Leonard Cohen dead: Celebrities react on social media

The death of the influential troubadour and poet Leonard Cohen inspired an outpouring of grief Thursday evening, as fans, friends, fellow entertainers, and politicians paid tribute to the “Suzanne” and “Hallelujah” singer on social media.

Shortly after Cohen’s passing was announced on his Facebook page, Bette Midler lamented, “Leonard Cohen has died. Another magical voice stilled.”

“No other artist’s music felt or sounded like Leonard Cohen’s,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote. “Yet his work resonated across generations. Canada and the world will miss him.”

Moby remembered Cohen as “Such a beautiful man, such a beautiful soul,” and k.d. lang wished, “Swift rebirth my friend.”

“For many of us Leonard Cohen was the greatest songwriter of them all,” Nick Cave wrote in a statement to EW. “Utterly unique and impossible to imitate no matter how hard we tried. He will be deeply missed by so many.”

David Johnston, Canada’s governor general, said, “Leonard Cohen’s passing is a lost for us all. He was a unique voice and poet of our time, loved around the world. Thoughts with the family.”

And Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal, declared Cohen a great “ambassador and icon”; he also announced that flags would fly at half-mast.

View more reactions below.

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