HIStory Part II: His story, His Legacy

Between Confession and Battlefield

If the HIStory album was a confession whispered into the world, the tour became a battlefield, where Michael fought not with weapons, but with rhythm, light, and love. The stage was no longer just a place to sing and dance, it became the space where he reclaimed his voice, his truth, and his story.

From that very first step onto the Prague stage, with his golden suit shining like a sun of his own, every concert became more than a show: it was resistance, love, and devotion.

A declaration that, despite the wounds, he was still the King, not by title, but by the power with which he touched the souls of his audience.

But behind the curtain, the reality was different: his health, the constant judgment of the media, and the weight of expectations followed him in silence.

And yet, night after night, he rose again, convinced that music could heal and bring light to a world that needed it so deeply.

A Monumental Promotional Campaign

Before the album came to life, Michael dreamed of something greater than music: he longed to be experienced as a global phenomenon.

From that vision emerged a $30 million promotional campaign, an unprecedented figure for a record.

The album cover already spoke of grandeur: Michael shown as a massive statue, in his Jam outfit, striking the pose from the opening of the Dangerous Tour.

Inspired by that image, he had six nearly ten-meter-tall statues built by sculptor Diana Walczak that traveled across Europe as heralds of his return.

In 1994, he delivered his masterstroke: filming in Budapest, he portrayed himself as an emperor, greeted by tears and shouts of devotion.

The unforgettable scene fueled anticipation ahead of HIStory’s global release.

Release and Controversy

On June 15, 1995, record stores around the world came alive: the King of Pop was back.

Fans, their hearts overflowing, embraced HIStory with fascination, but the critics were quick to follow.

More than any other, this was the most questioned album of his career.

From the fierce energy of Scream to the darker new tracks, many felt it didn’t measure up to his earlier records.

The biggest controversy came with They Don’t Care About Us: some lyrics were seen as offensive, leading to accusations of antisemitism.

Michael firmly denied the accusations, offered an apology, and ensured the words were censored in later editions.

Although it debuted at number one, sales in the United States fell short of expectations. What would have been a triumph for any other artist felt like a setback for Michael, who had once conquered the world with Thriller.

Lights and Shadows in promotion

With his reputation under fire and the press against him, Michael turned to television as the safest way to promote HIStory.

He was determined to avoid another tour after the physical and emotional toll of the Dangerous Tour.

But things didn’t go as he hoped.

On June 14, 1995, just a day before the album’s release, he appeared with Lisa Marie Presley in an interview with Diane Sawyer. What was meant to be a show of honesty, quickly turned into an uncomfortable moment, filled with critical and negative questions.

Still, those TV appearances also brought moments of light.

At the VH1 Awards, Boyz II Men paid tribute to him, and Michael joined them onstage.

He also pioneered one of the first live internet chats, creating a new way to connect with his fans.

And most unforgettable of all was the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards, where he opened the show with a fifteen-minute medley that became a defining moment in television history.

One Night Only: A Step Toward the Tour

Michael kept appearing on different stages, but his big bet was a special concert in December 1995: One Night Only.

Together with the legendary mime Marcel Marceau, it was set to be an unforgettable show. But fate had other plans.

Stress and severe dehydration caused him to collapse during rehearsals, forcing the concert’s cancellation and leaving him hospitalised for days.

The incident nearly ended in tragedy, but the media, eager to tarnish his image, cruelly suggested it had all been staged, a narrative that damaged the album’s sales during the crucial holiday season.

Faced with growing hostility, Michael chose another path, turning his focus away from the United States.

In 1996 he lit up the BRIT Awards with an epic performance of Earth Song, and soon after moved audiences once again at the World Music Awards in Monaco.

Then came what he feared most: the monumental campaign was faltering, and Sony began to demand the one thing he wished to avoid, another world tour.

The World Tour

At first, Michael was uneasy about the idea, but eventually he agreed to return to the stage.

It wasn’t only because of pressure, it was also his way of healing the void left by the sudden end of the Dangerous Tour.

That’s how the HIStory Tour was born: as a way of making peace with the stage.

After losing Pepsi as a sponsor, Michael found financial support from Saudi prince Al-Waleed.

True to his nature, he oversaw every detail, setlist, visuals, costumes, and stage design.

The golden suit became the emblem of a monumental show, a journey through his classics and new songs, crowned with anthems of hope like Earth Song and Heal the World.

The journey began on September 7, 1996, in Prague, in front of 125,000 people.

It was the start of more than 80 concerts across Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas.

Yet, at that moment, no one imagined it would be his final tour.

Behind the Curtain

On the surface everything shone, but behind the curtain the reality was far more fragile.

Michael was battling two major challenges: his health and the strain of such a massive production.

His voice had begun to give way, and frequent bouts of laryngitis forced him to rely on playback for much of the show. The criticism that followed felt deeply unfair, few seemed to understand the superhuman effort it took to sing and dance with such intensity for two straight hours.

The production, big and ambitious, also had its flaws: technical glitches, sound issues, and stage mishaps that followed the tour from the start.

On top of that came a growing distance from the U.S. audience, he performed there only twice, both in Hawaii, reflecting the lower sales in his home country.

Personally, he was going through one of his hardest times, battling health problems, living under relentless media pressure, and carrying the pain of his divorce from Lisa Marie Presley.

Yet night after night, he poured every bit of strength he had into the stage.

A Ray of Hope

Amid everything, Michael still found the strength to create. He released the short film Ghosts, with its haunting atmosphere reflecting how judged he felt by the world.

Not long after, he released Blood on the Dance Floor, breathing new life into the tour.

But beyond the music, what truly lit up that time was the birth of his first son, Prince, in 1997.

Becoming a father gave him new strength and hope. Though he had always been devoted as an artist, in those months there was a different light in his eyes, the quiet joy of someone who had found another reason to smile and move forward. He was no longer singing only for the world, but also for his son. And that spark turned every performance into an act of pure love.

Calm in the Storm

Against all odds, the HIStory Tour grossed more than $170 million, becoming the most successful tour of the 1990s.

But beyond the numbers, what remained was the message: an act of power, resistance, and hope after the darkest years of the King of Pop.

Despite the image the media insisted on portraying, in every country he visited his arrival was lived as a national event.

And beyond the music, even while his own heart was breaking, Michael never stopped giving: visiting hospitals, embracing children, and offering light to the most vulnerable.

He carried his pain in silence, but still chose to heal others with love.

So, even if the reception in the United States was cooler, HIStory became a global triumph, selling more than 16 million copies and securing its place as the best-selling double album of all time.

HIStory ends

Thirty years later, HIStory remains much more than an album: it is the portrait of one of the hardest chapters in Michael Jackson’s life, and at the same time, proof that pain can be transformed into eternal art.

What began as a confession grew into a battlefield, and what was born in struggle became a mirror.

In it, Michael showed us his wounds, his hope, his humanity, and in doing so, invited us to look into our own reflection.

And though the storm often made him seem alone, he was not without love.

In the album’s credits, he dedicated HIStory to Elizabeth Taylor, his children, his fans, his family, and his closest friends. Showing that their love and support carried him through his darkest moments.

Through his music and his monumental tour, Michael reminded us that even "when there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by, If you just, smile".

And with that smile, he left the world not only his story, but also the courage to believe in hope.

With all my heart,

Daniela 🌻

Thank you, Michael, for your eternal smile.

A special dedication to my dear friend Ilaria, whose kindness and generous heart helped me translate these words into Italian, guided me through the writing, and supported me with her constant presence. Thank you, my friend, for standing by me always.

And to you, dear reader, thank you for your patience, for staying with me even though this part took longer to arrive. Your presence, your time, and your love mean more to me than I could ever express.