Graham Coxon has recalled Madonna making a surprise appearance in the studio while Blur were recording their 1999 album '13' with producer William Orbit, who died on 23 July 2026 at the age of 69. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, the guitarist paid tribute to Orbit as a "genius" whose anarchic approach to sound shaped the band's experimental sixth album, and described the awkward moment of spotting the pop superstar watching through the control room glass.

Blur enlisted Orbit after hearing his remix of their track 'Movin' On', with the sessions taking place shortly after his work on Madonna's acclaimed 1998 album 'Ray Of Light'. Coxon recalled improvising with the band over an unused beat Orbit had created, which later resurfaced as the basis for Madonna's Grammy-winning single 'Beautiful Stranger'. He also revealed he is considering paying tribute to Orbit during his upcoming solo UK shows, possibly performing a Blur song connected to the producer.