“Look Up Here, I’m In Heaven” – Rest In Peace, David Bowie

Some artists have left such an impact on the world, everything seems to stand still when they pass away. David Bowie was one of those people.

The rock legend’s death was announced in a statement from his official Facebook page:

David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer. While many of you will share in this loss, we ask that you respect the family’s privacy during their time of grief.

As music fans around the world mourn for him, many are now seeing hidden meaning in his latest album Blackstar, particularly with the video for “Lazarus” which was released just last Thursday. With the opening lyric “Look up here, I’m in heaven / I’ve got scars that can’t be seen,” the eerie video shows a frail, blindfolded Bowie struggling to escape a hospital bed, while another version of himself writes intently, gripped with inspiration and a sense that time is running out. “This way or no way / you know I’ll be free / just like that bluebird / now ain’t that just like me.”

Rolling Stone looks back on Bowie’s career in their eulogy for the artist:

One of the most original and singular voices in rock & roll for nearly five decades, Bowie championed mystery, rebellion and curiosity in his music. Ever unpredictable, the mercurial artist and fashion icon wore many guises throughout his life. Beginning life as a dissident folk-rock spaceman, he would become an androgynous, orange-haired, glam-rock alien (Ziggy Stardust), a well-dressed, blue-eyed funk maestro (the Thin White Duke), a drug-loving art rocker (the Berlin albums), a new-wave hit-maker, a hard rocker, a techno enthusiast and a jazz impressionist. His flair for theatricality won him a legion of fans.

What’s Trending host Ava Gordy has more on the online tributes to his life and career, including heartfelt messages from stars like Paul McCartney, Madonna and Kanye West.