Michael Jackson’s First Moonwalk To Billie Jean @ Motown 25
After addressing the audience, Jackson went into his routine. Wearing black pants, leather penny loafers and a single white rhinestone glove, Jackson snapped a fedora to his head and struck a pose—his right hand on his hat and his left leg bent. Throwing the hat aside, Jackson lip-synched to “Billie Jean”. Then, during a musical interlude, the singer executed a move which many claim to have sealed his status as a pop icon. Gliding backwards, Jackson performed the moonwalk, before spinning on his heels and landing en pointe. It was the first time Jackson had performed the moonwalk in public, having practiced it in his kitchen prior to the show.
The program was watched by 50 million people and earned Jackson an Emmy nomination. With the performance Jackson reached a new audience and increased the sales of Thriller, which eventually became the biggest selling album in the world. The day after the show aired, Jackson was called by his childhood idol Fred Astaire who commended the singer. Another childhood idol, Sammy Davis Jr., later received Jackson’s black sequined jacket, having admired it during the performance.
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