Mark Ronson pays tribute to Amy Winehouse at BRIT Awards
mark ronson delivered an emotional tribute to Amy Winehouse as he accepted the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 2026 BRIT Awards on 28 February. On stage at London’s O2 Arena, the 48-year-old producer tied the award to the night he first met Winehouse and to their work on the album Back to Black.
Mark Ronson remembers their first meeting
Standing before a packed crowd, Ronson recalled meeting Winehouse almost exactly 20 years earlier. He said, "I realised on the way here that on Thursday, March 6, it'll be 20 years to the day that Amy Winehouse came up to my studio in New York City. " He described how she "came up the steps and said, ‘I'm here to meet Mark Ronson. ’ And I said, ‘That's me. ’ She goes, ‘I thought you were an old guy with a beard. '"
How Back to Black came together
Ronson said the pair talked for four hours the night they met and that "that night we wrote 'Back to Black. ' That day changed my life forever. " The collaboration led to Winehouse’s 2006 album Back to Black, which the speech described as one of the most acclaimed records of the 21st century, winning five Grammy Awards and defining a new era of British soul. Ronson produced several of its key tracks, including the title song and the single "Rehab. "
Honouring a late friend and a lasting sound
Winehouse died in July 2011, aged 27, from alcohol poisoning. Ronson said the music they made together "remains at the heart of everything I’ve achieved since. " He added, "I know it’s the music I made with Amy that’s the reason any of them know who I am anyway, " referencing a star-studded video montage that preceded his award. "So I’ll always treasure her voice, her talent, our bond — all of it. "
Personal thank-yous and a list of collaborators
During his acceptance speech, mark ronson thanked his wife Grace Gummer and their two young daughters. He also thanked artists he has worked with over the years, specifically naming Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, and Queens of the Stone Age. Ronson reflected on the reach of his songs, saying, "When I’m at a wedding and I hear ‘Uptown Funk, ’ or I see someone busking ‘Shallow’ or ‘Valerie’ in the subway, I can’t believe that I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of songs that mean something to people. "
What the Outstanding Contribution award represents
The BRITs' Outstanding Contribution to Music award honours artists who have made a lasting contribution to music. Ronson now joins previous recipients, including David Bowie, Elton John, and Annie Lennox.
It is unclear in the provided context what Ronson's next scheduled project or public appearance will be.
