Willie Spence
Willie Spence | |
|---|---|
| Spence performing on American Idol in 2021. | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Willie Spence |
| Born | June 18, 1999 West Palm Beach, Florida |
| Died | October 11, 2022 (aged 23) Jasper, Tennessee |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 2017–2022 |
Willie Spence (June 18, 1999 – October 11, 2022) was an American singer. He was a runner-up of Season 19 of American Idol at the age of 22.
Early life
Spence was born on June 18, 1999[1] in West Palm Beach, Florida and grew up in Douglas, Georgia after his family moved there.[2]
Musical career and American Idol
Spence posted online videos of him singing during his time in high school. In 2017, a video he had posted singing the Rihanna song "Diamonds" went viral on YouTube, eventually garnering over 15 million views.[2] This brought him significant attention, including an appearance on the talk show Steve, hosted by Steve Harvey.[3][2]
In 2021, Spence auditioned for season 19 of American Idol. His performances received a positive reception from the judges,[2] and Spence ended up placing second in the competition, only behind Chayce Beckham.[4]
Death and reactions
Spence was killed in a car accident on Interstate 24 near Chattanooga on October 11, 2022.[5] His death was reported by the Marion County Sheriff's Office.[6] According to WSB-TV in Atlanta, he was driving a Jeep Cherokee when he veered off I-24 at around 16:00 ET. His vehicle struck a car that was stopped on the shoulder of the road. The driver of that vehicle was not injured.[6]
Spence's death drew a large outpouring of sympathy. The official Instagram account for American Idol reposted a video of Spence's audition for the show, writing "We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence. He was a true talent who lit up every room he entered and will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his loved ones."[2]
Chayce Beckham, the winner of Season 19 of American Idol, posted a tribute on Instagram to the man he had bested that year. "He had a laugh that could make you melt, an honest humor you couldn't help but love, and the biggest heart you could imagine all wrapped up into one human".[3][4] Katharine McPhee, a former contestant on Season 5 of American Idol, who had also previously performed with Spence, also took to Instagram to express her sadness over Spence's death.[4]
References
- ^ "williespenceofficial". Twitter. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e France, Lisa Respers (October 12, 2022). "Willie Spence, 'American Idol' Season 19 runner-up, dead at 23". CNN. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Keeley, Matt (October 12, 2022). "RIP Willie Spence: Tributes pour in for "American Idol" singer after crash". Newsweek. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ a b c Whitaker, Sterling (October 12, 2022). "Chayce Beckham Tributes 'American Idol' Star Willie Spence After Fatal Crash". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media. Archived from the original on October 13, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ "'American Idol' finalist dies in vehicle crash". CTVNews. 2022-10-12. Retrieved 2022-10-12.
- ^ a b "Georgia-born American Idol star Willie Spence killed in car accident at 23". WSB-TV. October 12, 2022. Archived from the original on October 12, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.