The 2021 Season 19 runner-up of American Idol, Willie Spence, passed away on Tuesday from injuries incurred in a car crash in Tennessee. He was 23.
Spence’s hometown newspaper DouglasNow.com, which is situated in Douglas, Georgia, broke the news of his passing. While specifics of the collision were not immediately known, TMZ reported that Spence hit a parked truck while traveling via Tennessee to his residence in Atlanta. Singer Katharine McPhee tweeted her condolences, saying that “Sweet @williespenceofficial went tragically in a car accident.” Spence and McPhee sang a duet of the song “The Prayer,” which was penned by McPhee’s husband David Foster, during their appearance in Season 19. 23 years old just. Nothing is ever guaranteed, and life is so unfair.
Spence As An American Idol Contestant
Spence’s San Diego audition of Rihanna’s “Diamonds” impressed Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie the Idol judges. Richie remarked that Spence was “so brilliant, I experienced chills on the first note.”Spence ultimately finished the season in second place, falling behind Chayce Beckham for the top spot. Later, Spence performed extensively and published an EP called The Voice. He had a performance set for Nov. 12 in London at the period of his passing.
Spence shared an Instagram video singing Selah’s “You Are My Hiding Place” while driving only hours before Tuesday’s accident. Spence was scheduled to perform for the first time in London on November 22 at Trinity Baptist Church Oasis House in Croydon, as per his Instagram. The Voice, a six-song EP by the singer, was launched in 2021. She also appeared on Briana Moir’s 2022 single “The Living Years.”
Willie Spence’s Early Life
At the tender age of three, he began his singing career, and he spent his formative years in Florida performing at the church of his grandfather. Shortly after, he began sharing his music covers on social media. In West Palm, Florida, on June 18, 1999, Willie Spence was born. His parents, Sharon Spence and Willie Spence Sr. raised him. The pair gave Spence a lot of encouragement as he pursued his artistic goals. He finished his further education at Georgia’s Coffee High School. In addition, he studied at Florida State University to further his education. Willie Spence, a self-described Instagram influencer, has a net worth of between $3–4 million.
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