Just two days after his 69th birthday (and also the release day of his 25th studio album Blackstar) music icon David Bowie succumbed to cancer after an 18-month battle.

Bowie had reached out in a number of ways before his death, including a sentimental (but slightly vague) email to collaborator Brian Eno, and an expressive music video to his new single “Lazarus”, which seems likely to be a conscious and carefully-planned goodbye to his fans.

Watch “Lazarus” below as we all remember an artistic force to be reckoned with.

(cover image by Jimmy King)