"So much history collapsing before our eyes" – Artists pay tribute as Notre Dame in Paris burns

The world of music reacts to tragic news from Paris

The world of music has paid tribute after news broke Paris’ iconic Notre Dame Cathedral had caught fire.

The cause of the major incident at the 850 year-old landmark is not clear, but officials have said it may be related to current restoration work.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently at the scene, said his thoughts were with “all Catholics and all French people.”

In dramatic footage below, one of the spires of the cathedral came crashing down.

Barack Obama also expressed his sadness, tweeting: “Notre Dame is one of the world’s great treasures, and we’re thinking of the people of France in your time of grief. It’s in our nature to mourn when we see history lost – but it’s also in our nature to rebuild for tomorrow, as strong as we can.”

French megastar Christine and the Queens led the way with tributes, saying: “It is because it seemed eternal and immutable that the heart is tightening to see it in flames”

“So much history collapsing right before our eyes. Heartbroken for Notre-Dame and Paris.”

Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus tweeted that he was “sending love to Paris”, while Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos said he “can’t believe what’s happening,” and Mandy Moore said she was “heartbroken.

Jesse Hughes, who’s band Eagles Of Death Metal, were caught up in the Bataclan attack in Paris in 2015 which left 89 people dead, also paid his respects on Instagram in French.

He wrote: “Like everyone who turned on the TV this morning, I was confronted with the terrible news that our beloved symbol of Paris and the Holy Church, our Lady, is on fire …. It is on fire !!!! My intestinal reaction was that I needed to get on a flight and go back to Paris …. I feel desperate and helpless …. I ask all those who read that to bend a knee before Almighty God and to pray …. Pray for my beloved Paris, pray for my beloved people of France, pray for our Catholic brothers and sisters, pray for the respite of this calamity … Pray for firefighters and men and the women of the police, pray for the wonderful mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, that she could have the strength to lead our people from Paris through this … please Lord, listen to our prayers today.”

Hughes added: “To all my friends and the family in France and Paris I love you with all my heart and if there is something that I can do personally, I will do it without hesitation anything I pray for the relief of Paris and I pray for these things at name of our Holy Lord Jesus Christ!”

Warren Ellis, meanwhile, tweeted an image of the fire as seen from a distance, apparently taken by the musician himself.

The National tweeted in French that “our hearts are broken” by the images of the cathedral. They added in English: “Paris you are in our hearts.”

Band member Aaron Dessner also took to Instagram to pay his respects with the following words: “Took my children to Notre-Dame a few days ago for the first time. Heartbroken for this beautiful city my brother calls home and a strange feeling to play our new songs in Paris for the first time while the cathedral burns. Hope no one has been injured.”

SWMRS said: “This is absolutely devastating. We’ve had the honor of frequently going to Paris. They’ve taken us in as one of their own. Seeing the art and history is such a highlight of this job. This video just breaks our hearts.”

Camilla Cabello said: “My heart is breaking seeing the fire at notre dame. I’ll never forget walking in the first time in Paris and being in awe of the beauty of it.”

Cher, meanwhile, added that she was “praying for Notre Dame”, while Mark Ronson said in French that he was “infinitely sad”.

Amanda Palmer said: “To my friends & the community in Paris – I love you. I cannot imagine the score of your feelings. Notre Dame has been a small thread in my life; I’ve drawn it, photographed it, fallen in love with someone I met in front of it. Thinking about how this happened is…the hardest.”

Garbage also tweeted a short message saying: “Ugh. Notre Dame,” with a broken heart next to the tribute, while The Gaslight Anthem’s Brian Fallon added: “Awful news about Notre Dame fire.”