Update 26.02.16: While David Bowie’s son Duncan didn’t seem to be a fan of Lady Gaga’s earlier tribute to his father, he had warm words for Lorde on Twitter.
Lorde took to the stage at the music awards to perform a cover of the late legend’s song, accompanied by the backing band from his last tour in 2003.
Dressed in a simple white shirt, black pants and matching black vest, surrounded by eerie red light, Lorde had the audience captivated with her powerful tribute to the music icon.
The Kiwi star has spoken of her admiration for David before, and when he passed away earlier this year, she wrote a touching account of the time she met him at a Vogue benefit in 2013.
Lorde with actress Tilda Swinton and David Bowie in 2013. Photo: Facebook
“That night something changed in me – I felt a calmness grow, a sureness. I think in those brief moments, he heralded me into my next new life, an old rock and roll alien angel in a perfect grey suit,” she wrote.
“I realized everything I’d ever done, or would do from then on, would be done like maybe he was watching. I realized I was proud of my spiky strangeness because he had been proud of his.”
During the ceremony, actor Gary Oldman also paid tribute to David as he accepted the Brit Icon award on his behalf.
“David’s contribution, his influence on popular music, on culture itself, has no equal,” Gary said.
“He was the very definition – the living embodiment – of that singular word, ‘icon’.”
