The man who sold the world. More than a man, but a movement. Just two days after his album release, Blackstar, the 69-year-old legend has lost his battle with cancer. David Bowie was more than an artist - he was art. His influence on music, fashion, lifestyle and culture across multiple generations is one that will live on forever.
Bowie's lyricism was bigger than we could imagine - a forward-thinking "alien", he was. The words incorporated through his art over the years explored concepts of being an individual - an "outsider," a misfit, a sexual deviant, a transcending human... People all over the globe felt a sheer sense of connectivity to the artist, as his ability to shamelessly expose the dynamic of the world was proudly relatable.
"David died peacefully surrounded by his family," Steve Martin, publicist, stated on Facebook.
Could it be a coincidence? Bowie's last words in his latest release, "Lazarus", were "Look up, I'm in heaven." The video is sure to be viewed in a very different perspective by fans today, featuring Bowie in a hospital bed, and closes in a scene with him retreating to a dark closet.
"His death was no different from his life - a work of Art."
At such an age with dozens of projects under his belt, Blackstar was a brilliant project to end with - released on his birthday, Friday January 8th. Blackstar is out of mind, yet artfully pieced together and incorporated an exploratory jazz quartet. He was to be honored with a concert at Carnegie Hall on March 31 featuring The Roots, Cyndi Lauper and the Mountain Goats.
Lady Gaga reflects on Bowie's influence in her life, "When I fell in love with David Bowie, when I was living on the Lower East Side, I always felt that his glamor was something he was using to express a message to people that was very healing for their souls," (read more)
"I don't know where I'm going from here, but I promise it won't be boring."
"I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human. I felt very puny as a human. I thought, "Fuck that. I want to be a superhuman."
