Boy George (1961– )

English pop singer and songwriter. Known for his flamboyant androgynous style, he became popular with his new-wave group Culture Club during the mid-1980s with hit singles such as ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?’ – which reached the number-one spot in 16 countries – from the album Kissing to be Clever (1982), and ‘Karma Chameleon’ – which also reached number one in many countries – from Colour by Numbers (1983).

He drew from reggae, soul, R&B, and glam rock influences to gain wide popular appeal in both the USA and the UK. His videos helped spread his popularity, but they also dated him. His solo career, beginning with the album Sold (1987), achieved four hit singles in the UK, including ‘Everything I Own’, during the late 1980s, but never flourished in the USA. However his cover version of ‘The Crying Game’ for the popular film of the same name (1992) was a hit there. In the early 1990s he began deejaying.

In 2002–03 he appeared in the London musical Taboo, based on his life. The show was a hit in London's West End, though a production in New York was less succesful.