Amy Winehouse tributes pour in

Tributes continue to pour in for soul singer Amy Winehouse as fans and neighbours contribute to a growing pile of flowers, candles and messages outside of her London home a day after she was found dead.

Winehouse's mother has told a British newspaper the singer was not well when they met a day before she died.

The Sunday Mirror quotes Janis Winehouse as saying she believed it was "only a matter of time" before her daughter died. The 27-year-old singer was found dead at her London home on Saturday.

Janis told the tabloid: "She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn't hit me."

The family also issued a statement saying her death "leaves a gaping hole in our lives."

"Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece," the statement said.

Police say the cause of her death is being treated as "unexplained." A post-mortem is expected Monday or Tuesday.

Many in the entertainment world, who either knew her or worked with her, released statements and posted Twitter comments after the 27-year-old singer was confirmed dead.

British actor Russell Brand, a recovering drug addict, wrote a long tribute on his blog to Winehouse, pleading for addiction to be perceived "not as a crime or a romantic affectation but as a disease that will kill."

"Winehouse and I shared an affliction, the disease of addiction," said the 36-year-old comedian in his Sunday posting. "Addiction is a serious disease; it will end with jail, mental institutions or death."

'Shy, sweet girl'

"She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life," said producer Mark Ronson, who had worked closely with the singer.

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"I was honoured then and I am now that I had the opportunity to share the same tour and stage with Amy this year in Brazil … At our first meeting she was very shy, a sweet girl," said Grammy-nominated American singer Janelle Monae.

"There will never be a tone or vocal delivery like Amy's. May her music and voice live forever."

Josh Groban tweeted: "Drugs took her gift, her soul, her light, long before they took her life. RIP Amy."

"What a waste of a gifted person," said former American Idol Kelly Clarkson on her Twitter page. "What a shame she saw no hope and continued living her life in that manner. I have been that low emotionally and mentally and that is overwhelming."

"I'm so sad to hear the horrible news of Amy Winehouse's death. I'm so happy I knew you Amy...Rest Well. Gone Too Soon...we'll miss you!!" posted Usher.