Dame Jools Topp, one half of New Zealand’s beloved folk duo the Topp Twins, has died of breast cancer at the age of 68. She died peacefully at her home on Saturday, with her twin sister Lynda, brother Bruce, close friends and pets by her side.

The announcement immediately drew tributes from across New Zealand’s public life, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calling Topp a “New Zealand icon” and saying she “lived a life of purpose” and left behind “a legacy of humour, warmth and joy that will endure.” He also sent his thoughts to Lynda and other loved ones. Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern thanked Topp for all she did for Aotearoa, while singer Hollie Smith called her a “pioneer” and a “true treasure,” describing her as “a powerhouse of kindness, laughter, wit and cheek.”

The Topp family said they were announcing the death with “deep sorrow and unimaginable grief,” calling Jools their “beloved sister and daughter” and “a true warrior woman.” They said she was wise, courageous, generous, inspiring and funny, and said they would miss her forever.

Topp’s death has landed hard because the affection for her was already so broad and so public. As one half of the Topp Twins, she was part of a duo that helped shape New Zealand’s folk landscape and became known well beyond music for warmth, humour and a stubborn refusal to fit neatly into anyone else’s idea of what performers should be. That reach was clear in the flood of tributes from fans, friends and public figures after her death was announced.

Among the most direct was Paul Ellis, who said Topp had “changed the world,” adding that she broke down barriers “with love and laughter.” He said the planet, which she called Mother Earth, was better because of her. That is the measure of the loss now: not just that a much-loved entertainer has gone, but that the person many New Zealanders saw as a national original is gone too. The answer to what happens next is already in motion — the tributes will keep coming, but the lasting story is the same one those tributes point to, a life remembered for courage, joy and the way it changed the country around her.