Remembering Former “The Voice” Contestants Who Have Died

‘The Voice’ has lost several rising stars since the franchise’s inception in 2011

The Voice has lost a number of former contestants since the inception of the franchise back in 2011.

In September 2026, the first-ever winner of The Voice of Holland, Ben Saunders, died at the age of 43. Saunders was found dead at the Rijkerswoerdse Plassen, a popular recreational lake in the Netherlands.

The Voice of Holland was the original iteration of The Voice franchise, which has since expanded to over 150 locations around the world, according to ITV. Over the years, the singing competition has jumpstarted the careers of stars like Morgan Wallen, Cassadee Pope and Danielle Bradbery.

Ahead, remember all The Voice contestants who died since appearing on the show.

01 of 12

Ben Saunders

Saunders, who won the first season of The Voice of Holland in 2011, was found dead in a popular recreational lake in the Netherlands on Sept. 15, 2026. He was 43.

His brother, Dean Saunders, announced the singer’s death on Instagram.

“My dear little brother passed away today… I have never felt pain like this before… what a terrible day for all of us… We have to learn to live with this, and I hope it is treated with respect…” he wrote alongside a throwback photo of the two brothers.

“Ben had a beautiful family and relatives who love him dearly — and I always will, too… Ben is in my heart, and he will stay there forever ❤️🙏,” he concluded in the post, translated from Dutch.

02 of 12

Dylan Carter

Dylan Carter competed on season 24 of The Voice, where he was coached by country music star Reba McEntire.

On April 25, 2026, he died in a car accident in Colleton County, S.C. The singer was 24 years old at the time.

“We will miss Dylan so much,” McEntire wrote on her Instagram Stories shortly after his death was announced. “He was a brilliant, kind and talented young man who brought a huge ray of sunshine to The Voice. Rest in peace, my dear friend.”

03 of 12

Leo Rosas

Leo Rosas was the runner-up on season 8 of La Voz, a.k.a. Mexico’s version of The Voice.

He died at the age of 27 in February 2026, per American Songwriter.

04 of 12

Dean Franklin

Dean Franklin appeared on The Voice U.K. in 2016.

In January 2026, the dad of one revealed that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. He died a few weeks later, on Feb. 7, at the age of 36.

“As a family, we are truly heartbroken to announce that our precious boy, Dean Franklin who fought so courageously over 8 weeks and 3 days passed over at 21.39pm last night,” Franklin’s mother, Marie, wrote on Facebook at the time. “He was surrounded by love.”

05 of 12

Ifunanya Nwangene

Ifunanya Nwangene of The Voice Nigeria rose to fame as a contestant on season 3 of the show.

In January 2026, the 26-year-old died after being bitten by a snake, per The Guardian.

06 of 12

Ryan Whyte Maloney

Ryan Whyte Maloney appeared on The Voice in 2014 and later died by suicide at the age of 44 on Jan. 28, 2025.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever fully come to terms with losing Ryan,” fellow season 6 alum Cali Tucker wrote on Facebook at the time. “… His energy was so vibrant, so full of life, even when he was hurting. Ryan changed my life in ways I can never repay.”

07 of 12

Matt Snook

Matt Snook was a contestant on season 8 of The Voice under the tutelage of fellow country music singer Blake Shelton.

Snook was diagnosed with kidney cancer a few years later and died at the age of 51 in August 2024.

“Not once have I asked myself…why me? I’m not angry or bitter,” he told Missouri’s The Platte County Citizen in April 2024. “I’m not angry or bitter. The only time I’ve been emotional is when I was thinking of people or memories I am thankful for. My life is full of many blessed chapters.”

08 of 12

Nolan Neal

Nolan Neal, who appeared on both The Voice and America’s Got Talent, was found dead at his Nashville residence on July 18, 2022. He was 41.

Neal’s cousin, Dylan Seals, told PEOPLE that he “ultimately succumbed to his battle with substance abuse.” His cause of death was later determined to be “acute combined drug toxicity.”

“He was a natural-born entertainer and it was obvious to all of us from an early age. He blew us all away with his incredibly powerful vocal delivery and songwriting,” Seals said at the time in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “Working with him in the studio was awe-inspiring.”

“My heart goes out to his two children and his mother Cathy,” he concluded.

09 of 12

Janice Freeman

Janice Freeman, who was coached by pop star Miley Cyrus on season 13 of The Voice, died on March 2, 2019. She was 33.

Freeman died of complications from pneumonia and a blood clot, according to her management team.

“I miss you so much it hurts. Everywhere ….. but so did you. So often. So much pain and no one would ever notice because of the smile and joy you constantly radiated,” Cyrus wrote on Instagram two days later. “I am trying my best today to celebrate your existence but I can’t help but just deeply mourn over your absence.”

“I will never forget you or stop loving you,” she added.

10 of 12

Beverly McClellan

Beverly McClellan competed on the first season of The Voice back in 2011 with Team Christina. In 2018, she died at the age of 49 after being diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

“Beverly went home at 4:36 p.m.,” her wife, Monique, wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post. “She was surrounded by so much love and we shared some beautiful last days. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of us. We appreciate all of the love you have given and the good vibes you have sent. Peace love and light to you and your loved ones.”

The Voice also shared a statement on Instagram in light of her death. “The only thing greater than Beverly McClellan’s voice was her heart. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and fans during this difficult time,” the statement read.

11 of 12

Christina Grimmie

Christina Grimmie’s death shocked The Voice fans when she was shot and killed during a meet and greet on June 10, 2016.

The singer was just 22 years old at the time. She made it to the finals of season 6 of The Voice and signed with Island Records following her departure from the show. After her death, her family launched the Christina Grimmie Foundation to raise proceeds for families affected by gun violence.

12 of 12

Anthony Riley

Anthony Riley found success on season 8 of The Voice, however his time on the show was cut short when he left to enter rehab.

Riley was later found dead at his home in Philadelphia in June 2015. He was 28.

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