Leonard Cohen was a true renaissance man – a singer, songwriter, poet and novelist. He died at the age of 82 yesterday and his son, Adam, gave a statement that Leonard “passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles with the knowledge that he had completed what he felt was one of his greatest records. He was writing up until his last moments with his unique brand of humour.”

Cohen released his 14th album, “You Want It Darker”, in October. Review aggregation site Metacritic gave his latest album a 92% score, making it one of the best-reviewed albums of 2016. The Telegraph called it “a bleak masterpiece for hard times from pop’s longest-serving poet.”

Cohen received many honours for his artistic contributions over his lifetime, including induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was also a Companion of the Order of Canada, considered by many to be the nation’s highest civilian honour. Fellow Canadian icon Gordon Lightfoot said, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my contemporary, colleague, fellow Canadian and my dear friend Leonard Cohen. He loved music and his music affected millions of people around the world. He will be greatly missed. I offer my deepest condolences to his family as they grieve this tremendous loss.”

If you had to pick one piece of art that will define Leonard Cohen’s legacy, it would surely be “Hallelujah”. Initally released on his 1984 album “Various Positions”, it was not widely recognized at the time but it grew into legendary status over the years as it was subsequently covered by a wide range of singers including Jeff Buckley, Jon Bon Jovi and Justin Timberlake.

Leonard Cohen will be remembered as one of the most complex, nuanced and soulful artists in Canadian history. In a recent interview with The New Yorker, he said he was working on some new songs. However, he gave a caveat.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to finish those songs. Maybe, who knows? And maybe I’ll get a second wind, I don’t know. But I don’t dare attach myself to a spiritual strategy. I don’t dare do that. I’ve got some work to do. Take care of business. I am ready to die. I hope it’s not too uncomfortable. That’s about it for me.”