How old was Michael Jackson? Michael Jackson is alive: the Internet is talking about a huge scam

Ian Joseph Somerhalder was born in Covington, Louisiana on December 8, 1978. Ian's mother was a masseuse, and his father was a builder. As a child, he enjoyed fishing, swimming and horse riding. At the age of ten, his mother sent Ian to the modeling business. His good looks quickly made him a popular child model.
Somerhalder has worked for European fashion houses such as Versace, Guess, Esprit, Calvin Klein, Persol, Dolce & Gabanna and Gucci.
In addition to his modeling career, Ian tried his hand at acting. At the age of seventeen he headed to New York to start acting career. He took acting lessons from William Esper. For the first time he played a cameo role in one of the scenes in the film “Black and White”. A victory for the aspiring actor was his participation in the filming of the film “Now and Again”. After which he was given the main role in the television series “Young Americans”, he also played small roles in such series as CSI, “Law and Order” and “Smallville”. For his role in the film Life Like a House, Ian received the Young Hollywood Awards.

Also in 2002, Ian Somerhalder played the main role in the film “Rules of Sex.” Participation in “The Rules of Sex” brought Ian fame and success; he was included in the People magazine list as the sexiest man on the planet.
In the TV series Lost, Ian played the role of Boone Caralyle. After this role, Somerhalder became a world famous actor. In 2009, Ian received one of the main roles in the famous and successful TV series The Vampire Diaries. Some of the latest films with the participation of Ian Somerhaldor are the film “How to Make Love to a Woman” and the film “The Host”.
Somerhalder's hobbies include yoga, horse riding and skiing. In 2000, Ian dated designer Sarah Maleista, but their relationship broke up in 2003. In 2004, Somerhalder was in a relationship with Paris Hilton's sister Nicky Hilton, their relationship lasted six months. In 2006, Ian Somerhalder was in a relationship with Megan Old. Currently, the media are writing that Ian is having an affair with The Vampire Diaries actress Nina Dobrev.

Ian Joseph Somerhalder/ Ian Somerhalder was born in 1978 in Covington, Louisiana. He has a brother, Bob, a former professional motorcycle racer, and a sister, Robin, a journalist. As a child, he loved to swim, fish and ride horses, and also attended the school drama club and even participated in productions of the local theater troupe.

The creative path of Ian Somerhalder / Ian Somerhalder

Modeling career Ian Somerhalder He began at the age of ten and soon achieved significant success in this area. In high school, he tried to devote more time to studies and sports than to the modeling business. But when the actor was offered to work in Europe, he could not refuse. Ian Somerhalder lived and worked in Paris, Milan, London, and at the age of seventeen began studying dramatic art in New York.

A turning point in fate Ian Somerhalder was a meeting with an experienced agent who was looking for young talents. The agent came to the set of the film " Black and white” and spotted the young actor in the crowd of four hundred people.

In 2000 Ian Somerhalder took part in the series " Young Americans" - a spin-off of the teenage series " Summer of our hopes" His hero is the son of the director of a prestigious private school who falls in love with his classmate.

In 2002 Ian Somerhalder played the role of the touchy and whiny homosexual Paul Denton in the black comedy “Rules of Sex” - an adaptation of the novel Bret Easton Ellis "The Laws of Attraction". James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon and Jessica Biel starred alongside him in this film.

In 2004, the actor began work on the role, which brought him world fame. Boone Carlyle is one of the main characters of the TV series Lost, the half-brother of Shannon Rutterford. Ian Somerhalder's hero lived on the island for forty-one days, unsuccessfully tried to take the position of leader and as a result turned into one of Locke's associates. Locke called the death of Carlisle “a necessary sacrifice for the Island.” Despite the fact that his character died at the end of the first season, Ian Somerhalder appears in other seasons of the series, which contain flashback episodes.

In 2007 Ian Somerhalder starred in several episodes of the drama series " Say me that you Love Me" Of particular interest to fans of the actor was a frank scene with Michelle Borth, in which Ian Somerhalder appears completely naked for the first time.

In 2009, the action thriller " Tournament" In it, the actor played one of the professional killers - participants great game: Whoever turns out to be the best in their field will receive ten million dollars.

Currently, work is underway on a Gothic fairy tale " Cradlewood"featuring Ian Somerhalder. The premiere of the film is scheduled for 2012.

In September 2010, the second season of the acclaimed series The Vampire Diaries was released. In him Ian Somerhalder plays the evil and treacherous Damon Salvatore.

Ian Somerhalder: “I don’t watch films about vampires; today I breathe in this theme. I have not seen a single film from the famous “Twilight Saga”, nor have I read these books. I just have my own view on the image of a vampire, and I don’t want to clutter my head with unnecessary information for the imagination. I love Willem Dafoe for the crazy, non-stereotypical vampirism he portrayed in Shadow of the Vampire."

Both Salvatore brothers became vampires against their own will. But while Stefan (Paul Wesley) curses fate and hates himself for having to drink human blood, Damon has no remorse. The brothers hate each other and love the same girl - schoolgirl Elena Gilbert, played by actress Nina Dobrev.

The charming villain played by Ian Somerhalder became one of the brightest television heroes of 2009. Based on the voting results, he was awarded the People Choice Award in the category “Best Screen Villain.”

Acting in films and television series, Ian Somerhalder I didn’t forget about the modeling business. In 2006, he entered the top ten top models of the New York agency DNA Models. The actor is also the founder of a charitable foundation.

Personal life of Ian Somerhalder / Ian Somerhalder

Since 2000, he has been dating a designer Sarah Maleista, and four years later he broke off the relationship for the sake of Nicky Hilton, heiress to a worldwide hotel chain. In 2006, Ian Somerhalder was seen in the company of Maggie Grace, his colleague on the set of the series Lost.

For some time Ian Somerhalder appeared in public with Nina Dobrev, his on-screen lover in The Vampire Diaries, but the actors themselves refused to comment on their relationship.

Ian Somerhalder: “The decibel level at which a thirteen-year-old girl can confess her love to you is the most amazing thing I’ve heard in my life.”

Filmography of Ian Somerhalder / Ian Somerhalder

• Cradlewood (2012), role: Josh
• How to Make Love to a Woman / How to Make Love to a Woman (2009), role: Daniel
• The Vampire Diaries / The Vampire Diaries (TV series) (2009-2010), role: Damon Salvatore
• Tournament / The Tournament (2009), role: Miles Slade
• Fireball (TV) (2009), role: Lee Cooper
• Awakening / Wake (2009), role: Tyler
• Treasure hunters / lost City Raiders (TV) (2008), role: Jack
• Random Witness / The Lost Samaritan (2008), role: William Arker
• Tell Me You Love Me (TV series) (2007), role: Nick
• Marco Polo / Marco Polo (TV) (2007), role: Marco Polo
• Stupid / National Lampoon's (2006) TV: The Movie
• Creating the Fear: Making of "Pulse" (video) (2006)
• The Sensation of Sight (2006), role: tramp
• Pulse / Pulse (2006), role: Dexter
• Las cinco caras de David LaChapelle (TV) (2006)
• lost: Revelation (TV) (2006)
• lost: The Journey (TV) (2005)
• Fearless / Fearless (TV) (2004), role: Jordan Gracie
• Lost (TV series) (2004-2009), role: Boone Carlyle
• Vacations / Recess (2004), role: Coolie
• Old Man and the Studio, The (2004)
• U-429: Underwater Prison / In Enemy Hands (2003), role: Danny Miller
• The Rules of Sex / The Rules of Attraction (2002), role: Paul Denton
• CSI: Miami / CSI: Miami (TV series) (2002-2009), role: Ricky Murdock
• Sweet couple / Changing Hearts (2002), role: Jason Kelly
• Smallville / smallville (TV series) (2001-2009), role: Adam Knight
• Life as a House (2001), role: Josh
• Anatomy of a Crime (TV) (2001), role: Russell Henderson
• C.S.I. Crime Scene / CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV series) (2000-2009), role: Tony Del Nagro
• Young Americans / Young Americans (TV series) (2000), Hamilton Fleming
• Now or Never / Now and Again (TV series) (1999-2000), role: Brian
• Law and order. Special Corps / Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV series) (1999-2009), role: Charlie Baker
• Big Easy (TV series) (1996-1997)

Michael Joseph Jackson

On August 29, 1958, a boy was born into a poor and unremarkable family of African-Americans Joseph and Katherine Jackson, in the town of Gary, lost in Indiana. He was the seventh child in a family living in a small house - so small that it looked like a garage. The boy was named Michael. This is how the greatest and most mysterious artist of the late twentieth century was born - Michael Jackson.

Hundreds of biographies, books, and studies have been written about the Michael Jackson phenomenon, and not one has yet been able to capture his entire image. In this short biography we will not be able to do this. But let’s try, for those who are just entering the magical world of the artist, to write a short biographical article. Based on it, it will be easier to understand Michael Jackson’s autobiography “Moonwalk” and other books, interviews, and stories of people who were friends and worked with him for many years.

Childhood in Gary, Indiana

The town of Gary, where Michael was born, is a small community in Indiana, in the East Chicago area. 80% of the town's residents are African Americans - ordinary workers living in poor houses and working at the local steel mill. And Michael's father, Joseph Jackson, worked at that time in the foundry at this plant. After Michael, two more children were born into the family, and six boys had to sleep in a tiny bedroom on three-story beds. The family struggled to make ends meet, but thanks to Michael's mother Catherine, a devout follower of Jehovah's Witnesses, the children grew up under strict rules and the house was kept as tidy as possible. From infancy, children were taught to clean themselves and take care of themselves.

In addition, music was constantly playing in the house. “We sang a lot in our house, mostly blues songs that were popular at the time, like “Mustang Sally.” Katherine and I loved to sing with the children, and she also played the piano and sometimes the clarinet. I could also play some songs on my guitar, and every free minute we played R&B records by singers such as Little Richard, the Chi-lites, Chuck Berry, the Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Fats Domino, Joe Tex, Big Maybell, the Impressions and Major Lance,” the father of the family, Joseph, later wrote in his book. It was he, according to Michael himself, who played decisive role in his development as an artist - despite the fact that the relationship between father and son could hardly be called harmonious.

Joseph was a man of no timidity, a tough character and great ambitions. In his youth, he had to change many occupations - he visited, among other things, the boxing ring, worked as a sleeper stacker, and picked cotton on the plantations of the South. “Someday I, too, will be at the very top, I promised myself,” Joe later wrote in his autobiography. But it’s unlikely that in his youth he could have imagined who would take him to this peak, although show business was clearly very much on his mind: the group he created with his friends, “Falcons” (“Falcons”), played all over the city, and also performed in clubs and colleges in northern Indiana and Chicago.

The first memories of Michael's childhood do not describe his temperament in infancy in much detail. Everyone only agrees that the baby was always full of unquenchable energy. His mother recalls how, at two years old, he famously danced to the beat of washing machine; older brother Jermaine - about how agile he was before he even learned to walk - so much so that it was impossible to change his diapers; my father said that you couldn’t take your eyes off him for a second, otherwise he would disappear, and then he would be found under the table or under the bed.

The film "The Jacksons - The American Dream", based on the history of the creation of the Jackson 5, describes the legend of its origins. According to her, it all started when one of the eldest sons, Tito, slowly took his father's guitar to learn to play. One day, the father discovered that his son was taking his instrument without asking. Tito was punished, and punished cruelly: Joseph was not distinguished by humanity in raising children. However, at the same time, he was surprised to see that Tito had learned to play very well. According to his own version, Tito broke a string on his guitar. ““What did you do?” I asked him calmly. Tito looked at me incredulously. He thought I was going to get angry. “Well, show me what you can do,” I said. I could hardly hide my joy. And he actually knew how to play. He taught himself the blues songs that I always played on the guitar. Like me, he played by ear. I didn’t show Tito right away how proud I was of him, but a couple of days later I came home and brought him a gift: a new red guitar!” - Joe recalls.

From that moment on, the fate of the children was decided. The Falcons group gradually disappeared from the sight of its creator. Joseph created from the older boys Music band, with whom I rehearsed day after day - for three hours or more. Michael was one of younger brothers, at the time of the creation of the group he was about 5 years old. They didn’t want to notice this little tomboy for some time: at first he just played the bongos, which, according to his father and brothers, he really liked. It is curious that even as an adult, Michael remained an excellent percussionist and also performed excellent beatboxing. But one day during a rehearsal, according to legend, Catherine’s mother heard Michael sing. “Listen to how he sings,” she told her husband. And Joe heard.

Frontman of the Jackson 5

Everyone who remembers little Michael unanimously says that his talent was immediately visible. In his book Moonwalk, he recounted his first performance at a school concert: he sang the song “Climb every mountain” from the musical “The Sound of Music.” “The reaction of the listeners when I finished singing shocked me. The hall burst into applause, people smiled, some stood up. The teachers were crying. I just couldn't believe my eyes. I gave them all happiness. It was such a wonderful feeling. But at the same time I was a little embarrassed: I didn’t do anything special. I just sang like I sang at home every night,” Michael recalled. Life has confirmed: “I can climb any mountain” - this is indeed his motto.

Joseph was perceptive: once convinced of how great his gift was little son, he made Michael the frontman of the group. Thus was the beginning of Michael Jackson's artistic career. At the age of five he became one of the most gifted child artists of the twentieth century. But the same talent that made Michael the most famous artist on Earth began to limit his freedom from childhood.

From the age of five, the boy’s life was subject to a strict schedule of rehearsals and concerts. Over time, he, like his brothers, had to leave school: a teacher, Rose Fine, who traveled with the Jackson 5 group around the world, was specially hired to teach the boys. And there was simply no time left for things like communicating and playing with peers. Thus, the theme of “lost childhood” became one of the main “red lines” in the artist’s work, and indeed in the entire life of the artist.

In “Moonwalk” he wrote: “I used to come home from school and, as soon as I left my books, I rushed to the studio. There I sang until late at night, in fact, when it was already time for me to sleep. Across the street from the studio<...>there was a park, and I remember I looked at the guys playing there. I looked at them and marveled - I simply could not imagine such freedom, such a carefree life - and more than anything in the world I wanted to be so free that I could go out into the street and behave like them. So I also had sad moments as a child. But this happens with all children who become “stars”. Elizabeth Taylor told me she felt the same way. When you work when you're very young, the world can seem terribly unfair. Nobody forced me to be little Michael the lead singer—I chose it myself, and I loved it—but it was hard work. When we were recording for the album, for example, we'd go into the studio right after school, and sometimes I'd get a snack and sometimes I wouldn't. There just wasn't time. I returned home exhausted, at eleven, or even twelve at night, when it was already time to sleep.”

All this was complicated by the harsh and cruel temper of the main mentor, and then the producer of the Jackson brothers, Joseph. His father's rudeness and harshness, his tendency to solve problems with a belt and shouting, influenced the boys in different ways, but Michael, a gifted child with a fine mental organization, found it especially difficult to endure. The father trained his children “excellently”; he instilled in Michael throughout his life the concept of the importance of discipline and hard work, without which no talent can be realized; however, a vulnerable child with a wild imagination needed not only a strict coach, but also a loving person. “He trained me as a showman, and under his guidance I could not make a single wrong move. But what I really wanted was for him to be a dad. I wanted a father who would show me his love,” Michael later said.

As an adult, he managed to overcome childhood and youth grievances, and Joe himself became softer over time, but nevertheless, the traumas experienced in childhood were never completely forgotten, and relations with his father remained tense until Michael’s death. In many ways, this childhood tragedy of a child artist repeated the fates of such geniuses as Paganini or Mozart, who were the same “child stars” led by strict fathers. As an adult, Michael quickly found a common language with people with a similar fate - this is how, for example, his friendship with Elizabeth Taylor and his tender affection for the “girl star” of old Hollywood, Shirley Temple, began.

Meanwhile, the Jackson Five gained recognition in their city and surrounding area within three or four years. Children performed wherever the opportunity presented itself - in schools, at various talent competitions, which they invariably won, in nightclubs and strip bars, where little Michael, at the age of seven or eight, became acquainted with the whole “underside” of show business. Often the group performed as an opening act for strippers, and then stayed in the hall or came home late at night - and the next day they rehearsed and performed again.

The next stage was the conquest of Chicago. Everywhere the boys found success - primarily thanks to the amazing little soloist who skillfully performed covers of songs by Motown artists - the first “black” music label in the USA, which brought to light a whole galaxy of brilliant soloists and groups in the R&B style. After some time, the group was invited to the oldest “black” musical theater in the USA - the famous New York Apollo Theater in the heart of Harlem, the cradle of such world-famous talents as Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Jackie Wilson, Nina Simone, James Brown . The demanding and capricious New York public was literally captivated: the triumph of the Jackson Five was deafening. After this, the brothers were invited to appear on television, on the David Frost show - but suddenly at the very last moment Joseph declined the invitation. The boys couldn’t believe their ears when they heard about this, but their father explained: “Motown called.”

Growing up. Motown and Epic

The Jackson Five were invited to audition for the famous label, and for many years this audition determined their fate. They joined the team of studio stars as equals at the very zenith of its history, when such artists as The Supremes (with Diana Ross), The Temptations, The Four Tops, singers Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson shone on stage. and young prodigy Stevie Wonder.

Young Michael's main idols were famous black stars James Brown and Jackie Wilson. Sitting behind the scenes for hours, Michael watched and watched them while his brothers rested carelessly, and learned from these masters the art of holding the attention of the public, absorbed their expression, and learned dance techniques. Michael was a master at imitating his idols, and this touched the audience, but Michael's vocal talent was not just an object of affection. The boy, who had never studied either music or vocals, sang his parts in the clearest voice, easily remembering any melody, as soon as you hummed it to him. Throughout his career, Michael Jackson remained “musically illiterate,” that is, self-taught in everything. However, ignorance of notes did not prevent him from composing music, and ignorance vocal technicians It didn’t hurt to record songs from the first take.

In the USA there are fans of Michael Jackson who are older than him. These are the ones who witnessed the resounding success of the Jackson Five. All of America fell in love with these boys. The Jackson Five broke records in terms of attendance at concerts. The Beatles. They were idols of young audiences, and the paparazzi began hunting for them.

Michael, 12 years old Michael's life changed greatly and forever. He became a superstar at the age of 11 and at the same time grew into the only artist in the history of music who, having matured, not only did not lose the love of the audience, but also multiplied the success of his childhood years.

In the early 1970s, thanks to the talent of the Jackson brothers and Joe's perseverance, the whole family moved to California, where the Motown label also moved. The Jacksons collaborated with Motown for several more years, but then they went their separate ways, mainly because the brothers wanted to write their own songs, which Motown did not allow them to do. Michael, at the age of 16, discussed termination of the contract with the label management. It should be noted that even at such a young age, when it came to business, Michael behaved decisively and uncompromisingly. As a result, the group moved to another label - Epic - and changed its name to The Jacksons. And little Michael, unnoticed by everyone, has grown a lot.

17 years old Describing his growing up in his autobiography, Michael recalls that it became very stressful for him. When you grow up in front of the whole country and never leave the covers of magazines, people want to see you the way they initially liked you, he said. The cute boy with an afro hairstyle, bright, playful eyes and dimples was the favorite of millions. And as it turned out, no one recognized the thin teenager with youthful acne on his face. Sometimes, in search of “little Michael,” people passed by him, and when they realized that Michael was standing next to them, they did not hide their annoyance.

Joseph also added “fuel to the fire” by pointing out to his son his huge wide nose, insisting that he got this feature from his mother. Both brothers and cousins ​​teased Michael - no one missed the opportunity to humiliate the public's favorite. Perhaps the stress experienced in adolescence and youth was not the last factor that influenced the subsequent artificial changes in Michael’s appearance. However, these changes are explained by many other things - both the state of his health and his understanding of art as, among other things, the art of sculpting himself and his life to his liking.

Off The Wall. Thriller. Conquering the peak

Michael, 21 Michael began his official solo career when he turned 21. He refused his father's services as a manager, broke his contract and took control of his creative destiny into your own hands. His first solo album Off The Wall, consisting of songs in the then popular disco style, was released in 1979 and was a phenomenal success - much greater than the work of Michael and his brothers, released shortly before. This disc was recognized at that time as the most successful album by a black artist. in history. Many music critics, especially in America, still consider it the pinnacle of Michael Jackson's work.

However, Michael himself remained unsatisfied. The album received a string of awards, but did not win the music industry's most influential award, Grammy Awards"Album of the Year" “I felt ignored by my colleagues, and it hurt,” Michael later recalled. “This experience lit a fire in my soul,” he wrote in his autobiography. – I was only thinking about the next album and how I would create it. I wanted him to become truly great."

And he fully realized his idea. Michael's next album is usually spoken of as the greatest achievement in the history of modern recording. Album Thriller received such success that it is virtually impossible to repeat. The best-selling album, a Guinness record holder, a peak that only one person has climbed and only once. The album won seven Grammy awards at the 1984 ceremony, including Album of the Year, and Michael's comeback was deafening.

In his cult film“Thriller” It was from this album that Michael Jackson’s triumphant march through the world of video clips began. Michael decided to invite film directors to work on his musical films. He himself didn't call his videos "video clips" - he called them "short films." And in general, he was right, because the video clip genre, neither before nor after Michael, had reached such perfection and sophistication.

In addition, Michael completely reinvented his own image. Moonwalk. Shiny glove. The famous black fedora... All these most recognizable features of Michael Jackson's appearance entered the world of popular music precisely during the era Thriller.

Michael invested his profits from record sales of the album into a strategically important acquisition. On the advice of colleague Paul McCartney, he bought the ATV music catalog, which contained the rights to songs by many famous artists (including, ironically, songs by The Beatles themselves). Buying the catalog turned out to be a wise investment: Michael had the right to control where and how songs from the catalog were used and throughout his life. later life received royalties every time these songs generated commercial income.

The series of successes, however, was overshadowed by an accident. In 1984, while filming a commercial for PepsiCo, a pyrotechnic explosion caused sparks to hit Michael's head and his hair caught fire. Michael's security guard, Miko Brando, put out the flames with his hands, and Michael was immediately taken to the hospital. He was left with severe burns on his skin. Several surgeries were required to restore the scalp. The procedures were long and painful. The recovery took several years and was complicated by the appearance of keloid scars, which grew and prevented normal hair growth. As Michael's nurse and future wife, Debbie Rowe, later said, he had to struggle with this problem for decades. It was from that time that Michael began to wear a black hat so often - at first it served a cosmetic function, and then became an integral part of his image.

Bad. "Crazy Jacko." Neverland

25 years after resounding success Thriller Michael plunged back into work: he gave interviews very rarely, talked little about his hobbies outside of music, and even less so about his private life. He carefully guarded his personal space. In addition, this was his PR strategy: he believed that in order to achieve success, he needed to intrigue the public and give them time to miss the “star”, and not become annoying, an eyesore on television screens and social events. He carefully created a persona that made people wonder and discuss him.

Thus, he soon became known as a strange “hermit”, leading a reclusive life in the company of his animals (Michael had a small zoo at home). Rumors spread. Michael sometimes appeared in public either in the company of singer and actress Diana Ross, sometimes accompanied by film actress Brooke Shields, sometimes with Elizabeth Taylor. But the romance could not be discerned in these appearances, and Michael began to be accused of hiding his true sexual orientation. Some said he was gay. And when people noticed that Michael had changed the shape of his nose and began wearing makeup off stage, the conviction that “something was wrong” with him only grew.

However, many rumors were intentionally fueled by Michael and his manager Frank DiLeo. They seemed to be playing with the press and public opinion - believing that they had the situation under control. Thus, rumors that Michael “sleeps in a pressure chamber” and that he bathes only in Evian water were deliberately spread. “It’s all about rhythm and timing,” Michael once explained his audience tactics, as if talking about a real stage performance. - You need to know clearly what you are doing... It’s like a fever: people are waiting, waiting. It is very important to wait. Preserve, protect this feeling... If you remain mysterious, people’s interest will grow.”

However, the game has gone too far. “Suddenly, in an instant, all of Jackson's eccentricities, which only a few months ago had been considered intriguing or completely insignificant, began to be called strange, wonderful and wonderful,” writes Joseph Vogel in his book “The Man in the Music.” “It became difficult for the artist to withstand merciless attacks, interference in his life, annoying questions and attention.<…>He was more isolated from the world than ever. As soon as he left the house, a crowd of fans and paparazzi immediately attacked him.<…>Every aspect of the artist's life was examined under a microscope. People wanted to know everything about him. Why does he have such a high voice? Was he taking hormones? Did he have sex reassignment surgery? Is he homosexual? Is he asexual? Why does he live in solitude and a fabulous environment? Why is he obsessed with animals and children? Why does he wear masks and costumes? Is he out of touch with reality? Is he even a man?”

Already shy and isolated, Michael almost completely stopped appearing in public. In the vacuum caused by the artist's absence, gossip spread and multiplied. Soon the label “Crazy Jacko” firmly stuck to him, and streams of fabrications poured out of the floodgates of human slander. Some of the stories seemed harmless, if strange: rumors about a supposed "shrine" he built in honor of Elizabeth Taylor, about Bubbles the chimpanzee, and even that he bought the bones of the Elephant Man.

“By 1987, to the public, Jackson the man seemed to have ceased to exist,” Vogel writes. “He transformed into the creature they tried to mold him into.” Even those to whom he seemed completely normal noticed the consequences. “One day in the studio I saw Michael sitting on the bathroom cabinet behind the control room,” recalls assistant engineer Russ Ragsdale. “He sat with his feet on the tabletop, leaning his shoulder on the mirror and was almost in a trance, like an animal in a cage.”

The public's opinion of the artist has changed so much that his new album Bad, despite very strong material, a number of hits and strong worldwide sales, was recognized by the readers of Rolling Stone magazine as the “worst album.” Later that year, during the Bad World Tour, Jackson wrote a despairing letter to the press from his hotel room. It said: “As the old Indian saying goes, don’t judge a man until he’s walked two moons in his moccasins. Many people don't know me, so they write things, most of which are not true. I often cry because it hurts... Animals attack not out of anger, but because they want to live. And the same goes for those who criticize: they want our blood, not our pain... But show mercy, because I have been bleeding for a very long time.”

In fact, Michael most devoted time to hard work. Unprecedented success of the album Thriller set an unattainable bar for him, which the artist, nevertheless, tried to surpass with each subsequent album. He carefully studied the weekly charts, tracked new products and trends modern music to know what resonates most with your audience. He attracted the most talented producers and musicians to cooperate. When preparing the albums, Michael worked on dozens of songs, the best of which were then selected for the final tracklist. And he was constantly learning.

Michael Jackson was a voracious reader and collected his own library, which over time grew to 20 thousand volumes. His collection included books on world art, history, biology and psychology. He was deeply interested in the biographies of great people of the past and drew life lessons from their destinies. He was interested in auto-training techniques and developed programs for himself to mentally target results. In addition, he not only loved movies and cartoons like any American, but seriously studied film art and admired Walt Disney and Charlie Chaplin.

Rich Gate to Neverland During this period, Michael also acquired new house is a picturesque 2,800-acre ranch two and a half hours from Los Angeles. He named the ranch "Neverland" - in honor of the fairy-tale land from his favorite story about Peter Pan. After moving from his parents' home to Neverland, Michael refurbished the ranch to his own liking and turned it into a truly magical, fairy-tale destination for guests - especially children. “I wanted to create a place that would have everything that I missed in my childhood,” Michael said about Neverland. There was a zoo with exotic animals, an amusement park, a cinema, an arcade with video games and a railway with a real steam locomotive. Having established the ranch, Michael opened it to visitors. He invited friends, fans and children from surrounding schools to visit. Every few weeks, sick and needy children were bussed into the ranch so they could spend a day in “fairyland.” The rural idyll of Neverland also gave Michael solitude and a sense of harmony with nature - essential ingredients for creative inspiration.

Dangerous. Accusations and international scandal

Although the commercial success of the album Thriller Michael (like no one else to this day) could not be surpassed; all his subsequent albums invariably ended up at the top of the charts. With the release of the album Dangerous and the world tour of the same name in 1992-93, Jackson expanded the geography of his performances, including countries on the tour of Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. This raised his already great global popularity to a previously unseen level. In Third World countries, Michael Jackson hysteria was no less than American and British. He won the title famous person in the world - even in perestroika Russia. His arrival in Moscow with the Dangerous concert in September 1993 became one of the landmark events of the era of change for Russians.

But such fame, like a snowball, “wound” more and more rumors around the artist’s reputation. It seemed that people were overwhelmed with curiosity, burning with the desire to know what he eats, what he sleeps in, who he dines with, what color his socks are, why he’s wearing a hat, why he’s white, why he’s wearing makeup on his face, why he’s wearing a bandage on his sleeve. , who is his girlfriend, why are there children around him.

Michael and Oprah, 1993 In February 1993, Michael decided to give a big one for the first time in ten years. The interview was intended to dispel rumors around the star and lift the veil of secrecy that hid him true life. The world saw a light-skinned man with a high-pitched voice, long black hair and makeup on his face, sitting in the living room of his luxury mansion on the territory of a huge ranch with the magical name “Neverland” and answered questions that excited the public for almost an hour. Much in this interview was a revelation to the public. In particular, it was then that Michael first spoke about the fact that he suffers from a skin disease (vitiligo), as a result of which his skin loses its natural pigment and becomes light. The interview achieved record high ratings: the channel estimated that 85 million Americans watched it live. It caused new wave interest in the artist’s work and had a positive impact on Michael’s image in the eyes of ordinary people.

Unfortunately, the effect of the interview was short-lived. In the same 1993, the madness around the name of Michael Jackson reached its “boiling point.” All the misunderstanding that accumulated around his image, all that attracted attention to Michael, all his resounding success and mega-popularity turned out to be nutrient medium to bring about the most terrible accusation that he himself could only imagine. In August, Evan Chandler, the father of the family with whom Michael became friends, filed a civil lawsuit accusing the artist of “inappropriate behavior” towards his minor son. The news that the King of Pop was a pedophile spread around the world in a matter of days.

It is difficult to imagine what Michael himself was going through during that period. According to his family and friends, the accusation was a terrible blow for him. After all, it was precisely what Michael considered his mission, the meaning of his life - helping children - that was distorted and turned against him. His best aspirations and most important life principles were misinterpreted. When the global scandal broke, Michael was on tour. Every evening he had to go on stage in different countries and cities, not knowing how the new audience would greet him and what the thousands of people gathered for the concert actually thought of him. During a short visit to Russia, he wrote a poignant song about loneliness, “Stranger In Moscow”: “I wandered in the rain, hiding behind the mask of life, feeling like I was going crazy...” Intense stress, coupled with a grueling performance schedule, jet lag and pain from the surgery he had undergone before the start of the tour, they made themselves felt - Michael’s insomnia worsened, and he was forced to turn to painkillers and sleeping pills in order to maintain his ability to work.

By November, his condition had become critical: the remaining dates of the Dangerous tour had to be canceled, and Michael's girlfriend, Elizabeth Taylor, took him to a rehabilitation clinic in London. Michael spent about a month there, restoring his health and strength.

Was there anything rational about the accusations made against Michael? Both the singer’s fans and his ill-wishers have talked about this a lot, but it’s worth looking first at the facts. Evan Chandler, a dentist divorced from his wife and taking very little part in his son's life, was a man of great ambition and dreamed of making a career in Hollywood. When his son Jordan met superstar Michael Jackson, Evan was initially receptive to the friendship and even tried to start a relationship with Michael. friendly relations. However, Jordan began to spend more and more time with Michael, clearly seeing him as a father figure, and Evan, by his own admission, became jealous and felt that he was losing his son. And the boy’s mother, June, sympathized with Michael more than with her ex-husband. In the summer of 1993, Evan, allegedly having received a confession from Jordie, first approached Michael demanding money and threatening to start a public scandal. In a published private telephone conversation, Evan admits that he has conceived a plan and his goal is to get his way or ruin Michael's career. He also says his son's interests in the case are "irrelevant." This probably explains why Evan did not file a police report, as a truly angry parent would have done, but instead tried to extort financial compensation from Jackson. When Jackson refused to comply with his terms, Chandler carried out his threats and filed a civil suit.

Michael declares his innocence on TV Michael Jackson has always vigorously defended his innocence. At first, he intended to fight for his honor to the end and did not agree to make concessions. However, the scandal undermined his health and jeopardized his career. The trial threatened to drag on for several years, which would have had a detrimental effect on music sales and the artist's public image. In addition, despite the fact that the Chandlers never went to the police, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney own initiative opened an investigation with the intention of bringing criminal charges against Michael. If he succeeded, Jackson would have to defend himself “on two fronts.” The situation was extremely stressful for Michael.

The final straw was the humiliating body search to which Michael was subjected: he, a shy man who was extremely sensitive to his public image, was forced to strip naked in the presence of investigators and doctors and his genitals were photographed to compare with the description given by the boy. Shortly after this traumatic event, Michael, succumbing to the persuasion of his advisers and the insurance company, agreed to a peace agreement with the Chandlers. “We wanted to put this horror behind us,” he later explained in a television interview. The amount his insurer paid Evan Chandler was $15 million.

Prime Time Interview, 1995 The settlement with the Chandlers in the civil suit did not affect the investigation led by the prosecutor's office - and the investigation continued for several more months. However, the police did not find any evidence or reliable evidence that would indicate Michael’s criminal behavior. The description given earlier by Jordan was not confirmed by photographs, and Jordan himself did not want to testify against Michael. Two grand juries convened on the matter ultimately declined to indict Jackson for lack of merit.

Michael was left alone, but this scandal and the monetary payment had an extremely negative impact on his reputation. PepsiCo, which sponsored his world tour, decided not to renew his contract. Many former friends suddenly disappeared from his life. And the question forever remained in the minds of the public: “If he was innocent, then why did he pay?”

HIStory. The King of Pop and the Princess of Rock. Second marriage and children

Michael himself publicly commented on these events only twice - in a statement declaring his innocence on TV and later in . However, personal experiences poured abundantly into his work: most of the new one, released in 1995, became his response to the accusations. For example, in the song “This Time Around,” Michael says to the unnamed offenders: “This time I won’t let myself get stung, although you really want to get to me!” In the song “Money” he accuses the enemy of self-interest: “You will do anything for money...”, and in the song “D.S.” openly incriminates the district attorney who began the hunt for him: “Tom Sneddon is a heartless man.”

Michael and Lisa Marie Just a few months after the scandal died down, the world was shocked by another unexpected news: Michael Jackson got married. Lisa Marie Presley, daughter and heir to the Elvis empire, told the world that she is the legal wife of the King of Pop. “I am truly in love with Michael and want to dedicate my life to him,” she said in a statement to the press.

At that moment, the general public knew nothing about the history of the relationship between Michael and Lisa Marie, so this news was received with skepticism by many. The young people were quick to accuse the marriage of being fictitious, and that its purpose was to help Michael restore his reputation after the accusations and demonstrate his heterosexuality. Over time, however, it became increasingly clear that this was not the case.

Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley First joint photo shoot Michael and Lisa met in 1992 through a mutual friend: Lisa wanted to invite Michael to produce her debut album. She later admitted that at the very first meeting she was fascinated by Michael: he denied the rumors about himself and turned out to be completely different from how the press portrayed him. “I forgot that he was a superstar after 20 minutes - he behaved so openly and simply with me,” she said. Michael and Lisa began to communicate often, and an affair began between them. At the time, Lisa was still married to her previous husband, Denny Keough, but this did not stop Michael from continuing his courtship or Lisa from accepting it.

Michael and Lisa Marie, February 1998 At first, the couple seemed truly happy, but the marriage lasted only a year and a half - at the beginning of 1996, Lisa Marie filed for divorce. According to her, she could not live “in the ivory tower” built around Michael. She, like any woman, wanted attention and marital understanding - Michael was used to existing in the mode of a public performance staged by himself. Ending the marriage was an impulsive decision (“a stupid move,” as Lisa Marie later called it). The couple's relationship continued for several years after the divorce. Lisa made no secret of the fact that she loved Michael for many years, and although the breakup left her with bitterness and doubts about the reciprocity of these feelings, after Michael’s death she admitted: “And he loved me as much as he knew how.”

For Michael, a serious disappointment in his marriage was that Lisa Marie did not give birth to his child. Having grown up in a large family and seeing children as a source of inspiration, Michael really wanted to become a father, but Lisa, who already had two small children from her first marriage, was in no hurry to conceive, and the marriage was ultimately childless.

Michael and Debbie A year and a half after the divorce of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley, a message appeared that Debbie Rowe, a nurse and longtime acquaintance of Michael, was expecting a child from him. Soon - in Australia during the HIStory world tour - Michael and Debbie got married. This news was received more criticism than Jackson's first marriage. Most people heard the name Debbie Rowe for the first time and knew nothing about her friendship with Jackson. “An unknown nurse of ordinary appearance is not a match for a world-famous superstar,” the public reasoned. The marriage was again called fictitious, and this time, it seemed, even Michael himself did not try to deny it.

Perhaps this relationship really was not built on romance, but Debbie Rowe was far from random person in Michael's life. Michael met Debbie back in the early 80s at an appointment with a dermatologist, from whom he underwent medical and cosmetic procedures to improve his skin condition. For more than ten years, Debbie helped Michael cope with vitiligo, a disease that caused his skin to lose its natural pigment, as well as the effects of a burn received on the set of a commercial. In the early 90s, when Michael underwent painful scalp surgery, Debbie lived with him for several weeks, helping him through the post-op period.

Michael saw Debbie as a devoted friend, but she truly loved him and did not hide it. Noticing how Michael was worried about his failed marriage to Lisa Marie, Debbie offered her help in fulfilling his deepest dream - to become a father. And Michael gratefully accepted her offer. On February 13, 1997, Debbie gave Michael probably the most precious gift in his life - she gave birth to his son Prince, and a year later - daughter Paris.

Shortly after this, the couple filed for divorce. The children remained with Michael, and Debbie saw them only from time to time. Many condemned the couple for this decision and accused Debbie of abandoning her children. But according to her, this was the plan from the very beginning: she did not want to become a mother, but only wanted to give children to Michael, to make him happy. She bore children for him.

Michael with his three children According to Michael himself, having children radically changed his life. The children gave it a new meaning and became an inspiration and support for him. From now on, they were more important to him than anything in the world, and even music faded into the background. According to all of Michael’s acquaintances, friends and colleagues without exception, he was an exemplary parent. He himself took care of his children from infancy: he changed their diapers, did laundry, cleaned up after them, cooked for them, taught them good manners and was involved in their diversified development. He studied books on parenting and strived to become the world's best father. “My biggest dream is that one day Prince and Paris will say about me: “He was the best dad!”” Michael admitted to his friend in a private conversation published later. No matter where he traveled, no matter what projects he worked on, he always took care of the needs of his little ones and always found time for them.

In February 2002, Michael had a third child - a son, Prince Michael Jackson II. The baby received the affectionate nickname “Blanket” from his father, which stuck with him as his main name. Nothing was publicly reported about the boy’s mother (as he later said in his memoirs personal assistant Michael, Blanket was born from a surrogate mother).

Invincible. Bashir's film. New charges and trial

Action against Sony In the fall of 2001, the long-awaited new album of Michael Jackson was released Invincible. The release was accompanied by two concerts in New York; there were rumors that Michael would tour again. However, the advertising campaign in support of the album was suddenly interrupted: the Sony Music label stopped releasing video clips and promoting the album in the media. Sony executives explained this by saying that huge amounts of money had already been invested in the album (the recording and mixing of the songs alone cost $30 million), and sales did not cover further costs. Michael, who had devoted several years of hard work to this project, was hurt and angry. He believed that Sony was sabotaging the album's promotion and began to suspect the label's management of a conspiracy to keep him in debt and force him to sell his share of shares in the Sony/ATV catalog, a joint venture that Michael by this time owned half-and-half with Sony. Michael broke off relations with label head Tommy Mottola and began to openly oppose Sony. Many fans of the singer supported him with protests. The album ultimately failed to live up to commercial expectations, and although Michael subsequently worked with Sony on several more releases, he never forgave the label for this betrayal.

Unfortunately, this betrayal was not the last and not the most difficult in the life of Michael Jackson. In 2003, Michael made another attempt to overcome the image imposed on him by the tabloid press and find understanding among the general public. He invited British journalist Martin Bashir to make a documentary about his private life off stage. Relying on recommendations from friends, Michael trusted Bashir and agreed to give him unrestricted access to his home and his life for eight months.

Michael in Bashir's film Bashir spent almost a year with Michael. He communicated with his children, lived in Neverland, and accompanied him on his travels. However, the film that was eventually released was not at all what Michael expected. From eight months of filming, Bashir carefully selected moments that illustrated the most scandalous themes. Michael's remarks were skillfully edited to add sensationalism to the film; the most innocent scenes were provided with ambiguous voice-over comments. Michael was portrayed as an antisocial, abnormal person who had tendencies towards megalomania and paranoia and posed a threat to his own and other people's children. Relatives and friends did not recognize him in this film.

Many viewers and even celebrities criticized Bashir's film. Michael released a refutation program exposing the journalist's duplicity. However, the damage had already been done. The most terrible consequence of the film was a new attempt to accuse the artist of having an inappropriate relationship with a child. The film showed a teenager from a poor Latin American family, whom Michael helped cope with a serious cancer disease. The negative presentation of this story and Bashir's insinuations led to the fact that Michael's relationship with the boy's family deteriorated, and the boy's mother contributed to the initiation of a criminal case against Michael.

On the days of judgment. 2005, Santa Maria This time, District Attorney Tom Sneddon (who failed to indict Jackson in 1993) secured formal charges. Michael was arrested and, in front of cameras, escorted in handcuffs to the police station. His Neverland ranch was unceremoniously raided by 70 police officers. All his plans to implement new projects (including creating a designer clothing brand and producing films) were crossed out.

The investigation into the case lasted two years, after which a trial took place, which turned into a worldwide media spectacle. Reporters were not allowed into the courtroom, and they surrounded the courthouse like a flock of vultures, filming Michael's daily arrival and departure from hearings. There were fans at the courthouse who supported the artist, and haters who shouted threats at him. Michael Jackson went through this three-month public ordeal with quiet dignity. According to the stories of those close to him, these were the hardest months of his life, a period of despair, during which he drew strength only from his children, the support of fans and faith in God. On June 13, 2005, Michael was unanimously acquitted by a jury of fourteen counts.

Last years. This Is It

Although the jury found the artist not guilty, this trial itself had a profound impact on his state of mind. According to relatives, Michael became more withdrawn, stopped trusting people, and preferred to avoid appearing in public. Immediately after the end of the trial, he left Neverland, saying that he could never live there again, and left the country. For the next year and a half, he and his children wandered around the world: for some time he stayed with the Prince of Bahrain, then moved to a quiet estate in Ireland. And only in December 2006 he finally found the strength to return to his homeland.

By this time his financial situation had become critical. Jackson had not released new music or performed in seven years and his career seemed to be consigned to oblivion. Without new sources of income, he lived increasingly in debt. By 2008, the size of his loans reached the value of the mortgaged property: Michael almost lost the Neverland Ranch and was on the verge of bankruptcy. The only way out of the situation was to return to the stage.

Announcement of the This Is It concerts And in January 2009, a contract was signed with one of the largest concert promoters AEG Live for 10 concerts at the O2 arena in London. The concerts were called This Is It - “That’s all.” Michael announced them as his "final bow". According to eyewitnesses, he was forced to accept this contract. It was psychologically difficult for him to return to the stage - Bashir’s film, the charges and the trial had an extremely negative impact on his image: many people by that time considered Michael Jackson crazy, or even a criminal. He didn't know how the public would receive him. However, contrary to fears, the demand for tickets turned out to be unheard of: within 24 hours of the announcement, applications were received from almost a million people. They hastened to increase the number of concerts to fifty.

The upcoming “marathon” of fifty performances and intensive preparation for it turned out to be extremely stressful for Michael. He was afraid that at the age of 50 he would not be able to withstand such a load, he was worried that he would disappoint his fans, that the show would fail. There was too much at stake. His insomnia, which usually accompanied him on tour, worsened. Michael was forced to resort to strong drugs to get enough sleep before rehearsals. His health deteriorated sharply, he lost weight - team members working on preparing the show, and even fans sounded the alarm. But it was not possible to prevent the tragedy.

On the morning of June 25, 2009, a week before flying to London and three weeks before the start of the concerts, Michael Jackson died from an overdose of an anesthetic administered to him by his attending physician. Dr Conrad Murray was subsequently found guilty of the artist's manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.

Fans see Michael off at the Apollo Theater, New York Michael Jackson's passing was an event that caused an even greater public outcry than his failed grand return to the stage. On June 25, 2009, the news of his death crashed Twitter and a number of news sites, unable to cope with the explosion of traffic that resulted from the news. Google responded to millions of searches about Michael Jackson as a cyber attack. Wikipedia has registered a record number of visitors to a single article for the entire existence of the service. The artist’s Facebook page gained 10 million subscribers in a matter of hours. The leaders of the Internet corporation America Online called the death of Michael Jackson "a significant milestone in the history of the Internet."

Many people, even those who were not ardent fans of the artist, cried when they heard about his death. Others admitted that it was difficult for them to comprehend the news: Michael Jackson had become such a bright and integral part of modernity for his generation that it was difficult for people to imagine a world without him. A wave of tributes swept across the globe: from Stockholm to Taipei, from Mexico City to Hong Kong, young people took to the streets and danced to Michael's songs. Hundreds of obituaries, memoirs and articles appeared in the press and blogs, rethinking the personality and work of the “King of Pop”. His songs, which were rarely heard on the radio in the last years of his life, returned to active rotation. Documentary"This Is It", edited from rehearsal recordings for canceled concerts, broke box office records and earned unanimous praise from critics. Album Invincible According to the results of a vote by Billboard readers, it was named the best album of the decade. A re-evaluation of Jackson's work began as people began to discover his lesser-known and commercially successful works.

Paris Jackson at the funeral service But perhaps key event, which marked the beginning of a new, eternal life for Michael Jackson, were the words of his daughter Paris, spoken by her at the farewell ceremony, which was watched live by about a billion people. When Michael’s family took the stage, his 11-year-old daughter suddenly, in a fit of emotion, asked for a microphone and, barely holding back tears, uttered to the audience and to the television cameras the very words that Michael once dreamed of hearing: “From the day I was born, dad was the best.” the kind of father you could ever imagine. I love him so much...” This simple short eulogy did what Michael had not been able to achieve for many years - it seemed to instantly allow millions of people to take off the blinders from their eyes and finally see a person in the hero of the scandalous gossip column. Death, alas, took this man away, but it also freed his personality and genius from the burden of social prejudices.

Michael Jackson's childhood. Humiliation and first glory

19-year-old Katherine quickly realized that family life turned out to be by no means as rosy as in her fantasies. Joseph showed himself to be his true self, turning out to be an unsociable and even cruel person.

When Michael was born in 1958, the Jackson family already had seven children. A disciplinarian, Joseph's approach to raising children was harsh: he humiliated his children both mentally and physically. The singer's brother Marlon said that his father let his hands go for the slightest offense. In an effort to teach the children order, at night he wore scary mask, sneaked under the windows of the nursery and roared in different ways (Michael later admitted that as a child he was constantly tormented by nightmares). Mom forced her sons to study the Bible and took them to meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Only in 1993, Michael Jackson told Oprah Winfrey in the studio that in those years he constantly cried and felt lonely, he was literally sick of communicating with his father.

In 1964, the brothers created the group “The Jacksons”. The original lineup consisted of the elders Tito, Jeremy and Jackie, with Michael and Marlon serving as backup musicians, playing tambourine and conga. Later, Michael took the place of backing vocalist and also accompanied each performance with dancing. The strict father watched the band's rehearsals with a belt in his hands and let leather weapon to use if he didn’t like something.

In 1966, it was decided to rename the group “Jackson 5” (“Jackson Five”), and Michael became the lead singer. The young musicians won a city talent competition with the song “I Got You (I Feel Good)”, after which they went on tour throughout the Midwest, which lasted until 1968. Michael and his brothers performed in black strip clubs, warming up the audience before the start of the show.

In 1970, the group of Jackson brothers reached the national level - their first singles climbed to the leading positions on the American Billboard chart. Even then, Michael attracted the attention of the public with eccentric dances, which he copied from Jackie Wilson and James Brown.

The Jackson 5 on American Bandstand, 1970

The beginning of Michael Jackson's solo career

In 1976, the Jacksons signed a contract with CBS Records, after which they had to return the name “The Jacksons” - Motown retained the rights to “The Jackson Five”.

Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, The Wizard of Oz Musical

In 1978, Michael Jackson took part in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” along with Diana Ross. The film set brought him together with music director Quincy Jones, who took talented singer, who played the role of the Scarecrow, under his wing.

The first fruits of cooperation made themselves felt in 1979, when Michael Jackson presented the public with his fifth solo album, “Off the Wall” (translated into Russian as “Alien to Conventions”). Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder b. helped the musician with the recording of the album. Four singles from the record reached number one on the Billboard Hot chart: "Don't Stop "Til You Get Enough", "Rock with You", "She's Out of My Life" and "Off the Wall". The album sold 20 million copies.

The heyday of Michael Jackson's career. King of pop music

The record was released in November 1982, and in just a year received the status of the best-selling album in history, maintaining it for several decades. In the USA alone, fans of the black singer sold out 26 million copies, and in the world this figure exceeded 109 million. The album topped the Billboard 200 chart for 37 weeks and remained on the list for two years.

The album became a breakthrough in music and, moreover, broke the latest racial stereotypes in the pop industry: three Michael Jackson videos (“Thriller”, “Billie Jean”, “Beat It”) were included in MTV rotation, and the musician was invited to the White House to meet with Ronald Reagan.

Michael Jackson demonstrates for the first time " moonwalk»

In 1983, at the 25th anniversary of Motown Records, Michael Jackson debuted his famous moonwalk while performing "Billie Jean" and also premiered the 14-minute video for "Thriller," which set new standards for music videos.

Michael Jackson - "Thriller" full video

In 1984, Michael's work was again at the top of the charts. This time the single “Say Say Say”, recorded together with Paul McCartney, was included there. On next year Jackson bought a controlling stake in ATV Music Publishing, which owns the rights to most of The Beatles' songs, which caused a quarrel with McCartney, who also lay claim to the securities.

In March 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie recorded the song "We Are the World" All sales proceeds, exceeding $61 million, were donated to help starving children in Africa.

Michael Jackson's seventh studio album (Bad, 1987) did not repeat the phenomenal success of the previous record, but still stayed on the first line of the Billboard 200 for 6 weeks, sold 29 million copies and gave the world several hits, including the composition " I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Bad", " The Way You Make Me Feel", "Dirty Diana", "Smooth Criminal" and "Man in the Mirror".

Immediately after the album's release, Michael Jackson embarked on his first international solo tour, the Bad Tour, visiting 15 countries with 123 concerts over the next three years. Jackson turned every performance into a brilliant show: he demonstrated crazy dance steps and interacted with the audience. During one of the London concerts, he entered the Guinness Book of Records - a record half a million spectators came to the performance.

In 1989, Elizabeth Taylor called Michael Jackson "the true king of pop, rock and soul" during the Soul Train Music Awards. Fans shortened her phrase - “King of Pop”, and this nickname stuck with Michael forever.

In 1991, Michael pleased fans with new material by releasing his eighth solo album, Dangerous. The release was preceded by the premiere of a video for the song “Black or White,” which topped the charts for 5 weeks.

Michael Jackson – “Black or White”, 1991

Michael Jackson in Russia

Michael Jackson in Moscow. 1996 ORT

In 1995, the double album “HIStory: Past, Present and Future - Book I”, a collection of greatest hits musician, which included 15 new compositions. Among them was the sad ballad “Stranger in Moscow”. When fans asked why the song turned out to be so sad, did he really not like it in Moscow, Michael replied that the audience at the Moscow concert was almost the most welcoming in his memory, but at that moment he was constrained by a feeling of “all-consuming loneliness and cold.”

The second time the king of pop visited Moscow was in September 1996 - he gave a concert at the Dynamo stadium and met with Yuri Luzhkov and Igor Krutoy.

Further career of Michael Jackson

The musician dedicated the album to the tragic events in Oslo - on January 26, 2001, 16-year-old Afro-Norwegian Benjamin Hermansen was killed by neo-Nazis. A close friend of the deceased, Omer Bhatti, was also a good friend of Michael Jackson, so the musician took the death of the teenager especially hard.

After the album's release, Michael Jackson organized a performance at Madison Square Garden to mark the 30th anniversary of his solo career. For the first time since 1984, he appeared on stage with the former Jackson Five, and also sang with Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, N'Sync and Usher.

In 2003, Michael released the hits collection “Number Ones,” which included several previously unreleased compositions, including a brand new track, “One More Chance.”

At this time, Michael was accused of child molestation, and although the musician was acquitted, due to the uproar in the press, many celebrities refused to collaborate with Jackson to record a charity song in memory of the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The song “I Have This Dream” was eventually recorded, but never went on sale.

In 2004, a five-disc set “Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection" Box Set” with 13 previously unreleased songs was released, and in August 2008, a collection of hits “King of Pop” was released, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson planned to release his eleventh studio album in 2009.

Personal life of Michael Jackson

The next meeting took place in 1993. After that, they started chatting and quickly became best friends; Lisa supported him during a period when it seemed that everyone had turned their backs on Jackson. One day he asked a girl on the phone: “If I asked you to marry me, would you do it?” Six months later, they secretly got married in the Dominican Republic. In 1996, their marriage broke up, but the former spouses remained friends.

Michael had a very hard time with the divorce, which caused his illness [vitiligo] to worsen. During a visit to his personal dermatologist Arnold Klein, he met his assistant, Debbie Rowe. They started talking, and Debbie asked Michael what saddened him the most about the current situation. The musician replied that he deeply regretted that he never had children together with Lisa. Then the woman suggested that Jackson carry his child so that he could experience the happiness of fatherhood.

Michael happily agreed. The woman gave birth to two children - a son, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson, and a daughter, Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. In 1999, Debbie considered her mission accomplished and filed for divorce, giving up all parental rights.

In 2002, Michael Jackson gave birth to his second son, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson II. The musician kept the name of the surrogate mother who carried the child a secret.

Michael Jackson with his son on a hotel balcony in Berlin

During the artist's tour in Berlin, one journalist managed to shoot a video of Michael Jackson standing on a hotel balcony and holding in his hand youngest son. The press made a real scandal out of the video, accusing the singer of careless treatment of a child. After this incident, the artist began to be wary of representatives of the press and hide all details from his personal life, and if the Jacksons appeared in public together, the children’s faces were hidden by masks.

Michael Jackson and accusations of pedophilia

In 1993, the singer was accused of molesting thirteen-year-old Jordan Chandler, who was a fan of the artist and a frequent guest at Neverland Ranch. The son admitted to his father, Evan Chandler, that during visits Jackson forced the boy to touch his genitals. During the investigation, Michael even had to demonstrate his “dignity” so that the jury could compare the boy’s descriptions with reality.

As a result, a settlement was concluded: the Chandlers withdrew the lawsuit, and Michael paid the family compensation in the amount of $22 million. In 2003, Michael Jackson again appeared in court on charges of a similar crime. The new “victim” turned out to be thirteen-year-old Gavin Arvizo, who told the press that Michael got him drunk and masturbated with him.

Authorities searched Jackson's estate and arrested the singer, but released him on bail a day later. During the investigation, the artist claimed that the Arvizo family decided to repeat the example of the Chandlers and was engaged in vile extortion. The litigation lasted two years, and in the end Michael Jackson was completely acquitted. Unfortunately, the very fact of being accused of pedophilia had a very negative impact on the singer’s reputation and career.

In 2005, Michael Jackson left Neverland Ranch for good, moving to a mansion in Holmby Hills.

After the singer's death in 2009, Jordan Chandler admitted that all the words about molestation were lies from beginning to end, and said that his father forced him to tell the truth. In November of that year, the elder Chandler shot himself.

Plastic surgery and Michael Jackson's illness

The media paid too much attention to the artist’s emaciated appearance: journalists made the most unexpected hypotheses about why Michael Jackson bleached his skin and changed the contours of his face, even going so far as to accuse him of dysmorphophobia - hatred of his own body.

In the early 90s, Michael put an end to the gossip by admitting that in 1986 he was diagnosed with two rare diseases - vitiligo and lupus. And if vitiligo only affected the pigmentation of the skin, which became covered with light spots due to the disease (hence Michael’s deathly white complexion - this is a thick layer of makeup that hid the difference between healthy and affected areas of the skin), then lupus, a dangerous autoimmune disease that damages the connective tissue tissue, led to the hollowing of the cheekbones and general deformation of the face. In addition, the powerful medications prescribed to Michael by the doctor during a relapse of lupus led to the musician’s addiction to painkillers.

As for the number of plastic surgeries performed by Michael Jackson, experts who closely followed the artist’s gradual transformation came to the conclusion that there were multiple surgical interventions. According to them, he operated on his nose several times, changed the shape of his lips, reshaped his cheeks and eyelids, and also made a dimple on his chin. Michael’s mother confirmed that her son, in her opinion, was addicted to plastic surgery. The artist himself stated that he only had rhinoplasty twice. Doctors failed to revive Michael Jackson

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the way to the University of California Medical Center and at the center itself did not help - Michael Jackson's death was pronounced at 14:26. The news of Michael Jackson's death spread throughout the world within minutes.

The police immediately began investigating the incident. The singer's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, was the first to be interviewed. He said that he found a lifeless Jackson in bed, but was able to discern a pulse and tried to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him, and when he realized that all attempts to revive the singer were unsuccessful, he called an ambulance. The following fact played an important role here: Michael rented a mansion, so Conrad did not know the exact address. While he was figuring out the coordinates, a whole half hour passed, which turned out to be fatal for Jackson.

This was Conrad Murray's version, but coroners continued their investigation. It turned out that one of the producers of the Emmy Award, Ken Ehrlich, saw the singer the day before his death - and he seemed very energetic and perky.

An autopsy showed that the singer was in an extreme stage of exhaustion - with a height of 178 centimeters, his weight was only 51 kilograms. They didn’t find a single hint of food in the stomach, but they did find a fair amount of painkillers. On August 24, the forensic examination established the true cause of Michael’s death - an overdose of the anesthetic propofol administered intravenously. Michael Jackson's death certificate listed the cause of death as "murder."

In November 2011, Murray was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Michael Jackson's funeral

In December 2010, the world heard Michael Jackson's first posthumous album. The record, called “Michael,” consisted of 10 tracks recorded with the participation of Lenny Kravitz, 50 Cent and Taryll Jackson. The release of the album divided the singer’s fans into two camps: some believed that publishing songs deliberately hidden by the author “in the table” was blasphemy, having a strictly commercial purpose. Others, on the contrary, were glad that even after death the idol continued to delight fans with new creations. Many celebrities, including Michael's brother Randy Jackson, described the album as "raw" and "unfinished."

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in the town of Geary, Indiana, into a large family that included nine other children. His father organized family group Jackson 5, which brought the first success to the future legend. Michael was only 12 years old at the time. He subsequently became one of the most commercially successful solo artists in the music industry, the singer gaining worldwide recognition and the title of "King of Pop". During his long musical career, Michael Jackson received 19 Grammy awards, and 13 times he climbed to the first line of the American sales charts with his singles. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a solo artist and as a member of the Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson died at the University of California Hospital from a heart attack on June 25, 2009. To a famous performer was 50 years old. The start of a grandiose series of concerts by the singer was scheduled for mid-July.

This photo of 12-year-old Michael Jackson was taken back in 1971, but even then his career was taking off. Berry Gordy signed the Jackson Five to Motown Records in 1968, and Michael and his brothers reached the top of the charts with "ABC" and "I'll Be There." (Henry Diltz/Corbis)

Michael Jackson (far left) and the other five brothers from Indiana, members of the Jackson Five, in 1972. (Frank Barratt/Getty Images file)

Michael Jackson at the premiere of the musical The Wiz. This musical, which appeared on screens in 1978, was the first work of the pop star, created in collaboration with the famous producer Quincy Jones. Subsequently, he will also act as a producer of such famous Jackson albums as Off the Wall and Thriller. Diana Ross, Jackson's friend and mentor, who introduced the Jackson Five to the public in 1968, took part in the musical The Wiz with Jackson. (Bettmann/Corbis)

Michael Jackson performing on tour with his brothers in 1981. During this tour, Michael began recording ideas for his solo project, which later became the best-selling album in the world. (Susan Phillips/Corbis)

Michael Jackson and Diana Ross during the American Music Awards music award) In Los Angeles. Jackson won Best Soul Album and Ross won Best Soul Vocalist. (Juynh/AP)

Jackson with a group of dancers during the filming of the video for the song "Thriller" in 1983. Thriller revolutionized the music industry. Thanks to this zombie video, the general public learned about the MTV channel, and music videos became independent artistic genre. The album sold 25 million copies in the US alone. (Corbis/Sygma)

Michael Jackson shows off his famous moonwalk for the first time while performing Billie Jean. This dance move, which later became the singer's signature move, stunned the audience, and Michael was crowned the "King of Pop." (Bettmann/Corbis)

Seen here next to his producer Quincy Johnson, Michael Jackson holds six of the eight Grammy Awards he won in 1984 for Thriller. The sequined suit and large sunglasses became Jackson's signature look. (AP)

May 1984. Michael Jackson accepts an award from US President Reagan at the White House. Jackson was celebrated as an example for American youth, and his hit Beat It became the campaign's anthem for the fight against drunk driving. (Bettmann/Corbis)

Michael Jackson (in the background) during the filming of a Pepsi commercial when his hair caught fire, while his brother German (in the foreground) continues to perform, not knowing what is happening. (AP)

A policeman escorts Michael through the crowd during his tour in London in 1985. (Dave Hogan/Getty Images)

Pop and film stars are joining forces to sing "We Are the World" to raise awareness of the famine in Ethiopia. Michael Jackson in the center. Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ricci, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor and many others also performed with him. Jackson's sister Janet is in the lower right corner of the photo. (Bettmann/Corbis)

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen performs a guitar solo during a Michael Jackson concert in Irving, Texas. This immortal guitar riff was recorded by the guitarist specifically for Michael's song Beat It, which Van Halen's partner, David Lee Roth, was not at all happy about, but everyone else was delighted with the song. (Carlos Osorio/AP)

Michael Jackson and his dancers during the Bad tour in Tokyo in 1987. A year earlier, Jackson starred in the sci-fi musical film Captain EO in 3D, one of the most expensive and short films. Jackson gradually became the target of increasing criticism as his albums and videos became more and more expensive but were released less and less often. His next album, Dangerous, was released only in 1991. (Neal Preston/Corbis)

Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey on set in January 1993. Jackson was accused of sexually abusing minors for the first time this year, and he addressed the victims on Oprah's 90-minute show. The charges against Jackson were subsequently dropped, but he reportedly paid $25 million to settle the case. (Neal Preston/Corbis)

Michael Jackson performs in front of 30,000 children at the Super Bowl Half-Time Show on January 31, 1993. Despite the accusations against the singer, he was still at the top musical Olympus, releasing hits such as Black or White, Remember the Time, and his album Dangerous went multi-platinum. (Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis)

Michael Jackson and French mime Marcel Marceau at the Bacon Theater in New York on December 4, 1995. Michael's face has already been completely changed by plastic surgeons. (Bob Strong/AFP - Getty Images)

Michael Jackson and his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley at Neverland Ranch during preparations for the World Children's Summit in April 1995. Presley filed for divorce less than a year after the wedding, thereby causing a lot of gossip about what exactly caused it. (Steve Starr/Corbis)

Michael Jackson performs at Ericsson Stadium in Oakland, New Zealand, in November 1996 during his HIStory World Tour. (Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Several months after his divorce from Lisa Marie Presley, Jackson married Debbie Rowe on November 13, 1996 in Sydney, Australia. His new wife was pregnant. Jackson and Rowe divorced after 3 years, and Debbie transferred parental rights to Jackson. (Reuters/Corbis)

Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson arrive for a concert in honor of Jackson's 30th anniversary on September 7, 2001. The stars were longtime friends, and Taylor became godmother to Jackson's two children. (Jeff Christensen/Reuters/Corbis)

Michael Jackson testifies at his trial on November 13, 2002 in Santa Maria, California. The California Supreme Court indicted Jackson for canceling concerts, costing promoters several million dollars. (AFP/Getty Images)

Michael Jackson poses for photographers at the launch of his album Invincible in Times Square in New York in November 2001. New album, which was released on October 30 of that year, became the most expensive album ever recorded and was received better by critics and fans than 1995's HIStory. (Brad Rickerby/Reuters/Corbis)

Jackson holds his son Prince Michael II covered with a towel while standing on the balcony of a Berlin hotel on November 19, 2002. Jackson subsequently called the incident a “terrible mistake,” but this photo shocked even the singer’s most devoted fans. His reputation was irreversibly damaged. (Tobias Schwarz/Reuters)

A photograph of Jackson taken at the Santa Barbara County police station on November 30, 2003. In 2003, Jackson documented that the boys slept in his bed. Soon, the prosecutor began an investigation into accusing Jackson of child molestation. In November, police showed up at the Neverland Ranch for a search, and Jackson was arrested a few days later. (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's D/Reuters)

Michael (center) and his sisters La Toya (left) and Janet during a break during a court hearing in Santa Maria on August 16, 2004. (Pool/Reuters)

Michael Jackson, wearing pajama pants, walks accompanied by bodyguards to a court hearing on March 10, 2005, on charges of molesting minors since 2003. Jackson appeared in court after Judge Rodney Melville threatened to revoke his bail. (Kimberly White/pool via Reuters)

Jackson sings with his young fans during the World Music Awards in London on November 16, 2006. (Graham Jepson/WireImage)

Michael Jackson receives a written commendation from Colonel Robert M. Waltmeyer, commander of Garrison Zama, Japan, March 10, 2007. Michael greeted thousands of American military personnel and their families. (U.S. Army via Getty Images)

Michael walks through the parking lot of a recording studio in Los Angeles with his children Prince and Paris in March 2009. The singer was spotted entering the studio on that cold, rainy day. He spent more than two hours in the studio with a large number of staff, presumably recording the video. (Splash News/Splash News)

Fans watch a broadcast of the singer's press conference at the O2 Arena in London on March 5, 2009. In a press release, the megastar announced his intention to hold a series of concerts in London in July that would be his biggest performances in a decade. (Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images)