Anthony Riley, ‘The Voice’ Contestant, Found Dead At 28

Anthony Riley, a Philadelphia street performer who competed on the last season of The Voice, was found dead in an apparent suicide last Friday. He was 28.

Anthony Riley Found Dead

Riley, who had struggled with substance abuse, took his own life in the basement of his Philadelphia apartment building, reported the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Within seconds of his rendition of James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good)” on The Voice, Riley had each of the four judges turned around. Riley, who ultimately chose to work with Pharrell Williams, had been a beloved street performer in Philadelphia before getting his big break on NBC’s singing competition show.

In January, Riley walked away from the show following the first battle round. He admitted to producers that the stress of the show was making it difficult for him to deal with his substance abuse issues. Upon leaving the show, Riley went through a rehabilitation program. By March, he had started working on an album.

“We are sad over the passing of Anthony Riley,” NBC said in a statement to People. “We offer our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this very difficult time.”

During his days performing throughout Philadelphia, he’d shared his talents at Reading Terminal Market, Penn’s Landing and Independence Hall, as well as other areas throughout the city. A notable busker, Riley was profiled in the Inquirer in 2010 and was named Philadelphia’s best street performer in Philadelphia Magazine in 2014.