George Michael captivated millions with his chart-topping hits and powerhouse vocals, but according to his Wham! bandmate, Andrew Ridgeley, the global superstar never truly embraced life in the spotlight.In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Ridgeley reflected on Michael's complicated relationship with fame ahead of the release of the documentary "WHAM! 10 Days In China," describing it as "an eternal conflict.""He didn't want to be a star… in the sense of constantly projecting himself," Ridgeley said."George Michael was a character that he created in order for him to fulfill his artistic destiny as a songwriter and a singer and a musician."GEORGE MICHAEL DIED WORTH $128M, BUT FRIENDS SAY HE SECRETLY GAVE AWAY MILLIONS FOR DECADES: AUTHORThis archival photograph shows Wham! members Andrew Ridgeley (left) and George Michael (right) posing on the Great Wall of China during the band's landmark 1985 visit to the country.
(Neal Preston)Ridgeley continued, "But he wanted to live his life as Yog, you know, rather than as George Michael.There was always that conflict for him, and it was an eternal conflict, and one that he never fully resolved."Known affectionately to friends as "Yog," Michael spent decades balancing worldwide fame with an intensely private personal life, a struggle Ridgeley believes many fans never fully understood."I don't think...
he was misunderstood," Ridgeley explained."People weren't appraised of all the facts for a long time.
You know, and he was a very, very private man."If there was one thing audiences underestimated, Ridgeley said, it wasn't Michael's personality — it was the magnitude of his talent.WATCH: WHAM! BAND MEMBER ANDREW RIDGELEY REVEALS WHAT FANS NEVER UNDERSTOOD ABOUT GEORGE MICHAEL"People probably didn't understand the depth of his talent for a long time," he said."That is bewildering and has always been bewildering...
If there's any misunderstanding, it was over the sheer scale of his talent."The reflections are fe...