Who was David Bowie?
David Bowie was an English singer, songwriter and actor who was one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. He was famous for constantly reinventing his music and image, including his alter ego Ziggy Stardust.
Bowie was born David Robert Jones in Brixton, London, in 1947. He changed his name to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees.
His first major hit was Space Oddity, released in 1969, about an astronaut called Major Tom.
Many personas
In 1972, Bowie became Ziggy Stardust, a glam rock alien rock star with red hair and colorful costumes. He later adopted other personas, such as Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke.
His hits include Heroes, Let's Dance, Starman, Life on Mars and Changes. He collaborated with artists such as Queen on Under Pressure.
Bowie also acted in films, including The Man Who Fell to Earth and Labyrinth.
He died on 10 January 2016, two days after releasing his final album, Blackstar. A mural of Bowie in Brixton became a memorial.
He was known for blending rock, soul and electronic music.