Madonna pays tribute to the late William Orbit as singer thanks 'genius' music producer for being an inspiration after the pair's Grammy- winning album - following his death aged 69

Madonna has paid tribute to the late William Orbit following the news of his death aged 69 on Friday. 

The music producer was famed for his collaboration with the singer on her 1998 album Ray of Light, which won them a Grammy.

And taking to Instagram on Saturday, Madonna thanked the 'genius' music producer for being an inspiration in her career. 

Sharing the clip of the pair winning their Grammy together, she penned: 'Goodbye- William Orbit. I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you.' 

The lengthy tribute continued: '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………..'

Expressing her gratitude for his inspirational influence on her career, she added: '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.'

On Friday William's family and friends shared a statement on his social media which said he died at home on July 23 and no cause of death was given. 

The post read: 'It is with profound sadness that the family and friends with of William Orbit announce that William died at home on 23rd July 2026.

'We are deeply saddened by his passing. He will be greatly missed by us and by so many whose lives he touched through his music, friendship and kindness.

'We kindly ask that the privacy of William's family and close friends is respected during this difficult time.'

He also worked on some of her most iconic hits, Frozen and The Power Of Goodbye.

William also worked with the likes of Blur, U2 and All Saints.

In addition to his collaborations, he released various albums under his own name over the years, including his Strange Cargo series.

The last songs he is credited as producing were for All Saints in 2018, working on two tracks for their Testament album.

Before that, he had worked on Queen Forever and Britney Spears's 2013 album Britney Jean, co-writing and producing the track Alien.

He sold over 200 million recordings in his life, starting in the 1980s as a member of Torch Song, alongside Laurie Mayer and Grant Gilbert. 

'Honestly, I regard the whole of life as one giant improv session! Simple as that. But at the time of making a song, none of us actually have that clarity to worry about how we'll look back at it. So the time is always of the moment. For me, looking back now, I'm happy with most of it,' he said in an interview with The Talks.

Following the news of his death, singer Sonique paid tribute, writing: 'He was one of the first people I ever worked with. I am so sad to hear this. Sending all my love to his family. RIP my friend.' 

DJ Abel added: 'William, no. Rest in peace friend x.'

Spice Girl Melanie C, who teamed up with him on her debut solo album Northern Star, posted: 'Such an honour to have worked with this great man. Sending all my love xxx.'

Darren Emerson added: 'Oh no. Absolutely gutted to hear this. I'll always remember our long phone conversations we used to have back in the day. It was a pleasure to work with one of the best producers I've known . You will be sadly missed mate and your music will always shine bright. Thanks for everything you gave us . RIP William.'

Fellow producer Erol Alkan wrote: 'Incredible producer. Made so many records I love. My sincerest condolences. RIP.' 

DJ Fat Tony said: 'This really hurts goodbye you amazing man what an incredible career such a loss big love and condolences to your entire family x.'

All Saints star Nicole Appleton penned: 'So very sad today to hear about the passing of the wonderful William Orbit. 

'I absolutely love the music he made with Madonna and felt so lucky when he worked with All Saints. 

'We were fortunate enough to work with him on many occasions and on many songs. In the studio, he made me feel so confident, comfortable and always brought the best out in me. He was a treasure in the music industry and we had the most amazing times in the studio and socially. We will forever celebrate him as a music icon. Sending love to all his friends and family x'

In March, William revealed that he had written Ray Of Light sequel – but admitted the project was 'not going to happen' because he hadn't heard back from the Queen of Pop.

In a Facebook post, the producer said: 'I have an album ready that imho is indeed the successor to Ray Of Light. Everything about how it was made and how it sounds yells that from the first few bars.'

'And I reached out. And there has been heard. Nil response. A week later. I speak with many close to her, including fam, but have not had a single syllable back in over two decades.'

Orbit said he didn't want to come across as 'bitter because in my life and art now I'm finally where I want to be and the very opposite of bitter'.

'No idea whatsoever what's in her head,' he continued. 'I believe she is very happy, she looks fabulous and full of life in recent pics I've seen, although I don't really follow. Zero zero absolute zero hard feelings. 

'Are you kidding, I will always love that woman. For real. She made my career.'

He joked that he had 'transitioned now to a man for whom Fs are no longer on offer - zero f***s for the music biz'. 

In a previous interview, Madonna said 'William is a complete madman genius.' 

She told The Guardian: 'I'd come to him with an idea of where I wanted to go musically, hum melodies or read lyrics, and then leave him alone in the laboratory. 

'Sometimes he'd go in the direction I wanted and sometimes he'd swerve off somewhere else entirely. 

'We'd end up with trance tracks that were eight minutes long and then keep adding and subtracting until we had real verses and choruses. We really put our noses to the grindstone.' 

In 2021, he opened up about his struggles with substance use four years before.

As well as heavy marijuana use, he was taking 'LSD, mushrooms, MDMA, coke, some hormones that everybody was experimenting with. Codeine. I wasn't aware of what I was doing and I ended up having a psychotic episode,' he told The Guardian.

He was sectioned. 'Fortunately, once the drugs were out of my system, I finally got back to being normal – and out I was,' he said.

The late music star was born William Wainwright in 1956 and raised in north London by his parents – both teachers.

He left school at 16 and worked in various low-paying jobs for several years, before finding his musical calling while living with a friend who was trying to start a recording studio. 

This led to his first foray into the industry in 1980, when he teamed up with electronic musician Laurie Mayer and Grant Gilbert to form the electronic/synth group Torch Song.

His final solo studio album, The Painter, was released in 2022.