Harry Belafonte has died at the age of 96 from congestive heart failure, his spokesperson has said.

The internationally-renowned singer, famous for hits such as “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song), passed away at home on Tuesday (25 April), Ken Sunshine confirmed to the New York Times.

Born in New York to parents who immigrated from the West Indies, Belafonte is credited with bringing the Calypso musical style to an international audience in the 1950s and won several Grammy awards for his work.

Belafonte was also a prominent activist in the American civil rights movement, and a close confidant of Martin Luther King.