It's hard to believe that it has almost been a year since the iconic musician David Bowie died. While he had already passed before the 2016 Grammys, there's a chance Bowie could be nominated for a Grammy Award posthumously for 2017. The Grammy nominations will be announced on Dec. 6 and Bowie's last album Blackstar is eligible. Released on his 69th birthday on Jan. 8, 2016, the album's producer, Tony Visconti, noted that Bowie had intentionally recorded Blackstar as a "parting gift." Bowie died of cancer on Jan. 10, just two days after the album was released, so what better way to honor Bowie's memory than by awarding him a well-deserved Grammy? Yet, if Blackstar is nominated — and wins — a 2017 Grammy, who would accept the award for Bowie?
The 2016 Grammys took place a little more than a month after Bowie's death and Lady Gaga performed a tribute to him. While the music industry and fans have had more time to accept Bowie's passing since then, that doesn't mean that if Bowie wins a 2017 Grammy that it won't be emotional. To prepare yourself, you can consider who would accept this award if the blackstars aligned and Bowie won. And it makes sense to me to see who has already accepted awards on Bowie's behalf.
Even before he died, Bowie understandably couldn't personally accept every award he was given. In 1996, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone wrote that he was on tour for his album Outside in Helsinki, Finland when he was inducted, so Madonna accepted Bowie's Hall of Fame award for him. In her speech, she told a story about how when she was 15 years old, she snuck out of her house to see Bowie in concert — the first rock and roll concert she ever saw.
As for posthumous awards that Bowie has won in the past year, Bowie was recognized with the BRIT Icon Award less than two months after he passed. Annie Lennox did the introduction, his friend Gary Oldman accepted the award, and Lorde performed Bowie's "Life on Mars?" during a musical tribute to him. The entire segment dedicated to Bowie was beautifully done and was a credit to — as Oldman called it — Bowie's "transcendent talent."
For an award that had less to do with his music and more with his impact on culture, Tilda Swinton accepted the Council of Fashion Designers of America's Board of Directors tribute award for Bowie in June. Not only has Swinton been said to look like Bowie, but she had worked with the musician for a music video in 2013.
Then, there is Bowie's wife — Iman. In October, Iman received the Voice Award for the Save the Children foundation and in her speech, she said she shared the award with her late husband.
So whether it's another musician, one of his celebrity friends, or his wife, there are plenty of people who would be honored to accept a Grammy for Bowie. And while I may be getting ahead of myself since the Grammy nominations haven't even been announced yet, any reason to remember Bowie's greatness is good enough for me.
