Madonna has paid tribute to the late producer William Orbit, calling him a ‘genius’ and ‘otherworldly’ figure who transformed her music. The pop superstar shared her memories on Instagram, according to BBC and Herts Advertiser. ‘You pressed a magic button inside of me and I fell into a galaxy of unrealised dreams,’ she wrote.

Madonna’s Emotional Tribute

Orbit’s family announced ‘with profound sadness’ on Friday that the Grammy-winning producer died at home on 23 July, according to BBC. No cause of death was given. The British producer, whose real name was William Wainwright, helped reinvigorate Madonna’s career in 1998 with her album Ray of Light, which blended electronic dance music and ambient techno with pop and trip-hop.

‘I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you,’ Madonna wrote in her post, according to BBC — the post included a video of herself standing beside Orbit to accept a Grammy Award. It also includes clips of the music videos and work she and Orbit created together.

Madonna said Orbit inspired her to sing and write in ways she never had before, without caring if her words ‘made sense or not,’ according to BBC. ‘In many ways you were my Ray of Light – as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time,’ the singer wrote. At the time she began working with Orbit, Madonna said she was beginning a new chapter, and Orbit stayed by her side with his ‘genius way of hearing music.’

Collaborations and Legacy

‘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,’ she wrote. ‘I miss those days,’ according to BBC.

In addition to Ray of Light, Orbit also worked with Madonna on her 2000 album Music and produced several tracks for her 2012 album work MDNA, according to BBC. Madonna also collaborated with Orbit on her 2000 album Music and he co-wrote and performed on her 1999 UK number two single Beautiful Stranger, which appeared in the film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, according to Herts Advertiser.

‘I realised that music did not have to fit into categories or genres; So we created our own,’ Madonna wrote, according to Herts Advertiser. ‘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,’ Madonna added. According to Herts Advertiser, Orbit also worked with British girl group All Saints, producing number one hits such as Black Coffee and Pure Shores for their chart-topping record Saints & Sinners.

Industry Reactions

Natalie Appleton shared a post to Instagram saying ‘it was an honour and privilege to work with him, and play too,’ while her bandmate Melanie Blatt remembered him as ‘such an important part of our success and history,’ according to Herts Advertiser. Fellow All Saints stars Shaznay Lewis and Nicole Appleton praised Orbit, with the former saying he was ‘a multi-talented writer and producer, but also an incredibly intelligent, interesting, and kind human being.’