Robbie Williams to get BRITS’ highest honour
Robbie Williams will be awarded the highest accolade by the BRIT Awards. The Icon Award is only presented to artists whose writing, recording and performance have made a lasting impact on British pop culture.
Williams joins the likes of Elton John and David Bowie. He has sold 75 million records worldwide and scored seven number one singles in the UK.
BPI and BRIT Awards CEO Geoff Taylor said: “Robbie is our most successful-ever BRIT Award winner – with a remarkable 17 BRIT Awards to date.
“His enduring appeal and his exceptional track record of hit singles and albums give him a special place at the very heart of British popular music.
“His songs have become part of the fabric of our modern culture, while his renowned live performances have forged a unique bond with the public at home and fans around the world. He is one of our greatest ambassadors.”
To celebrate the award, Williams will play an intimate one-off show at East London’s Troxy on November 7.
The show will be televised by ITV as part of a 90-minute show aired in December. Aside from his best-known numbers and songs from his new album The Heavy Entertainment Show (out through Columbia/Sony in early November), the special will also include an interview with Williams and with those who have influenced his career.
“It’s a real honour for me to be given this award and I can’t want to play songs from my new album, and from my catalogue, at Troxy,” the 42-year-old singer said. “The BRIT Awards are very special to me, and I’m humbled to be receiving the 18th of my career next month.”
In the meantime, Williams is teasing whether he will join Take That’s 25th anniversary
After previously saying he would, the goal posts have been shifted.
Now he’s saying: “When is the 25th anniversary? Next year? 2017? I don’t know if I can. I have plans, I have a tour, there’s stuff to be doing. I don’t think it’ll be next year but I think it’ll be at some point.
“I’m a floating member. And I’m really proud of what we do and what we create when I’m in the band. We’ll wait and see when our paths collide but I don’t think it’s going to be next year.”
Williams explains his new single Party Like A Russian as, “Part of the British identity is that we all believe we’re the best at partying, most nations think that of themselves…but there ain’t no party like a Russian party.”
It samples Sergei Prokofiev’s Dance of the Knights, which is more commonly known as the theme tune to The Apprentice. The video sees Williams dressed Russian oligarch surrounded by a bevy of Russian dancers.
Jobs
