Nocturnal 
Canadian rock singer Sass Jordan, best known for her 1992 hit “Make You a Believer” and her decade on the judging panel of Canadian Idol, has died. She was reported by various outlets to be either 63 or 65.
Jordan’s family announced her death in a post on her social media pages, saying she died on Friday 2 October, “surrounded by her loving family” as she “peacefully crossed over to the other side.” The family described her as “an inimitable force of nature” and “an irreplaceable being of light and joy,” according to the statement shared by her publicist, Eric Alper, and reported by Yahoo and the Toronto Sun.
No cause of death has been released. The Toronto Sun noted that Jordan had announced plans in August to join the Road Hammers and the Sadies’ Travis Good for a benefit concert in Calgary next month, suggesting her death came suddenly.
Who was Sass Jordan
Born in Birmingham, England, Jordan moved to Montreal with her family as a child, where sources differ on whether she was three or a young teenager at the time. She began fronting bands in Montreal clubs as a teenager, later working as a session vocalist and songwriter before launching her own recording career.
Her debut single, “Tell Somebody,” reached number 11 on the Canadian charts in 1988 and earned her the Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist in 1989. She picked up further Juno nominations for Best Female Vocalist in 1990, 1993 and 1995.
After relocating to Los Angeles in 1990, Jordan recorded her biggest-selling album, “Racine,” which sold an estimated 450,000 copies worldwide and produced the hit “Make You a Believer.” She went on to tour as support for Aerosmith, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Van Halen, cementing her reputation as one of Canadian rock’s most recognisable voices.
In 2003 Jordan joined Canadian Idol as a judge, a role she held for the show’s entire six-season run, introducing her to a new generation of viewers beyond her rock fanbase.
She is survived by her husband, musician Derek Sharp, best known as lead singer of The Guess Who, their daughter Stella Jordan-Sharp, stepdaughter Brianne Sharp, and her brother Daniel Jordan. Jordan and Sharp met in 1995 when he played guitar in her band, and he went on to produce and co-write music on several of her later albums.
Why it matters
Tributes have poured in from across the Canadian music industry. Three Days Grace singer Adam Gontier said Jordan “had such an incredible impact on Canada,” while Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes, a long-time friend, wrote: “So suddenly, I’m heartbroken… RIP, my Sasseroonie Girl.” Rock singer Lee Aaron added: “Heaven’s choir just got a kick-ass new addition,” and former Canadian Idol colleague Jully Black called her loss “gone too soon.”
Jordan’s publicist described her as someone who “carved out space for women in a genre long dominated by men” during her near four-decade career, opening doors for younger musicians who passed through her band.
Her family has asked for privacy while they grieve and thanked fans “for the love and music they shared with Sass across her remarkable life.” As it stands, no further details on her death or funeral arrangements have been made public.
