Beyonce, Rihanna Were Eyed For Grammys Tribute To George Michael

“Music’s biggest night” garnered some of the industry’s top musicians to display their unique talents for the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday (Feb. 12). Talks of major wins and major snubs littered social media immediately following the showcase’s conclusion, but the performances were also the talk of the town that night. One in particular being Adele’s tribute to the late George Michael.

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Despite a flub in the beginning of the “Fastlove” rendition, the Album of the Year winner powered through her performance. Now, one of the show’s executive producers, Ken Ehrlich, shared that Adele’s star power wasn’t the only force that was meant to take center stage. In an interview with Billboard, Ehrlich revealed that Michael’s manager, Michael Lippman, brought up the idea of having Beyonce and Rihanna join in on the melodic salute.

Ultimately, Adele expressed “how passionate” she was, and wanted to carry out “a vision for what she wanted to do with it.” Lippman suggested that Bey and Rih could join Adele in a mix of his hit songs, including “One More Try” and “Freedom,” but before the idea came to fruition, he decided to leave the reins in Adele’s hands.

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George Michael passed away on Dec. 25, 2016 at age 53. Lippman alluded to the cause of death being heart failure, although a medical examiner’s report came back inconclusive. Like his fellow Brit Adele, Michael won Album of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards for his Faith soundscape.