BREAKING Madonna protégé and Levi’s launderette model Nick Kamen dead at 59: Good friends Boy George and Susie Cave lead tributes to the star
- The Essex-born model, born Ivor Neville Kamen, was best known for his 1986 hit Each Time You Break My Heart and the iconic 1985 Levi’s 501 commercial
- His friend Boy George confirmed the news on Instagram on Wednesday, writing: ‘R.I.P to the most beautiful and sweetest man Nick Kamen!’
- After appearing in the Levi’s advert aged 18, Madonna spotted Nick and reached out to collaborate on his hit single, which she wrote and cameo-ed on
- In a BBC radio interview in 1986, the songstress said she was inspired by Kamen’s ‘charisma’ and ‘beautiful voice’, which led to the collaboration
- His music career spanned four LPs between 1987 and 1992
Madonna’s protégé and Levi’s launderette model Nick Kamen has passed away aged 59.
News of his death came after social media tributes arose on Wednesday, including an Instagram post by his friend Boy George, who shared a touching message, while Susie Cave took to the site to share a snap of her ‘dear friend’.
The Essex-born model, real name Ivor Neville Kamen, was best known for his Madonna-written 1986 hit Each Time You Break My Heart and the 1985 Levis 501 commercial, in which he famously stripped off in a launderette.
A number of social media users took to Twitter to pen tributes to the star, who was believed to be living in west London at the time of his death. The cause of his death is yet unknown.
Madonna protégé and Levi’s model Nick Kamen has passed away aged 59, with his friends Boy George and Susie Cave confirming the news with posts on Instagram
Alongside a throwback shot Boy George penned: ‘R.I.P to the most beautiful and sweetest man Nick Kamen!’
Director Mark Lebon, who is followed by designer Kim Jones, was first to share the news with an image alongside a caption reading: ‘RIP MY DEAR FRIEND’. An Instagram user called Lester Kamen posted a heart under the image.
The model made his appearance in the career-making Levi’s advert aged just 18 when he was first given the name ‘Nick’ – which he later adopted permanently.
In the iconic advert, he was seen stripping off and washing his clothes in front of a host of onlookers to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s 1968 hit Heard It Through The Grapevine.
The advert, which was directed by Roger Lyons, then caught the eye of many – including Madonna – who reached out to Nick leading to their collaboration, when she sent him a song she had written with Stephen Bray. They then joined forces on the track and he became her protégé.
Sad: The Essex born model, born Ivor Neville Kamen, was best known for his Madonna-written 1986 hit Each Time You Break My Heart and 1985 Levis 501 commercial (pictured in 1990)
The model made his appearances in his career-making Levi’s advert aged 18 when he was given the name ‘Nick’ – which he later adopted
In a BBC radio interview in 1986 Madonna said she was inspired by Kamen’s ‘charisma’ and ‘beautiful voice’, which led her to reaching out to him.
After they were made acquaintance, Madonna volunteered to write and produce the song Each Time You Break My Heart, where she also makes a cameo , singing background vocals in the bridge of the song towards the end.
His music career spanned four LPs between 1987 and 1992.
His relationship with Madonna hit headlines in the Eighties while she was dating Sean Penn. It was claimed that she had cheated with Nick – an accusation she staunchly denied despite claims although he was made ‘wildly jealous’.
Nick went on to have another public romance with famed wild child Amanda de Cadenet. She was also linked to actor Keanu Reeves and Duran Duran’s John Taylor.
An honour: The advert then caught the eye of many – including Madonna – who reached out to Nick leading to their collaboration, when she sent him a song she had written with Stephen Bray, which they then joined forces on
Film director Mark Lebon, who is followed in social media by Dior director Kim Jones, was first to share the news with an image alongside a caption reading: ‘RIP MY DEAR FRIEND’
After Boy George and Susie’s posts, fans flooded Twitter to respond to the news.
Fans wrote: ‘#NickKamen so sad ..handsome guy #hearditthroughthegrapevine great advert… Genuinely gutted to hear that Nick Kamen has passed away…
‘He walked into that laundrette, stripped to his boxers, Levi sales rocketed, we all swooned. When I ‘heard through the grapevine’ he had Burmese heritage, he became even more of an idol! RIP Broken heart’.
Nineties pop icon Kavana took to Twitter to write: ‘R.I.P Nick Kamen beautiful inside and out’.
News of the Levi’s star and Madonna protégé’s death on Tuesday night came after social media tributes arose the following morning when his friend Boy George shared a message on Instagram.
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