Mark Ronson pays emotional tribute to Amy Winehouse as he wins Outstanding Contribution at the BRIT Awards

mark ronson accepted the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize at the BRIT Awards and used his speech and set to pay tribute to the late Amy Winehouse, a moment that has drawn both praise and criticism. The 50-year-old’s win and his remembrance of Winehouse mattered to many this weekend in Manchester because of the personal and professional ties he emphasised onstage.

Mark Ronson’s acceptance, roots and gratitude in Manchester

Mark Ronson collected the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize at a Saturday ceremony in Manchester and told the room: "It means so much to me to get this award. " He recalled that this week marks 20 years since he met Amy Winehouse and that they wrote the iconic hit Back to Black together on the "same day" — a moment that "changed his life forever. " He received the award from Skepta and used the platform to thank collaborators including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Dua Lipa, saying the music he made with Amy "is the reason any of them know who I am anyway, so that's why I will also treasure her voice, her talent, our bond, all of it. " Born in London but raised in New York, Ronson said he felt proud of his British roots, adding that he left England as a kid but that the country "runs through everything I've made, " and that UK artists and crowds have always sustained him.

Onstage set: Ooh Wee, Back to Black, Valerie, Uptown Funk and Dua Lipa

Onstage, Ronson performed "Ooh Wee" with Ghostface Killah and returned to pay homage to Winehouse with a rendition of "Back to Black" that included a clip of the late star talking about him. The segment included "Valerie" alongside Amy's band The Dap-Kings. The tribute sequence was followed by a performance of "Uptown Funk, " and Dua Lipa made a surprise appearance to sing "Dance The Night" from the Barbie soundtrack and the collaboration "Electricity. "

Dionne Bromfield says BRITs mishandled the Winehouse tribute

Dionne Bromfield, Amy Winehouse’s goddaughter, criticised the BRIT Awards for how the tribute to Winehouse was handled. Bromfield, 30, said she felt the ceremony "missed an opportunity" because she was not asked to join the performance despite having an extensive music career. She initially responded with a shrugging emoji and then issued a full statement that began: "I want to be clear, this was never about me being on a stage for the sake of being seen or 'the look'. This is much deeper than that. "

In her statement Bromfield said that since Amy's passing she has "faced years of specific people within the industry and surrounding it, making it incredibly difficult for me to move forward and progress in my career, " and that Winehouse had "championed me musically in ways that didn't always align with others around her, " after which "opportunities for me were blocked and doors were deliberately closed. " Bromfield noted she first came to public attention after performing on Strictly Come Dancing with Winehouse on backing vocals and said the BRITs tribute "was another reminder of what I've been dealing with for many years, " adding that not being included felt like "an insult not just to me, but more importantly to Amy and her legacy. " She concluded: "I'm not one to air my dirty laundry, but there's only so much someone can take and sometimes things need to be called out. "

Social responses mentioned by Bromfield included a post by @MiichaelKing who said the show had missed an opportunity for Bromfield to pay tribute, and a fan using the handle @eubrunops who said Bromfield "is one of the people who should most be remembered in any mention of Amy" because they share an "eternal bond. " Bromfield replied to fans, writing in one exchange, "You would think! It definitely was NOT an oversight…" and responding to another that she "hasn't released music in a long time, and it hasn't been for lack of trying. I'll let you go figure... " Bromfield was 15 when Winehouse died in 2011 at age 27 from alcohol poisoning.

Ronson reflects on a "dream" career and notable collaborations

After receiving the gong for outstanding contribution to music at the 2026 BRIT Awards, Ronson reflected on what he called a "dream" career. He is identified in coverage as best known for collaborations on hit songs such as Bruno Mars’ "Uptown Funk" and Miley Cyrus’s "Nothing Breaks Like A Heart. " One item of context in coverage states that Cyrus portrayed the titular double-life-leading pop star for four seasons, from 2006 to 2011. Ronson had previously described the BRIT Award as the most "meaningful honour" of his career, saying earlier this month: "This is the most meaningful honour of my career. I think of the times I've watched artists I revere accept this same award. The idea that I'm now standing in that lineage feels impossible. "

Other winners, tangents and additional notes in coverage

Olivia Dean swept the floor at the ceremony, taking home four awards and winning in every category she was nominated for. Separate lines of coverage included a range of other, unrelated notes: "Winston's costly evolution is a reminder to 'be where your feet are' and invest in companies you know. " Another item said the No. 1 seed takes a major loss right before the postseason. It was noted that UConn remains the No. 1 overall seed and is joined on the seed line by Texas in the NCAA women's basketball tournament committee's second and final Top 16 reveal on Sunday. Coverage mentioned Montgomery had a diminished role in Detroit's offense last season but is signed for two more seasons, and that the Indiana men and Michigan women won Big 10 titles in swimming and diving. Both Tadese Takele and Brigid Kosgei are identified as now two-time winners of the race. In technology notes, alongside a humanoid robot, Honor showed off features for its Robot Phone and its 200MP camera. One line in coverage read: "Here's the perfect lineup for Yahoo High Score fantasy basketball from February. " Another line stated: "Nvidia could use some sizzle, or so thinks the market. "