Sass Jordan, Montreal-raised Juno-winning rock singer, dies at 63
The singer, known for hits like 'Make You a Believer,' won a Juno Award in 1989 and was a judge on 'Canadian Idol.'
Sass Jordan, the Montreal-raised rock singer whose career spanned nearly four decades, has died at 63.
A post on Jordan's social media page on Saturday says she died the day before, "surrounded by her loving family" and calls her an "inimitable force of nature" and "irreplaceable being of light and joy."
Her family announced her passing on social media, describing her as an irreplaceable force in Canadian music throughout a career that spanned nearly four decades.
READ MORE: Michael J. Fox promoted to companion level of the Order of Canada
READ MORE: Fourth Marineland Beluga Whale Dies After Relocation to Chicago Aquarium
"Crossed over to the other side," added her family in their public statement.
Career highlights and tributes
Jordan was born in Birmingham, England, and raised in Montreal.
Her debut album, "Tell Somebody," was released in 1988, and she won the Juno award for most promising female vocalist of the year in 1989, as well as being nominated several times for best female vocalist.
"They played the 'Tell Somebody' video on Much Music a lot," recalled Sass Jordan in a past reflection. "I remember going in two weeks from relative obscurity to being recognized as the girl in the video."
Her second album, "Racine," released in 1992, included hits like "Make You a Believer."
She later served six seasons as a judge on Canadian Idol and toured alongside iconic bands including Aerosmith and The Rolling Stones.
"Sass taught me how to be in a rock and roll band and gave me my first rock and roll check," said former touring band drummer Taylor Hawkins.
Following the news, music festivals and fellow musicians shared tributes recognizing her lasting impact on the music community.
"Absolutely devastated to learn our good friend Sass Jordan has passed away. RIP TAKE THE HIGH ROAD EASY," posted Good For The Soul Ingersoll's Music Festival on Facebook.
Tributes continued to pour in from across the international rock community.
"Gutted to hear the wonderful Sass Jordan has passed at the young age of 63," said American rock singer Jeff Scott Soto, adding that she was "a very talented woman and artist."
Canadian musical peers also expressed sadness over her passing.
"This one hurts. She was such a life force. So talented and so much fun to be around. We will all miss her deeply," wrote Ottawa-based band The Cooper Brothers.
Medical condition and personal reflections
Although official channels did not formally list a cause of death, the singer had stepped back from professional commitments and canceled her remaining 2026 performances due to a serious medical condition, while industry insiders reported she had been battling cancer.
"Hearing that singer Sass Jordan has passed away at just 63 years old. Apparently she had been battling cancer," wrote rock radio personality Eddie Trunk on X, remembering her as a "Great talent and very nice person."
Her late 2000s album work also reflected deep personal exploration into nighttime anxieties and human emotion.
"I was thinking about how human beings seem to be more sensitive and worried about things from sunset to sunrise," explained Sass Jordan during the release of her 2009 album.
"When you're alone is when the fear of death really hits you, and I was trying to write songs that were related to the fears of the middle of the night."
Her family expressed their deep grief over the loss of the singer who touched colleagues and fans alike throughout her decades in the music industry.
With files from The Canadian Press, CityNews and CBC News