Ryan Whyte Maloney, a contestant from Season 6 of “The Voice” who earned all four judges’ chair turns, has passed away at the age of 44.
He was pronounced dead at 2:50 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson from the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner. His death was ruled a suicide.
Efforts to contact a representative for Maloney, as well as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, for further details are ongoing.
Maloney, who had performed at the Ole Red Las Vegas opening last year, was set to take the stage for upcoming shows at the Blake Shelton-owned venue. His next performance, part of what he referred to as an “ongoing residency” on his website, was scheduled for Friday night.
On his website, Maloney described his music as a blend of alt-country, classic rock, R&B, and hip hop. He shared that he began playing instruments at the age of 9. In 2005, he released his debut album, Tomorrow’s Another Day, followed by a 12-song album titled Where I’ve Been. Before his appearance on The Voice, he performed at countless small clubs and honky-tonk bars, in addition to playing at national festivals for audiences of over 250,000 people while promoting his music.
During his audition on The Voice, Maloney performed Journey’s “Lights” and earned a four-chair turn from Shakira, Usher, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine. After advancing past the Battle Rounds, he was eliminated as one of Shelton’s finalists.
According to his website, Maloney expressed optimism about his future, seeing himself as a continued success in the Las Vegas music scene, performing at corporate events and in showrooms.
His bio describes Ryan as someone who dreams big and relentlessly pursues his goals, guided by the motto, “Only those who see the invisible, accomplish the impossible,” reflecting his charismatic approach to his music career.
