Willie Spence, a runner-up of last year's American Idol, has died in a car crash at the age of 23. The singer's Jeep reportedly "left the roadway" and collided with the back of a tractor-trailer that was stopped on the hard shoulder near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Spence, who was from Georgia, finished second to Chayce Beckham on season 19 of American Idol last year. Hours before the fatal collision, Spence had uploaded a video of himself singing to his social media accounts.
According to a report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Marion County medical examiner, both Spence and the driver of the tractor-trailer were wearing seatbelts. The other driver was not injured.
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The signing competition released a statement saying: "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."
Alyssa Wray, who shared the American Idol stage with Spence, said she was "so heartbroken" in a post on Instagram. She said Spence was "a soul that people were drawn to".
"He had a voice that was hand-made and hand-picked by God himself and bestowed on him to touch lives," Wray added.
Spence's journey in the singing competition began with an audition performance of Diamonds by Rihanna, during his audition in front of judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan.
The latter paid tribute to Spence in a statement on Twitter. He said that Spence “could change the mood instantly when he started singing... he will truly be missed."
Spence was due to perform in London for the first time. In a video posted to his Instagram account, he shared a snippet of new music and announced the show, at Trinity Baptist Church in Croydon on November 12.
"I am excited, I am extremely grateful," he said at the time. "I am honoured, I cannot wait to meet all of my UK fans, it's a dream come true."
A spokesperson for the Tennessee Highway Patrol said the agency is investigating why Spence's car veered off the road.
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