Madonna protégé and Levi’s model Nick Kamen passes away at 59

Model Nick Kamen has passed away aged 59. 

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.

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.

A number of social media users took to Twitter to pen tributes to the star and share his music videos, while Boy George posted an image of the duo. 

Nick’s featured in his career-making role in the Levi’s advert aged 18 when he appeared as ‘Nick’ – the name he later adopted. 

In the clip, the model was seen stripping off and washing his clothes in front of a host of onlookers in a laundrette to the sound of Marvin Gaye’s 1968 hit Heard It Through The Grapevine.

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. 

In a BBC radio interview in 1986 that she was inspired by Kamen’s ‘charisma’ and ‘beautiful voice’, which drew 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.