For the last decade, David Bowie has been retired from performing live — or, so we thought. Last night, the the legendary musician appeared on CBS’s Late Show embodying an entirely new persona.
“Hello, it’s me David Bowie. Ziggy Stardust, The Thin White Duke, and now, in my most outlandish persona yet, acclaimed actor Michael C. Hall,” Bowie said in a teaser video released in anticipation of the TV appearance. “Don’t recognize me? Well, I’ve had a plastic surgeon make some ch-ch-hanges.”
Yes, in a move that could only be executed by Bowie, the 68-year-old musician has found a way to bring audiences the live performances they so desperately desire: transfer his soul to an entirely different body. In the case of last night’s Colbert appearance, Hall and the cast of Lazarus, Bowie’s new theatrical adaptation of The Man Who Fell To Earth, performed the song “Lazarus”.
The brooding new single also appears on Bowie’s forthcoming album ★, out January 8th. Last night’s performance marked the first public presentation of the song outside of the New York Theatre Workshop, where the theater production is running until January 20th.
Replay Bowie’s performance of “Lazarus” below.
