Mark Ronson remembers Amy Winehouse as mark ronson accepts Outstanding Contribution at BRIT Awards
Mark Ronson accepted the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 2026 BRIT Awards on 28 February and used his speech to pay tribute to Amy Winehouse, saying their first meeting nearly 20 years ago altered the course of his life. The 48-year-old spoke to a packed crowd at London’s O2 Arena as he reflected on their work together and the continuing influence of their collaboration.
Mark Ronson's acceptance and emotional tribute at the O2 Arena
Standing on stage at London’s O2 Arena, the 48-year-old producer and musician delivered an emotional tribute to the late Amy Winehouse as he accepted the BRITs’ Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 2026 BRIT Awards on 28 February. He addressed a packed crowd and reflected on how his partnership with Winehouse shaped his career while a star-studded video montage had played before his award.
The New York studio meeting that led to Back to Black
Ronson recalled the first time he met Winehouse almost exactly 20 years earlier, telling the audience he realised on the way to the BRITs 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 remembered her arriving on the steps saying, "I'm here to meet Mark Ronson, " and their four-hour conversation that night, after which "we wrote 'Back to Black'. That day changed my life forever. "
How Back to Black and its tracks were shaped by their collaboration
That meeting produced material that fed into Winehouse’s 2006 album Back to Black. The collaboration resulted in an album that became one of the most acclaimed records of the 21st century, winning five Grammy Awards and helping to define a new era of British soul. Mark Ronson produced several of its key tracks, including the title song and the hit single "Rehab. "
Personal acknowledgements, family and collaborators thanked
In his speech Ronson said the music he made with Winehouse remains at the heart of what he has achieved, telling the audience, "I know it’s the music I made with Amy that’s the reason any of them know who I am anyway. " He added, "So I’ll always treasure her voice, her talent, our bond — all of it. " He also thanked his wife, Grace Gummer, and their two young daughters, and named artists he has worked with over the years, including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, and Queens of the Stone Age.
Tribute performance and what the award signifies
Ronson’s tribute was followed by a medley celebrating his career, with Dua Lipa and Ghostface Killah taking the stage to perform some of his most beloved hits. He reflected on the reach of his songs, saying when he hears "Uptown Funk" at a wedding or sees someone busking "Shallow" or "Valerie" in the subway he still finds it surreal to be part of songs that mean something to people. The BRITs’ Outstanding Contribution to Music award honours artists who have made a lasting contribution to music; Ronson joins previous recipients including David Bowie, Elton John, and Annie Lennox.
A reminder of Amy Winehouse's legacy
Throughout his acceptance speech Ronson invoked Winehouse’s memory and influence. The late singer died in July 2011, aged 27, from alcohol poisoning, and Ronson framed their work together as central to both his career and her ongoing legacy in music.
