90 minutes of Michael in the recording studio during 1992 and 1993.
Mr. Georgiou, 63, who claims to have been Michael's best friend and collaborator on the project, has called the legal action "a case of sheer greed." He stated that Michael would be "turning in his grave" at the estate's actions and the expenditure of his money. Georgiou asserted that he had Michael's full approval to film the recordings and that he decided to release the footage himself after it had been leaked and appeared on YouTube.
He is currently charging fans £4.99 for 48-hour access to the "Trojan Souls" film through his website. Georgiou also suggested that the estate's lawyers are attempting to erase him from history and questioned their right to use Michael's funds for the lawsuit.
"The film belongs to me. Trojan Souls belongs to me. They've opened Pandora's Box," Georgiou stated, adding that he knows too much to be comfortable testifying in court. He further commented on Instagram, "How dare they spend Yogs money suing me… together for over 40 years he would simply be disgusted at what’s happening."
"Trojan Souls" was originally intended to feature duets with artists such as Sir Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Bryan Ferry, Seal, and Sade. However, Michael reportedly lost interest in the project as his then-partner Anselmo Feleppa's health declined. Following Feleppa's death in March 1993, the album remained unfinished.
Mr. Georgiou filmed the footage in Japan during Michael's Faith tour using a camcorder. He and Tribe Media, the film's distributor, are named in the legal case brought by Robobuild Limited and Big Geoff Overseas Limited, holding companies associated with Michael's royalties and tours.
George Michael died at his home in Oxfordshire on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53. An inquest later ruled his death was due to natural causes, specifically dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver. He rose to fame in the 1980s as part of the duo Wham! and later achieved significant solo success, selling over 100 million albums worldwide. His posthumous success includes the 2023 and 2024 UK Christmas number one single "Last Christmas."