‘Voice ‘contestant Anthony Riley dies in apparent suicide
NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images‘Voice’ rival Anthony Riley was found dead Friday in apparent suicide.
Anthony Riley, who appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” in January, has taken his own life. He was 28.
Riley was found dead in his apartment in Philadelphia after an apparent suicide, friend Tootsie lovine told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Riley left the singing competition in the winter to enter rehab for substance abuse.
“We are sad over the passing of Anthony Riley,” NBC said in a statement. “We offer our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this very hard time.”
NBC/Tyler Golden/NBCAnthony Riley (l.) with Travis Ewing on NBC’s ‘The Voice.’ Riley was found dead in his apartment after an apparent suicide.
NBC/Tyler Golden/NBC
Anthony Riley, here with Carson Daly and Travis Ewing on ‘The Voice,’ left the show in the winter to enter rehab for substance abuse.
NBC/Tyler Golden/NBC
Riley got his start in singing as a road performer.
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At the time of his blind audition, all four judges including Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Pharrell Williams immediately turned their chairs for him during his performance of James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Excellent).”
Riley went on to pick Williams as his coach before his premature exit.
“It’s tough, because everyone’s just finding out and I’ve been moving forward,” he told the Inquirer back in March after leaving “The Voice.”
Riley got his start in singing as a road performer and was named the “city’s best” in Philadelphia Magazine in 2014.
“The city was his family. Everybody knew him, he couldn’t walk two steps without someone saying, ‘Anthony, how you doin’?’” his sister Halima Miley said to the Inquirer following his passing.
“The public loved him.”
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