George Michael's estate thanked Taylor Swift for paying tribute in her song 'Father Figure'

The original song was part of Michael’s debut studio album, Faith, and remains one of his most iconic tracks.

The estate of the late pop legend George Michael has expressed gratitude to Taylor Swift for paying tribute to his 1987 hit Father Figure in her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl.

The original song was part of Michael’s debut studio album, Faith, and remains one of his most iconic tracks.

In a statement shared on Facebook, George Michael Entertainment said they were “delighted” to see Swift include an interpolation of the song in her highly anticipated 12th studio album.

“We were thrilled when Taylor Swift and her team approached us earlier this year about incorporating an interpolation of George Michael’s classic song Father Figure into a brand-new track of the same title,” the estate noted.

“When we heard the track, we had no hesitation in agreeing to this collaboration between two great artists, and we know George would have felt the same. We wish Taylor every success with The Life of a Showgirl and Father Figure.”

The Life of a Showgirl, which was first announced in August, debuted on Thursday and also features pop singer Sabrina Carpenter on the title track. Both Michael’s original song and Swift’s new version share a thematic focus on the complexities of a specific relationship.

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In a 1987 interview with Entertainment Tonight, George Michael had spoken about the inspiration behind Father Figure, saying, “‘Father Figure’ is just a very, without going into too much detail, very specific experience that I wrote about a relationship with one person. I think there’s a definite pattern in people’s lives where they move away from their parents, then spend time on their own, and then look for that replacement.”

George Michael, celebrated for his soulful voice and chart-topping hits that defined 1980s and 1990s pop music, passed away in 2016 at the age of 53.