On Thursday, news broke that Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington has reportedly died after committing suicide. (Bustle reached out to a rep for the band and to the LAPD, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.) As details continue to emerge, many stars have turned to social media to honor the late musician, and while the range of responses is wide, Rihanna's tribute to Chester Bennington shows just how far his music reached. "Literally the most impressive talent I've ever seen live! Vocal beast!" she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of Bennington and a string of crying face emojis.
Rihanna's interests, of course, are vast, but her own sound is a far cry from the hard-edged rock of Bennington's band, so she's not exactly at the top of the list when you think of hardcore stans. But her influences run the gamut from Madonna's '80s-born pop to Bob Marley's legendary reggae, and she's actually a noted Linkin Park fan. During a 2015 interview with Vice's i-D in which she listed a selection of songs that shaped her life, she revealed she likes to listen to "anything by Linkin Park" while working out.
And you needn't look far to see the extent of Bennington's impact. Rihanna is just one in a chorus of celebrities mourning his legacy, including Chance the Rapper, One Republic, Juicy J, and many others. "Chester was one of the kindest men I've had on my show," Jimmy Kimmel offered on Twitter. "My heart breaks for his family and friends. He will be missed terribly."
Empire star Gabourey Sidibe, meanwhile, shared how Linkin Park's 2007 album, My December, helped her work through rough times. "RIP Chester Bennington. This feels like a kick in the chest," she tweeted. "My December has pulled me through many times. Depression is a real monster."
And former Yellowcard frontman Ryan Key remembered Bennington's spirit. "Each time I was lucky enough to be around @ChesterBe, he was an encouraging, positive force," he wrote on Twitter. "Rock and roll will never fill the space he left."
The details surrounding Bennington's death are still murky, but one thing is clear: His music has touched the lives of many.
