Photo: David Bowie, Facebook
Annie Lennox and Gary Oldman paid tribute to David Bowie at the BRIT Awards tonight, before Lorde gave a special performance of 'Life On Mars'. Watch her performance below.
"On the 10th January this year, the world was stunned and shaken by the news that David Bowie had suddenly passed away," said Annie Lennox, introducing Bowie's Icon award. "I suspect that everyone is still trying to proess this sadly unexpected event. Even if they didn't know him personally, many people must feel as if things will never be quite the same agian. He had that special kind of significance. For me it's almost impossible to mention Bowie's name in the past tense. Everything he was as an artist is, and always will be, vital and incredibly present."
She added, "David Bowie is deeply embedded in the heart of British culture, a fixture in the heart of our collective psyche... Like the miraculous moon landing that inspired the song, he drew us away from our suburban lives, turning everything on its head into subversive technicolour. There was no-one and nothing else like him. He was truly unique."
She concluded, "The legacy of his extraordinary sound and vision will be loved and revered for as long as the earth still spins."
Accepting the award on Bowie's behalf was his longtime friend, actor Gary Oldman. "We are all coming to terms with the magnitude of David's passing," began Oldman. "The Jones family lost a husband and a father, those closest to David lost a dear friend, and the world lost a man - an artist - of transcendent talent."
He added, "Over his career, David challenged and changed our understanding of the medium. In his very unique way, he also reminded us to never take ourselves too seriously. David was funny. He was funny, hilariously so, and the laughs were many and massive, and I shall miss them."
"A few years ago, we were standing on the street corner and he was approached by this big fella, rocker type, and he offered up this piece of paper for David's autograph. David signed the piece of paper, and as he walked away, he said, 'He's gonna be disappointed. I just signed it Gary Oldman."
He concluded, "I can share with you that David faced his illness with enormous courage, dignity, grace and customary humour, even in dire circumstances. When he wrote to tell me the bad news that he had cancer, he added, 'The good news is I've got my cheekbones back.' He was the sweetest soul ever, with the best cheekbones, until it was done. David, we love you and we thank you."
Oldman then introduced Lorde to the stage, who - after Bowie's band had performed an instrumental mash-up of his biggest hits - performed a cover of 'Life On Mars', which you can watch above.
