The sudden passing of Dolores O’Riordan continues to reverberate around the music world.
As previously reported, the lead singer of veteran rock band The Cranberries died suddenly on Monday at the young age of 46.
The cause of death remains a mystery, but a few new details have emerged regarding this unfortunate piece of news.
According to O’Riordan’s longtime friend and Eleven Seven International Managing Director Dan Waite, per People Magazine, the Irish artist had left a voicemail on his phone mere hours before she died.
There was no signs of any kind at the time that the end was near.
“Dolores left me a voice message just after midnight last night stating how much she loved Bad Wolves’ version of Zombie,” said Waite of O’Riordan’s remix of The Cranberries’ 1994 hit track with the hard rock band, Bad Wolves.
He added:
“She was looking forward to seeing me in the studio and recording vocals.”
The singer was scheduled for a recording session on the day of her death.
Concluded Waite to People:
“She sounded full of life, was joking and excited to see me and my wife this week.
“The news of her passing is devastating and my thoughts are with Don her ex-husband, her children, and her mother.”
During O’Riordan’s run as the lead singer of this group, The Cranberries were responsible for eight top-20 hits, foremost among them “Linger,” “Zombie,” and “Dreams.”
Tweeted former co-musicians Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler upon learning of her death:
“We are devastated on the passing of our friend Dolores.
“She was an extraordinary talent and we feel very privileged to have been part of her life from 1989 when we started the Cranberries.
“The world has lost a true artist today.”
O’Riordan’s publicist, meanwhile, confirmed her passing in a statement to earlier in the day.
The statement reads as follows:
“Irish and international singer Dolores O’Riordan has died suddenly in London today. She was 46 years old.
“The lead singer with the Irish band The Cranberries was in London for a short recording session.
“No further details are available at this time. Family members are devastated to hear the breaking news and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
The band had canceled a number of tour dates last July due to ongoing back problems for O’Riordan, but she recently assured fans she was feeling much better.
In the wake of this news, sales of The Cranberries’ album “Something Else” surged 913,350% on Amazon.
Records by the group also dominated the Top 10 list of iTunes at the moment.
It can at least be comforting to know that music fans are realizing just what kind of special artist O’Riordan was, although the circumstances could not be any sadder.
Eleven Seven Music CEO Allen Kovac, who previously managed The Cranberries, also released a statement.
“From the very first time I met Dolores, I knew she was a great talent. Managing the Cranberries and being part of making ‘Zombie’ one of the biggest records of its time was a great professional honor,” he said, concluding:
“So when Dan Waite called me suggesting a collaboration with Dolores and Bad Wolves’ on Zombie, I was excited to once again be a part of the magic she was able to create.
“My heart goes out to her children, I hope they can find some peace despite this tragic event.”
