Nile Rodgers accepts The Global Icon Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards 2024
The music icon was the first person to accept an award at the Roundhouse tonight
By Nick Reilly
The second Rolling Stone UK Awards has officially kicked off with Nile Rodgers accepting the Global Icon Award, supported by Visit West Hollywood.
The disco pioneer, who founded Chic and has worked with the likes of David Bowie and Madonna in a storied career, picked up the award as the first prize of the evening.
Hailing Rodgers’ impact on himself as he handed Rodgers the award, LeBon said “he took a middle-class white boy from Pinner and taught him what funk is.”
Accepting the gong from Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon, Nile said: “I always feel very uncomfortable when I accept awards and this is no bullshit. I got into this business because I wanted to get one hit record. It’s hard to get a hit record and now I’ve got a lot! What’s really amazing to me is that this is the longest relationship that I have had in music (with Duran Duran). I started with a song called The Reflex, we did Wild Boys and we’re gonna be touring next summer.”
He went on to reflect on his relationship with the UK, adding: “After I left Sesame Street, the very first tour I went on was Wolverhampton, Goole, Hull, Leeds and Colwyn Bay! The one thing I noticed is that in 1973 in England, you guys had MW Radio but played everything. You liked the same Black music as America.
He added: “I never experienced anything like the UK and the musicians here are so sophisticated. The reason I’ve worked with Peter Gabriel, Duran Duran and so many others is because you love what I love! Thank you so much for this.”
Watch his full acceptance speech below.
The second Rolling Stone UK Awards kicked off earlier tonight with a performance from Leeds band English Teacher, who stunned attendees with a powerful rendition of ‘You Blister My Paint’ taken from their Mercury Prize winning debut This Could Be Texas. This was followed by JADE’s stunning, stripped back rendition of ‘Angel Of My Dreams’.
You can check back here for all the latest coverage of the Rolling Stone UK Awards throughout the evening.