Tributes to iconic rock musician David Bowie are pouring in, as fellow musicians, celebrities, world leaders and even astronauts reflect on what Bowie meant to them.
A statement on Bowie’s Facebook page said that he died peacefully, “surrounded by his family after a courageous 18 month battle with cancer.”
His son, Duncan Jones, confirmed the news on Twitter.
Bowie’s death comes just days after the release of his album “Blackstar.” His longtime producer Tony Visconti called that album a “parting gift,” in a post on Facebook.
Many social media users were pointing to a newly released music video from his final single, Lazarus, which opens with the words “Look up here, I’m in heaven.”
“Lazarus is probably the most haunting sign-off any musician has given,” said one Twitter user.
British Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Facebook that Bowie “provided a soundtrack to our lives,” and left “a body of work that people will still be listening to in a 100 years time.”
Scores of musicians emphasized Bowie’s influence on their work:
Tributes to the “Space Oddity” singer were not confined to Earth. British astronaut Tim Peake tweeted from the International Space Station.
This was the scene at one London tube station today:
9(MDAxNzk1MDc4MDEyMTU0NTY4ODBlNmE3Yw001))