Mark Ronson Celebrates Career with BRIT Award, Pays Tribute to Amy Winehouse

Mark Ronson received the Outstanding Contribution to Music award at the 2026 BRIT Awards in Manchester on Saturday, February 28th, using his acceptance speech as an opportunity to honor the late Amy Winehouse, with whom he collaborated on her seminal album Back to Black. The award recognizes Ronson’s significant impact on the music industry over a two-decade career.

A Career Spanning Collaborations

Ronson expressed his gratitude, stating, “It means so many things to get this award.” He recounted meeting Winehouse 20 years prior, almost to the day, recalling her arrival at his Novel York studio and their immediate creative connection. “She came up to the steps and she said, ‘I’m here to meet Mark Ronson’. And I said, ‘That’s me’, and she goes, ‘I thought you were an old guy with a beard’,” Ronson shared, adding that their collaboration that night resulted in the creation of ‘Back to Black’ and “changed my life forever.”

Throughout his career, Ronson has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa, Queens of the Stone Age, and RAYE. He acknowledged the pivotal role Winehouse played in opening doors for these collaborations, stating, “The music I made with Amy is the reason any of them realize who I am anyway, so that’s why I will likewise treasure her voice, her talent, our bond, all of it.”

BRIT Awards Performance and Homage to Winehouse

Ronson’s acceptance speech was followed by a performance featuring his hit “Ooh Wee” with Ghostface Killah. He then paid tribute to Winehouse with performances of ‘Back To Black’ – prefaced with a clip of Winehouse discussing Ronson – and ‘Valerie’, performed with Winehouse’s band, The Dap-Kings. The performance lineup also included “Uptown Funk” with Bruno Mars and a surprise appearance by Dua Lipa performing “Dance The Night” from the Barbie soundtrack and “Electricity.”

Recognition and Legacy

Ronson’s award places him among esteemed recipients of the Outstanding Contribution to Music award, including David Bowie, Oasis, Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams, and P!nk. He has previously earned nine Grammy Awards, as well as an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his work on the song “Shallow” with Lady Gaga for the film A Star Is Born (2018).

The 2026 BRIT Awards also highlighted increased representation, with nearly 70 percent of nominations featuring women and non-binary people – the highest representation in the ceremony’s history. Olivia Dean, Lola Young, and Sam Fender were among the nominees recognized at the event.