Premiere: Trey Songz Pays Tribute to David Bowie With a Cover of "Life on Mars?"

The song will be included in the upcoming episode of HBO's 'Vinyl.'

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Trey Songz pays tribute to David Bowie with a stunning cover of "Life on Mars?" The 1973 record off Hunky Dory is a favorite in Bowie's catalog, and Trey does it justice with his powerful vocals that capture the essence of the original. The song will be featured in the upcoming episode of HBO's Vinyl, and according to the R&B crooner, he was more than game to share his own take on the classic.

"When I was approached last summer by the producers of Vinyl, the first thing I thought was, 'Damn thats a David Bowie song!!' Trey told us over email. "I was honored that the producers thought of such a legend and myself in the same breath. 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. Experiences like this have helped to shape my future and respect the past of others before me. This has become a very special moment in my career and I am blessed and grateful to be apart!"

Randall Poster, music supervisor for Vinyl, echoed Trey's sentiment on the importance of the performance. “When we got the script to episode six of Vinyl, there was a scene where Ray Romano’s character, Zak Yankovich, sits alone at the end of his daughter’s bat mitzvah, and the piano player in the band sings David Bowie’s "Life on Mars?" as the rest of the band breaks down their gear," he said. "The performance had to be dramatic, soulful and moving as it both underscores Zak’s woeful predicament and then inspires him to actually sign this singer to his failing record label. He sees stars. But who to be this extraordinary voice? Immediately I thought of Trey Songz who I thought could bring nuance and beauty to David Bowie’s song. Accompanied only by piano, Trey delivered a singular rendering and helped us create an inimitable and powerful dramatic moment in the series. We think it’s magical.”

This is just the latest in a series of weekly-released soundtracks tied to each episode of Vinyl, which airs every Sunday on HBO, and it's respectfully one of the best yet. Vinyl: Music from the HBO Original Series – Volume 1.6 will be released March 18 and is available for pre-order on iTunes.

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