Tributes are being paid to US singer Prince, who died at the age of 57 on Thursday.

The cause of his death remains unclear, but celebrity website TMZ said he had been treated for a drug overdose in the week before his death.

Famous names from the world of music and showbiz have been expressing their shock at his death, and paying tribute to his contribution to music

While shocked fans have laid bouquets and purple balloons outside his home in Minnesota.

Irish Independent journalist Barry Egan interviewed the singer in Paris back in 2011.

"Suddenly Prince just arrived - I was sitting on a table outside the actual toilet of this massive suite, and suddenly this little guy high-fived me and asked me was I the Irish guy, and I asked him was he the American guy", he told Newstalk Breakfast.

"The last thing an Irish guy wants to do is try and be cool with Prince - cause it's just ridiculous - so we both laughed".

"He looked amazing - he looked like Jimi Hendrix channeling Dot Cotton".

"He was wearing these long, velvet pants that looked like they were probably curtains from a five-star hotel in a previous life".

"He looked really cool, even though he was tiny".

"He didn't really say a lot...he was quite a shy guy. He was deliberately sitting in-between all his backing singers and they spoke more than he did".

The singer then went to make tea for everyone.

But Egan says: "Live, he was better than anyone I ever saw".