'My Ray of Light': Madonna remembers acclaimed producer William Orbit
The Queen of Pop worked with Orbit several times over the years, most notably on her genre-bending, Grammy Award-winning album Ray of Light.
Madonna has honored the memory of William Orbit, the acclaimed music producer and her longtime friend, who passed away last month at 69.
On Saturday, the pop icon shared on Instagram: "You pressed a magic button inside of me and I fell into a galaxy of unrealised dreams. Your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on and I visited many places."
Orbit's family announced his death "with profound sadness" on Friday, stating that the Grammy-winning producer died at home on July 23. The cause of death was not disclosed.
The British producer, whose birth name was William Wainwright, was instrumental in revitalizing Madonna's career with the 1998 album *Ray of Light*. This groundbreaking record fused electronic dance music and ambient techno with pop and trip-hop.
*Ray of Light*'s innovative sound earned it three Grammy Awards and is frequently hailed as the Queen of Pop's magnum opus.
Madonna's post included a video featuring clips of her and Orbit accepting a Grammy, along with snippets from their collaborative music videos and projects. She wrote, "I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you."
Madonna credited Orbit with inspiring her to sing and write in unprecedented ways, freeing her from concerns about whether her words "made sense or not."
"In many ways you were my Ray of Light - as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time," the singer noted.
Madonna recalled that Orbit was a constant presence during a new chapter in her life, supporting her with his "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," she wrote. "I miss those days."
Beyond *Ray of Light*, Orbit also contributed to Madonna's 2000 album *Music* and produced several tracks for her 2012 album *MDNA*.
The London-born producer is also recognized for his collaborations with the English rock band Blur, American rock-pop singer Pink, and the English girl group All Saints.
Madonna's tribute concluded with: "You were so otherworldly. So singular."
She added that despite working with other producers over the years, she never forgot Orbit and "the magical time we spent together."
"I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you."