George Michael tributes reduce Brit Awards audience to tears

Awards Season with Attitude, sponsored by discoverlosangeles.com.

Last night’s Brit Awards ceremony was one to remember – and not just because of the winners, but also because of those we’ve lost over the past 12 months.

A night of glitz, glamour and gongs saw the late David Bowie become the night’s biggest winner, picking up Best British Male Solo Artist and the Mastercard Best British Album Award for his 25th and final album, Blackstar, which was released just days before the musical icon’s death from cancer in January 2016.

As well as performances from the likes of Little Mix and Katy Perry – with the latter continuing her new phase of ‘purposeful pop’ with an onstage dig at Donald Trump and Theresa May – there was an outstanding tribute to the late George Michael, which left much of the audience at London’s 02 Arena in tears.

“On Christmas Day 2016, the greatest singer/songwriter of his generation, an icon of his era and my beloved friend, was lost.” said Michael’s former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley as he took to the stage alongside fellow Eighties icons Pepsi & Shirlie, who started out as backing singers for the band.

Shirlie Holliman recounted how Wham! came to be, saying: “The three of us hung out listening to music and making dance routines to the iconic sounds of the early Eighties.”

Pepsi added: “On tour we could tell that George was destined to be a star in his own right. On tour, Shirlie and I would watch him sing, his voice was stunning and pitch perfect.”

The emotional tribute took a toll on Pepsi, who had to take a few moments to gather herself up before saying: “His ability and desire to strike a chord and touch people, not only through his music, but through his words too.”

The trio also paid tribute to Michael’s famed generosity, telling the audience that: “Anyone who asked for George’s help invariable got it.”

Afterwards, Coldplay’s Chris Martin took the stage for a tribute performance of Michael’s 1986 track ‘A Different Corner’, which turned into a tear-jerking duet as a video and audio of Michael performing the song appeared on a screen behind him.

It was a fitting goodbye to one of British music’s most iconic figures – but away from the heartbreak, there was plenty to celebrate throughout the rest of the night. Check out the full list of winners below:

BRITISH MALE SOLO ARTIST
Craig David
David Bowie – WINNER
Kano
Michael Kiwanuka
Skepta

BRITISH FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Anohni
Ellie Goulding
Emeli Sandé – WINNER
Lianne La Havas
Nao

BRITISH GROUP
The 1975 – WINNER
Bastille
Biffy Clyro
Little Mix
Radiohead

BRITISH BREAKTHROUGH ACT
Anne-Marie
Blossoms
Rag’n’Bone Man – WINNER
Skepta
Stormzy

CRITICS’ CHOICE
Rag’n’Bone Man – WINNER
Anne-Marie
Dua Lipa

BRITISH SINGLE
Alan Walker – ‘Faded’
Calum Scott – ‘Dancing On My Own’
Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna – ‘This Is What You Came For’
Clean Bandit feat. Anne-Marie and Sean Paul – ‘Rockabye’
Coldplay – ‘Hymn For The Weekend’
James Arthur – ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’
Jonas Blue & Dakota – ‘Fast Car’
Little Mix – ‘Shout Out To My Ex’ – WINNER
Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson – ‘Girls Like’
Zayn – ‘Pillowtalk’

MASTERCARD BRITISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The 1975 – ‘I Like It When You Sleep For You Are Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’
David Bowie – ‘Blackstar’ – WINNER
Kano – ‘Made In the Manor’
Michael Kiwanuka – ‘Love & Hate’
Skepta – ‘Konnichiwa’

BRITISH ARTIST VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Adele – ‘Send My Love (To Your New Lover)’
Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna – ‘This Is What You Came For’
Clean Bandit feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie – ‘Rockabye’
Coldplay – ‘Hymn For The Weekend’
James Arthur – ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’
Jonas Blue & Dakota – ‘Fast Car’
Little Mix feat. Sean Paul – ‘Hair’
One Direction – ‘History’ – WINNER
Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson – ‘Girls Like’
Zayn – ‘Pillowtalk’

INTERNATIONAL MALE SOLO ARTIST
Bon Iver
Bruno Mars
Drake – WINNER
Leonard Cohen
The Weeknd

INTERNATIONAL FEMALE SOLO ARTIST
Beyoncé – WINNER
Christine and the Queens
Rihanna
Sia
Solange

INTERNATIONAL GROUP
A Tribe Called Quest – WINNER
Drake & Future
Kings of Leon
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Twenty One Pilots

Awards Season with Attitude, sponsored by discoverlosangeles.com.

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