Madonna remembers ‘genius’ producer William Orbit: ‘I have never forgotten you’

By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter

Madonna has paid tribute to “genius” producer William Orbit after his death at the age of 69.

The London-born musician died on July 23, his family and friends confirmed in a statement to Instagram, saying he will be “greatly missed by us and by so many whose lives he touched”.

US singer-songwriter Madonna, 67, hailed Orbit as “otherworldly” and “singular” in a lengthy tribute to Instagram on Saturday.

The pop star, born Madonna Ciccone, wrote: “Goodbye William Orbit.

“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.

“I sang in ways I’d never sung before.”

Madonna accompanied the post with a video of herself and Orbit at the Grammy Awards in 1999, picking up one of the many prizes her 1998 album Ray Of Light won.

Referencing the record, one of her many collaborations with Orbit, she called him her “ray of light” and said she misses working with him – recounting his “genius” when it came to making music.

Madonna added: “Only you could inspire me to write a song like Drowned World or Swim. You were so otherworldly. So singular.

“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.”

Madonna also collaborated with Orbit on her 2000 album Music and he co-wrote and performed on her 1999 UK number two single Beautiful Stranger, which appeared in the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.

Also among the artists Orbit worked with paying tribute is British girl group All Saints, with whom he produced number one hits such as Black Coffee and Pure Shores for their chart-topping record Saints & Sinners.

Natalie Appleton shared a post to Instagram saying “it was an honour and privilege to work with him, and play too” while her bandmate Melanie Blatt remembered him as “such an important part of our success and history”.

Fellow All Saints star Nicole Appleton praised his collaborations with Madonna and said working with Orbit “made me feel so confident, comfortable”, and that he “always brought the best out in me”.

“He was a treasure in the music industry and we had the most amazing times in the studio and socially. We will forever celebrate him as a music icon,” she added.

Madonna’s long-time collaborator Stuart Price praised him as “sensitive, tender, passionate, auteuristic and infinitely inspiring” whilst Celebrity DJ Fat Tony remembered him as an “amazing man” with an “incredible career”.

With Blur, Orbit produced the 1999 album 13, which featured singles such as Tender, Coffee & TV and No Distance Left To Run, and worked on their track Sweet Song from 2003’s Think Tank album.

The band honoured the producer by sharing the cover art of the album in a post on Instagram with a heartbroken emoji and “William Orbit” written in the caption.

He also worked on Mel C’s 1999 debut solo album Northern Star and the former Spice Girls singer posted on Instagram: “Such an honour to have worked with this great man. Sending all my love.”

Welsh musician Kelly Lee Owens shared a message to X thanking Orbit for “all the beauty you poured into the world”, and recounted how she has “loved and admired his work my whole life”.

BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong remembered Orbit as “an outlier, a musical genius” who “created unique soundscapes and special feelings”, whilst Dutch musician Ferry Corsten remembered him as “one of music’s true visionaries”.

Orbit also worked with artists including Britney Spears, Will.i.am, Pink, Robbie Williams and Irish rock band U2 – with whom he produced two songs, Electrical Storm and The Hands That Built America.

He had a solo career which produced 12 studio albums, largely of electronic music, and was also a member of the groups Bassomatic and Torch Song.