Celebrities React to News of Aretha Franklin’s Death

On Thursday morning, Aretha Franklin‘s publicist confirmed that the “Queen of Soul” had died in her Detroit home at the age of 76. “Franklin’s official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin’s oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute,” read a statement from her family, according to the Associated Press. “In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds.”

The Franklin family’s statement continued, “We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters, and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha, and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

Immediately after the news broke, countless admirers took to social media to pay their respects to the singer and 18-time Grammy winner. Among these mourning fans were plenty of Franklin’s fellow musicians, from a wide variety of genres — from John Legend to Barbra Streisand to Ricky Martin. Along with messages encouraging Franklin to “rest in power,” many of these musicians and other celebrities shared links to her most popular songs, as well as memories of meeting Franklin in person or seeing her perform. “I’m sitting in prayer for the wonderful golden spirit Aretha Franklin,” Diana Ross wrote, while Streisand posted a photo of herself and Franklin in 2012, captioned, “It’s difficult to conceive of a world without her. Not only was she a uniquely brilliant singer, but her commitment to civil rights made an indelible impact on the world.”