CANADIAN singer Sass Jordan has died aged 63, her family have announced.
Heartbreaking tributes have poured in for the Montreal rocker who passed away “peacefully” on Friday evening.
Sharing the news of her death on social media, her family wrote: “On Oct. 2 2026, surrounded by her loving family, Sass Jordan peacefully crossed over to the other side.”
Her family remembered her as “an inimitable force of nature” and “an irreplaceable being of light and joy”.
Sass, behind iconic tracks Racine and Make You a Believer, was born in Birmingham, England.
She moved to Montreal aged three with her French literature professor father and former British Ballerina mother.
Aged 16 she was fronting bands in downtown Montreal clubs, later becoming singer and bassist for local favourites The Pinups.
Her debut album, Tell Somebody, won Sass the Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year in 1989.
Three years later, after moving to Los Angeles, Billboard magazine named her Female Rock Artist of the Year after her album Racine.
It became the defining album of her career, selling an estimated 450,000 copies worldwide and 100,000 in Canada.
That same year she recorded the duet Trust in Me with Joe Cocker for ‘The Bodyguard’, a soundtrack that sold more than 45million copies.
Throughout her career Sass toured alongside Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Van Halen.
Later in 2003 she would join Canadian Idol as the only female judge on the panel.
She remained on the show for all six seasons.
Sass is survived by her husband, Derek Sharp, daughter Stella Jordan-Sharp, stepdaughter Brianne Sharp and brother Daniel Jordan.
Her family has asked for privacy to grieve and has thanked fans for their tributes to her remarkable life.
Tributes have flooded in for the late singer, with fans and fellow musicians paying tribute.
Deep Purple singer and bassist Glenn Hughes posted on Instagram: “So suddenly, I’m heartbroken.
“A true friend, we had so much love, joy and laughter and music together.
“RIP my Sasseroonie Girl.”
American rock and blues singer Ian Moore posted: “Love you Sass. Soul mama supreme.”
Others said her voice and art had “defined a generation”.
One user posted: “Thank you for everything and may your presence continue to be such a joy and comfort to us all.”