Blackstar

The album’s lyrics feature themes of death throughout, with many songs being told from the perspective of the dead or dying.

The album was preceded by the singles “Blackstar” and “Lazarus”, both of which were supported by music videos. Two days after its release, Bowie died following a private 18-month battle with liver cancer. Upon release, the album was met with commercial success, topping charts in many countries following Bowie’s death, including the United Kingdom.

Bowie recorded Blackstar while suffering from liver cancer. He had been diagnosed in the summer of 2014 and was undergoing chemotherapy treatments by the time the sessions began in January 2015. He kept the illness private, only discussing it when it affected his work; Visconti did not learn of it until Bowie arrived at the studio immediately following a chemo session. Visconti recalled that despite his illness, Bowie was in high spirits throughout the sessions: “He was so brave and courageous … and his energy was still incredible for a man who had cancer. He never showed any fear. He was just all business about making the album.”

The backing band were reportedly unaware of Bowie’s health, with Lefebvre saying that he never appeared sick. According to Pegg, Bowie’s illness showed signs of remission as the sessions continued. By March, his hair had grown back, and he looked well. Monder, during his time in the studio, recalled that Bowie looked healthy and showed no signs of illness. Throughout 2015, Bowie was optimistic as he continued chemotherapy and, by that summer, was in remission. By November, however, shortly after completing the “Lazarus” music video, Bowie told Visconti the cancer had returned and his condition was terminal.

Wikipedia