David Bowie. Forever and Ever

Over the course of a fifty-year career—marked by constant reinvention and a restless desire to travel and stay ahead of his time—Bowie became one of the most influential and revolutionary artists in 20th-century music. He was a shape-shifting genius with multiple personas: the early-days Mod evolved into a psychedelic folk troubadour, paving the way for characters such as the glam alien Ziggy Stardust; the iconic Aladdin Sane—whose blue-and-red lightning bolt across one eye became a pop-culture touchstone; the toxic Thin White Duke; and the post-industrial hero. His death in 2016 was not unlike his life: he transformed it into a work of art with the spectacular release of *Blackstar*, which left the world breathless. Today, as we listen to his music, we can only close our eyes and continue living—suspended forever—in his stardust.