Ryan Whyte Maloney, who appeared on The Voice US, has died at the age of 44.
According to the Clark County Coroner in Las Vegas, the singer and musician died by suicide (via People). The cause of death was listed by the coroner as a gunshot wound to the head.
Whyte Maloney was a contestant on the US version of the reality talent show The Voice in 2014. He was coached by Blake Shelton, and became one of the country singer-songwriter’s top five finalists.
In his blind audition, the late singer earned a four-chair turn from judges Shelton, Adam Levine, Usher and Shakira for his cover of ‘Lights’ by Journey.
Whyte Maloney was eliminated from the NBC singing contest in the Playoffs round, after performing ‘Second Chance’ by Shinedown. He later returned to The Voice for the season six finale that year.
He competed in the programme in the same season as Morgan Wallen.
Born in Traverse City, Michigan in 1981, the singer grew up playing the guitar, drums, cello and violin. He appeared as the frontman of the prog-rock band Indulge. In 2015, he left the group after 10 years to pursue a solo career.
He later released his debut solo album ‘Where I’ve Been’. Whyte Maloney also shared the tracks ‘Hillbilly’, ‘Michigan Moonlight’ and ‘Living With No Directions’, which were aired on country radio stations in Michigan, Nevada, Colorado and California.
Earlier this month, Whyte Maloney marked his birthday by sharing a post about his time on The Voice on Instagram. “When the opportunity arose to showcase my talent on The Voice, I was in a dire state during filming,” he wrote.
“Struggling financially, resorting to meagre scraps for sustenance from the hotel garbage and hallways, while those around me revelled carefreely with their family like they were on vacation, I stood there, trembling with fear, merely surviving.”
He continued: “A secret kept from all – moments before taking the stage, not only had I lost my voice the day prior, but tears streamed down my face. Thankfully, my parents were present to witness my performance.
“To the audience, I was just another act in the show, yet to me, that moment was a battle for my future, a testament to my dedication to my craft. Persistence is key – never falter, never surrender!”
In a later post, Whyte Maloney called his performance on the finale of The Voice “the best time of my life ever”.