On Friday (Aug. 7), news broke that producer William Orbit had passed away on July 23 at the age of 69. He's best known for his work on 1998's pop classic Ray Of Light, and the singer paid tribute to him in a new social media post.
The star, who recently released her new album Confessions II, wrote:
Goodbye- William Orbit.
I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you. I realized 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 unrealized dreams. Your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on and I visited many places. Sad and Joyful
I sang in ways I’d never sung before.
I used words without caring if they made sense or not. In many ways you were my Ray of Light -as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time-
I was starting a new chapter,
I was choosing another road to walk down-and you were right by my side with your crooked teeth and your genius, way of hearing music. The studio was often church like and I would sit in silence, waiting for your ideas to explode out of your keyboard or your guitar and then I would run with them………..
I miss those days. 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.
Goodbye Billy Bubbles.
I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you.
A few months before the release of Confessions II, Orbit claimed that she'd been ignoring his proposals to make a Ray Of Light 2 for decades, but said he harbored "absolute zero hard feelings" towards Madonna and that he "will always love that woman."
Beth Orton posted a tribute as well, writing, "There is too much to say and too much to feel. For now, my love to William and his family and everyone he worked with and gave his sensitive heart to. We wrote water from a vine leaf together right from the off. I hope he is at peace now, I have a strong feeling he is. The love will live forever."
Blur made a post as well, sharing the artwork of their 1999 LP 13, which Orbit produced.
Madonna also performed at WorldPride in Amsterdam last weekend and brought out Kylie Minogue to sing a new duet. A few days later, Minogue released the song, which was her remix of Madonna's Confessions II track "Love Sensation." In addition, it came with a Radio Edit version. Hear them below.
