Pete Burns, Dead or Alive Singer, Dies of Massive Cardiac Arrest at Age 57
Pete Burns has died at age 57.
The lead singer of the British pop band Dead or Alive suffered cardiac arrest on Sunday, Burns' loved ones shared in a letter posted to his Twitter account.
"All of his family and friends are devastated by the loss of our special star," the statement read. "He was a true visionary, a beautiful talented soul, and he will be missed by all who loved and appreciated everything he was and all of the wonderful memories he has left us with."
"We have no more words, we will make a further statement when we have had a chance to come to terms with our devastating loss," they added. "He will live forever in our memories."
Boy George took to Twitter to mourn the loss of Burns, writing, "Tearful about the passing of @PeteBurnsICON he was one of our great true eccentrics and such a big part of my life! Wow. Hard to believe!"
Known for his androgynous style, Burns often spoke out against gender normativity.
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"I’m not trying to be a girl by putting on a dress –- gender is separated by fabric," he told U.K'.s The Guardian in 2007. "I was brought up with an incredible amount of freedom and creativity."
Dead or Alive was best known in the U.S. for their dance hit, "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)."
Burns also appeared on the U.K. show, Celebrity Big Brother, placing fifth in the 2006 season.