Music legend David Bowie has come back with a bang after celebrating his first number one album in twenty years. The Next Day, which is the Life On Mars hitmaker's 26th studio album, has shot to the top of the UK recording charts with the highest album sales of the year. Soaring past the likes of Emeli Sandé and newcomer Bruno Mars in the table, the star has sold an impressive 94,000 copies of his bombshell record.
As well as wowing his fans once more, the star has also enlisted the help of some a-list talent to make his new musical offering extra special. The video from his latest single, The Stars Are Out Tonight, features Moonrise Kingdom actress Tilda Swinton playing the role of the musician's adoring wife. His real life partner Iman has also voiced her support, stating that she couldn’t be prouder of her husband's efforts. Speaking to Grazia, the retired supermodel has hinted that her husband may consider touring again.
"We have a 12-year-old in school, so we are stuck, we can't travel. Our schedule is around her, so I don't know," said the star. "We'll have to go visit him, but we won't be on tour with him because she's in school." Announcing his retirement from the public eye ten years ago, the musical chameleon made a shock return to the industry that had everyone talking. In tribute to his one of a kind career, the Victoria and Albert museum are showcasing the first international retrospective of the artist’s work. Entitled David Bowie Is, the show brings together more than 300 items from the artist’s career, including handwritten lyrics, journal entries, set designs, storyboards and album cover graphics.
In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, exhibition curator Victoria Broackes described the artist's career as "beyond masterful". "He's orchestrated every part of it utterly brilliantly," said Victoria. "It was beyond masterful." Looking at David's career through a microscopic lens,Victoria believes that the artist is undeniably unique. "The thing about David Bowie isn't just his music and visuals, but the fact that he personally directs every aspect of what he creates." "He’s unique in that. The other thing that makes him so unusual are the artists, designers, creative people across the board who make reference to him now. "Without any prior announcement, David released his first single off the new album, Where Are We Now?, on January 8, the date of his 66th birthday.
This is the musician's first number one album since Black Tie White Noise in 1993. To read more about the V & A's exhibition spectacular, purchase the latest copy of HELLO!, available on newsstands now.