Nile Rodgers said he “feels very uncomfortable” receiving honours as picked up the Global Icon Award at the Rolling Stone UK Awards on Thursday night.
The 72-year-old Chic leader was given the award by Duran Duran singer Simon LeBon, for his more than 50-year career.
Accepting his award, he shared: “I always feel very, very uncomfortable - and this is no bulls**t, I always feel uncomfortable when I get awards.
“I got into this business because I told someone earlier, I just wanted to get one hit record. It is so hard to get a hit record and when I started out I said, 'that's it, I just want one'.”
He said with a smile: “And now I've got a lot.”
Reflecting on the British musicians he’s worked with, he shared: “The amount of UK artists I've worked with is f**king extraordinary.”
He continued: “The musicians they are so sophisticated, I got to tell you the reason why I've worked with Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Duran Duran, and so many others is because you love what I love”.
Fontaines DC and New Order were among the rest of the winners at the awards ceremony at London’s Camden Roundhouse.
The Irish indie band, fronted by Grian Chatten, won the Album Award for best British or Irish album of the year for their LP Romance at Thursday night’s event, while New Order won the Icon Award – accepting the gong from Blur bassist Alex James.
The Icon Award was given in recognition of the Manchester band’s decades-long career.
The Artist Award for the best British or Irish act of the year went to Yannis And The Yaw, the solo project of Foals singer Yannis Philippakis, who beat Brat star Charli XCX to the award.
The Song Of The Year Award was picked up by Chase And Status and Stormzy for Backbone, while pop duo Confidence Man picked up the Live Act Award from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Bimini Bon Boulash.
Mercury Prize 2024 winners English Teacher won the Breakthrough Award, former Mercury Prize winners Ezra Collective took home the Group Award, and Brooke Combe won the PlayNext Award for new talent.
The Trailblazer Award was won by former Little Mix singer Jade Thirlwall, known as Jade in her solo career, Brixton’s Wide Awake won the Festival Award, and Island Records won the Record Label Award.
The Television Award was won by Toby Jones for Mr Bates vs The Post Office, while semi-biographical Robbie Williams film Better Man won the Film Award.
Comedian Jayde Adams hosted the awards, with performances from dance duo Confidence Man, English Teacher, Jade and the cast of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.
The event was the second to be held by the entertainment magazine, with the winners at 2023’s inaugural ceremony including Ozzy Osbourne and Lewis Capaldi.
