Mark Ronson has been the architect of many of the biggest hits of the 21st century, from his work behind other artists like Amy Winehouse, to his own singles like Uptown Funk. At the BRIT Awards on Saturday night, he received an award for his Outstanding Contribution to Music, before performing a medley of his biggest chart-toppers with Dua Lipa and Wu Tang Clan’s Ghostface Killah.
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Ronson’s DNA can be found across much of the most popular music of the last 20 years, be it his song-writing, his multi-instrumentalist performances, or his production that has earned him a hoard of prizes from the industry. He’s won 10 Grammy awards, including Best Album with Amy Winehouse’s 2006 classic ‘Back To Black’, as well as Record of the Year for both Winehouse’s 2006 ‘Rehab’ and for his own 2014 release ‘Uptown Funk’ featuring Bruno Mars. His work on film soundtracks have also received accolades from the movie business – ‘Shallow’ from A Star Is Born won Best Original Song categories at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes in 2018, and his score for Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie flick received several considerations.
Prior to this weekend, he’d won twice at the BRIT Awards, first as Male Solo Artist of the Year in 2008, and again for British Single of the Year with ‘Uptown Funk’ in 2015. For this year’s blockbuster gala at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena, Ronson was presented his Outstanding Contribution to Music Award by grime star Skepta, following a short clip from other musical greats singing his praises. The list of artists included Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker, Raye, Christina Aguilera and Dave Grohl.
In his acceptance speech, he placed particular emphasis on how his work with the late Amy Winehouse, who tragically died in 2011, was instrumental in shaping his career, having had his first major hit as lead artist with their cover of The Zutons’ ‘Valerie’ in 2007. ‘Back To Black’ and its sombre title track written by the pair celebrate their 20th anniversary this year, and Ronson recounts the first time she came to his New York studio on the 6th of March 2006. “We went upstairs and we talked for four hours, and that night we wrote ‘Back To Black’ and that day changed my life forever”. Speaking on the endless list of famous artists he’s gone on to work with since, he says “I know the music I made with Amy is the reason that any of them know who I am anyway.”
Following the presentation, he took to the stage again shortly afterwards for a performance of his biggest tracks backed by a live band. Ronson opened the set at the DJ decks, mixing while Ghostface Killah rapped their 2003 hit ‘Ooh Wee’, before leading into a spoken-word interlude of Winehouse talking about her work with him. From there he moves into ‘Back To Black’ playing a piano with a TV atop showing Winehouse’s music videos, and a rousing rendition of ‘Valerie’. With the brass band members fully warmed up, Ronson moved over to electric guitar as they broke into ‘Uptown Funk’, finishing as Dua Lipa descended to the stage on a gigantic disco ball. She went through ‘Dance The Night’ which earned the pair a Golden Globe nomination via the Barbie soundtrack, and their 2020 hit ‘Electricity’.
The 46th annual BRIT Awards was a spectacular occasion start to finish, packed with glitz, glamour, and a bucketful of drama. The full event is available on-demand from ITVX, as well as highlights of the evening uploaded to the BRITs official Youtube channel.
