Stephen Gately, the out gay singer for Irish pop group Boyzone, died this weekend. He was only 33 years old.

Gately died unexpected while vacationing with his husband Andrew Cowles on the Spanish island of Majorca.

A spokesman his family attributed the death to natural causes and ruled out drugs and suicide, BBC reports.

“It’s just a tragic accident is what we've been told and we're happy that that is correct information,” said Irish solicitor Gerald Kean, a spokesman for Gately's family.

“There is nothing untoward, it’s not drugs, we don’t believe, it’s not suicide, it’s not murder, it’s not a fight. That’s what we've been told.”

Obit: Stephen Gately of UK pop band Boyzone dies at 33 years-old [contd.]

A police spokesman in Spain said, “There are no signs of suspicious circumstances.” A post-mortem will be conducted Tuesday, according to BBC.

Boyzone was one of the most popular bands in the UK in the 1990s, scoring an unprecedented string of 17 top-five hits, including six UK number one singles and four number one albums. 

In 1999, Gately sent ripples through the pop music world and the band’s many female fans when he announced that he was gay.

“Stephen was the kindest, gentlest soul,” said Sir Elton John. “We send our love and condolences to his partner Andy and to all his friends everywhere.”

John and his partner David Furnish introduced Gately to Cowles in 2006.

After Boyzone disbanded in 2000, Gately embarked on a solo project and saw his first single New Beginning, from the album of the same name, climb to number three in the UK singles charts, the Telegraph reports.

He witnessed further top 20 success with the singles Stay in 2001 and I Believe in 2000, which featured on the soundtrack of the film Billy Elliot. But he was dropped by his label, Polydor, in 2001.

Gately then forged a successful career on the West End stage in a series of musicals, taking the lead role in Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and playing the Child Catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, according to the Telegraph. He also appeared on the ITV competition show Dancing on Ice.

In 2006 he married Cowles in a partnership ceremony in London in 2006.

Gately and his former bandmates re-formed Boyzone in 2007. They embarked on a string of comeback concerts but drew disappointing audiences on most stops, according to the Times. They were, nonetheless, planning to release a new album next year, according to BBC.

A statement from the four remaining members of Boyzone said, “We have shared such wonderful times together over the years and were all looking forward to sharing many more.

“Stephen was a beautiful person in both body and spirit. Our love and sympathy go out to Andrew and Stephen's family. We love you and will miss you forever.”

Source: BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Pop world mourns Boyzone's Gately