“I must have been about 12 when I first heard George Michael,” Pale Waves singer/guitarist Heather Baron-Gracie tells Apple Music. “It was through my dad. He introduced me to a lot of great artists, and I think the first song he played me was ‘Careless Whisper.’ Immediately, I thought, ‘This is so cool. Who is he?’” The pop legend soon became something of an inspiration to the aspiring alt-rock star—particularly with his approach to his music and life. “What made George Michael so special is that he did everything himself,” says Baron-Gracie. “Everything that he put out there was completely his own creative direction. He was very open about his sexuality; he was very unapologetic about it, and that’s how I strive to be. I think a lot of people look up to him and admire him for that.” In tribute, Pale Waves have recorded their own version of 1987’s “Faith.” On a day off during their US tour in June 2022, the band went back into the studio with Zakk Cervini, who produced their third album, Unwanted, supercharging the original’s rock ’n’ roll rhythms with thumping metallic riffs. “The entire band immediately gravitated to ‘Faith,’” says Baron-Gracie. “It’s our favorite song by him. It’s obviously a challenge trying to do it justice, but we brought it into our own world and did the best we could. It was really fun to do.”