William Orbit’s death has triggered a wave of tributes from artists who worked with him or recognized his influence, especially Madonna, with whom the British producer helped shape some of the defining moments of her career.
Madonna posted a lengthy farewell to Orbit on Instagram, recalling how collaborating with him altered her approach to music. “I realized that music didn’t have to fit into categories or genres. So we created our own.” The singer notes that Orbit opened her up to new ways of singing and writing, and that during the Ray of Light sessions she felt the studio was “like a church.”
“Only you could have inspired me to write a song like ‘Drowned World’ or ‘Swim’,” adds Madonna, describing Orbit as someone “from another world” and “unique.” She also draws a parallel between the producer and her daughter Lola, born at that time: “In many ways, you were my ‘Ray of Light,’ just as Lola was.”
One of the most meaningful moments of the message comes as Madonna acknowledges that, although over the years she continued making music with other people, “I have never forgotten you nor the magical time we spent together.” The line takes on special meaning after Orbit revealed a few months ago that he had prepared an album he considered a follow-up to ‘Ray of Light,’ but had received no response from Madonna. The producer even explained that he had worked on an entire album with the idea of a sequel to that classic, although he ultimately abandoned it in light of the singer’s silence.
Madonna ends her farewell by calling him “Billy Bubbles” and asserting that she was “very lucky” to have known him and to have “fallen down the rabbit hole” with him.
Among the rest of the tributes, Blur have limited themselves to sharing a broken-hearted emoji, while Melanie C, who worked with Orbit on his debut ‘Northern Star’, has written: “It was an honor to work with this great man.” Melanie Blatt, of All Saints, with whom Orbit produced the hits “Pure Shores” and “Black Coffee,” remembered that Orbit was “such an important part of our success and our story.”
Alex Kapranos, of Franz Ferdinand, stressed that Orbit “brought light to many lives,” while Sleaford Mods mourned his passing. Stuart Price, a collaborator of Madonna on ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor’ and this year’s ‘Confessions II’—an album that ironically contains several tributes to ‘Ray of Light’—also published a lengthy remembrance in which he described Orbit as “kind, curious, encouraging” and always ready to suggest and support.
In the comments on Orbit’s tribute, Fatboy Slim also left messages, calling him “a pioneer and a gentleman,” Skin from Skunk Anansie recalls dancing to his music “for decades,” and Alison Goldfrapp sent her love to his friends and family.
Among contemporary artists reacting to the news are Kelly Lee Owens, who said she had admired Orbit’s work “all her life,” and PinkPantheress, who likewise lamented his loss.
