American pop legend Prince has died suddenly at the age of just 57, the star’s publicist confirmed. The singer was reportedly found unresponsive at his home in Minnesota on Thursday morning (April 21st), and was later declared dead, according to TMZ.

The entertainment site reported that police responded to a medical call at Prince’s Paisley Park estate. The medical examiner and crime department reps showed up, but the identity of the deceased was first revealed by the singer’s publicist Yvette Noel-Schure.

PrincePrince performing in 2014 at Leeds First Direct Arena

“It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died at his Paisley Park residence this morning at the age of 57,” she said in a brief statement. “There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time.”

The Carver County Sheriff’s department in Chanhassen, the area of Minnesota where Prince’s sprawling home and studio complex is located, had only disclosed that there had been a fatality and that the next of kin were being informed.

More: Prince hospitalised after emergency landing following illness on private plane

Five days ago, it was reported that Prince had spent a brief period in hospital in Illinois, having been taken ill with what was described as a “bad bout of flu” after his private plane made an emergency landing on Friday evening. The singer had then returned to his Paisley Park home the following day.

Born Prince Rogers Nelson in 1958, the multi-talented singer, songwriter, instrumentalist and producer was one of the most popular and influential figures in pop music in the 1980s. His most well-remembered album Purple Rain sold more than 13 million copies in the U.S. alone, and spawned a number of hit singles such as its title track, ‘When Doves Cry’ and ‘Let’s Go Crazy’.

He was notable for many other critically revered and musically ambitious albums besides, and his amazingly prolific and iconoclastic career, which at one point included turning his recording name into a meaningless symbol in order to escape a recording contract with Warner Bros., ran up until his death.

Tributes to Prince have been pouring in throughout Thursday via social media.

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