Divinyls Lead Singer Dead, Chrissy Amphlett Dies of Breast Cancer at 53

Chrissy Amphlett, lead singer for the Australian Rock Band, Divinyls, died of breast cancer and multiple sclerosis in her New York City home on Sunday at the age of 53.

She founded The Divinyls in the early '80s with Mark McEntee and Jeremy Paul, according to World News Australia.  Their biggest hit was a song the became famous in the early '90s and was entitled, "I Touch Myself."  It reached No. 1 in Australia and No. 4 in the United States in 1991, according to USA Today.

She died at home in New York surrounded by friends and family, including her musician husband Charley Drayton, according to World News Australia.

"Christine Joy Amphlett succumbed to the effects of breast cancer and multiple sclerosis, diseases she vigorously fought with exceptional bravery and dignity," said Drayton in a statement, according to The Associated Press. 

"Chrissy's light burns so very brightly. Hers was a life of passion and creativity. She always lived it to the fullest. With her force of character and vocal strength, she paved the way for strong, sexy, outspoken women," said her cousin Patricia 'Little Pattie' Thompson in a statement, according to World News Australia.

"She was one of Australia's greatest female rock voices, who shocked audiences across the globe with her risque image and lyrics," wrote World News Australia.

"She was honored with the Hall of Fame by ARIA, and if anyone really deserved such an award it was her because she was not only a pioneer of what she fought for with breast cancer ... but as the lead singer of the Divinyls (she was) one of the first female acts to really, really head a band in this country," Molly Meldrum, music critic and producer, told Seven News, according to World News Australia.

Twitter has also been used to honor Amphlett's memory.

"RIP my dear friend Chrissie love you and will miss you," tweeted Jimmy Barnes.

"Dear Chrissie, The last time I saw you was in the Botanic Gardens, loving life and reciting verse. That's how I'll remember you, your boy, R," tweeted Russell Crowe, who had appeared on stage with Amphlett in the first Australian production of Willy Russell's musical Blood Brothers in 1988.

Amphlett announced to her fans that she had multiple sclerosis in 2007 and that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, according to USA Today.

"My illnesses have really exhausted this little body of mine that I have thrown from one end of the stage to another and performed thousands of shows that sadly some of you missed. With that said I am getting stronger but there is still some fine tuning and work to be done on myself," she wrote on her Facebook page in March of last year, according to World News Australia.

Fellow musicians and other artists have been performing tributes to honor Amphlett's memory since her death on Friday.