Damon Albarn, who is known for his work with the British bands Blur and Gorillaz, has been honored with an honorary degree from the University of Exeter. The degree was awarded on July 17, and recognized Albarn’s “creativity, innovation and commitment to environmental causes.” Albarn also gave a speech at the ceremony in which he joked about receiving his driving theory certificate in Exeter and marveled at watching his own daughter receive her degree just a week before.
During his speech, Albarn encouraged the new graduates to “trust in your instincts, don’t take no for an answer, be open-minded, and go out there and do great things.” He also spoke about the importance of maintaining integrity in a world where facts can be easily distorted and encouraged students to “not believe in anything until you really know in your heart that it’s worth your belief.”
This isn’t the first time that the University of Exeter has awarded an honorary degree to a musician. Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Chance the Rapper, and Stormzy have all received similar honors for their contributions to music. Albarn’s own award cited his “diverse talents and innovative spirit,” which have helped him create groundbreaking work that pushes the boundaries of contemporary music.
In other news, two new films chronicling the 2023 reunion of Blur are set to be released later this year. One of the films will be a documentary, while the other will be a concert film
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