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Teena Marie, RIP

Teena Marie

The death of R&B legend Teena Marie continues to shock fans, who still can’t comprehend the “Lovergirl” singer’s unexpected passing at age 54 on Sunday.

“My heart is broken,” “The Talk” co-host Holly Robinson Peete told CNN analyst Roland S. Martin. “Teena Marie was an R&B Empress, a music pioneer, a brilliant songwriter/producer with the most original powerhouse vocals ever. Nobody sang like Teena! But above all she was an exceptional human being, a humanitarian and an authentic friend who I will miss dearly.”

En Vogue member Cindy Herron echoed Peete’s sentiments: “It’s a loss for those who loves her music, but also the music world,” she told Martin. “She still had so much to offer.”

According to Marie’s publicist, Lynn Jeter, the superstar suffered a grand mal seizure last month while watching a movie with her 18-year-old daughter. She was then put on medication that made her suicidal, so Marie “reduced the meds herself,” says Jeter. Marie was looking forward to performing at a gig in Atlanta this week, but that concert never came to pass. “She evidently died in her sleep and her daughter found her,” Jeter says.

Still, the “Square Biz” singer’s legacy will live on, says Lionel Richie. [CNN]

RIP Teena Marie. Video news coverage, tributes and songs below…

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