Singer and model Nick Kamen dies at 59

British model and singer Nick Kamen, known for being the “protégé” of Madonna and count on her support in many of her songs, he passed away at the age of 59, after going through a long illness. This was confirmed to the BBC by a friend of Kamen’s family.

The model, whose real name was Ivor Neville Kamen, rose to fame after starring in a 1985 advertisement for Levi’s in a laundromat, in which he put on underpants while a group of women watched him. This, and a soundtrack signed by Martin Gaye, helped boost the company’s sales and elevated Kamen as a “sex icon” who caught the attention of the queen of pop, Madonna.

Captivated by the “charisma” and “beautiful voice” of the model, as Madonna admitted to the BBC at the time, the American asked her to record one of the songs that was left out of her album “True Blue” and also did the backing vocals.

With “Each Time You Break My Heart” it reached the fifth position on the UK charts; and even reached number one in Austria and Sweden with “I Promised Myself” in 1990.

After knowing the news, some known faces and friends of Kamen echoed on social networks. An example is John Taylor, from Duran Duran, who assured that the model was “One of the kindest and most loving men” that he had known.