Jesus to a Child

George Michael released "Jesus to a Child" on October 9, 1995, as the lead single from his third solo album Older. The song is a bossa nova ballad written and produced entirely by Michael, serving as a tribute to his partner Anselmo Feleppa, who died from an AIDS-related brain hemorrhage in 1993. Its lush orchestration and slow, swaying rhythm marked a deliberate shift from Michael's earlier pop and dance sound.

Critics responded with strong praise. The Guardian and Music Week both named it Single of the Week. Billboard called it "a haunting, beautiful ballad that showcases Michael's vocal maturity." The track reached number one in the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. On the US Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number seven and stayed on the chart for 17 weeks.

The music video, directed by Howard Greenhalgh, uses stark black-and-white visuals: Michael walks through surreal landscapes while symbolic images, a crucifix, a child, a man's silhouette, appear. The official upload on YouTube has over 12 million views. Covers include jazz pianist Brad Mehldau on his 2004 album Live in Tokyo and British singer Rumer in a 2015 BBC Radio 2 session.[edit]