Anthony Riley — a recent contestant on NBC’s The Voice — has died by alleged suicide. The above video shows Riley’s initial audition for the show, which lead to the judges turning their chairs around quicker than with any other contestant.
According to Deadline, the 28-year-old street performer was battling ongoing issues with drug addiction:
The judges competed to mentor him, but Riley ultimately chose Pharell Williams, and went on to win his first battle round. However, he abruptly left the show after that victory, at the time chocked up to “personal” issues. Riley later went public with his struggle to overcome substance addiction, and confirmed that he had left The Voice to seek treatment at a rehab facility in Philadelphia.
Philly.com reports that after he left the show, NBC paid for Riley’s time in rehab. Before making waves on The Voice, Riley was voted Philadelphia’s best street performer in 2014.
(Via Deadline and Philly.com)
