Singer Mikaben dies at 41 after going into cardiac arrest onstage in Paris
Mikaben, who rose to fame with her album “Unfinished Sympathy” which went multiplatinum in the U.S. and sold more than a million copies worldwide, died Tuesday night from a cardiac arrest she experienced while performing at the Paris Bataclan concert hall.
“Unfinished Sympathy” was Mikaben’s breakthrough hit, but it’s one of the hardest pop records to put in a category. The song tells the story of a disillusioned 20-something woman in love with her teenage boyfriend who is unable to commit because of his mother, a devout Christian. Mikaben was born in California and moved to Paris when she was a child with her mother and two brothers.
“She was the kind of person that made everyone feel good about themselves. She did things that were a little bit taboo – and still do to a large extent,” said Billie Eilish, who collaborated with Mikaben on the song “Bad Guy,” which she wrote about her struggle with mental illness and drug abuse.
“She always let her true feelings shine through,” Eilish said.
“I think people are going to have to take a minute and put that aside. She was a very special person who will never be forgotten,” Eilish added.
Mikaben’s death was confirmed by her publicist, and it was not reported by any major news outlets, including Rolling Stone. An autopsy will be performed Tuesday.
Mikaben’s husband, Nick, also died in the attack, French news outlets reported. Both were 46 years old.
The singer’s death came an hour after the Parisian attack at the Bataclan theater that left 85 dead, including 129 who were wounded. Mikaben was not performing at the Bataclan on Tuesday night, but was set to perform Thursday at the Grand Palais – one of the largest venues in Paris.
“We would like to express our love for the audience and to all those who have suffered loss and grief,” Eilish said Thursday morning by phone. “Tonight we all have so much to be grateful for and remember each other’s strength.”
She thanked her fans for their support as she continued to recover