Though no official cause of death has been released, it has now been revealed that rock legend David Bowie was secretly battling liver cancer prior to his death on Sunday, January 10.
The trailblazer was 69 at the time of his death, and his passing came as a shock to fans who hadn’t known of his health struggles.
Director Ivo van Hove, a close friend and collaborator of Bowie’s, confirmed that his friend had liver cancer during a recent Dutch radio interview. Van Hove worked with Bowie on Lazarus, the musical written by the late star.
“The production of Lazarus, and also this new album, Blackstar, when you look at them both, you find so many lines and phrases that meant so much more than people knew before today,” van Hove told the New York Times.
Producer Tony Visconti previously called the album Blackstar “his parting gift.” Bowie’s final music video for the song “Lazarus” alludes to the late rocker’s death as he lies in a hospital bed and sings: “Look up here, I’m in heaven. I’ve got scars that can’t be seen.”