The music industry lost a treasured voice and a bright soul on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024, with the death of singer-songwriter Melanie Safka, known simply as Melanie, at the age of 76, as confirmed by her children Lelilah, Jeordie, and Beau Jarred. She was 76.

“This is the hardest post for us to write, and there are so many things we want to say, first, and there’s no easy way except to say it… Mom passed, peacefully, out of this world and into the next on January 23rd, 2024,” her children said on Facebook.

“We are heartbroken but want to thank each and every one of you for the affection you have for our Mother, and to tell you that she loved all of you so much!” She wrote to her children. “She was one of the most talented, strong and passionate women of the era and every word she wrote, every note she sang reflected that.”

“Our world is much dimmer, the colors of a dreary, rainy Tennessee pale with her absence today, but we know that she is still here, smiling down on all of us, on all of you, from the stars,” the statement went on to say.

Melanie’s career spans five decades, generating a rich tapestry of folk-pop classics and iconic cultural moments. Her 1970 cover of the Rolling Stones’ Ruby Tuesday propelled her to prominence, but it was her songs, such as the fanciful Brand New Key and the pensive Lay Down (Candles in the Rain), that established her place in music history.

Melanie, who was born in Queens, New York in 1947, continued to produce hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including What Have They Done to My Song Ma and Beautiful People. Her music, filled with social commentary and a touch of humour, captivated audiences all over the world, garnering her a dedicated fanbase.

Melanie continued to create and perform into her older years, and her final album, Gather, was released in 2020. She remained a beloved presence in the music industry, influencing future generations of artists with her timeless songs and unbreakable attitude.