HBO’s Vinyl keeps on chuggin’ toward the end of its first season, and so that means we’re getting further into the developing rock ‘n’ roll world, which means we are about to be faced with a David Bowie character on screen. At the very least, one or two of his songs will pop up. The bright side of this inevitably gloomy development is this just-released cover of “Life on Mars,” sung beautifully by Trey Songz.
The song, taken from Bowie’s 1971 album Hunky Dory, has become a stand-in for Bowie’s legacy, as it was featured at both the BRIT Awards and the Grammys in tribute performances. Amazingly, Songz’s stripped-down version of the tune offers something new, made more powerful by the strength of his voice.
Songz told Complex , “I had to do what I do best, because Icons like David paved the way. After learning of his passing I knew that this was a special moment in time and this cover became my personal tribute to David.”
Listen to the song below.