Ryan Whyte Maloney, a former contestant on The Voice, tragically died at the age of 44 on Tuesday. The singer was found dead in his Las Vegas home.

The Clark County coroner confirmed that Ryan’s death was a suicide, with TMZ reporting the official cause as a gunshot wound to the head. In the hours leading up to his untimely passing, Ryan posted a video on his Instagram Stories from what seemed to be a bar.

“Nine fine Irishmen for a private party tonight, and we will be rocking,” he declared in the video shared just a day before his death.

Ryan shot to stardom after appearing on Season 6 of The Voice back in 2014. His rendition of Journey’s hit song Lights during the blind auditions won him a place on Blake Shelton’s team.

He proved to be a strong contender, making it into Blake’s Top 5 and performing in the Season 6 finale after several intense battle rounds,

During his time on the show, Ryan showcased his talent through performances of four songs: Tina Turner’s What’s Love Got To Do With It, Shinedown’s Second Chance, Rascal Flatt’s Easy, and Journey’s Lights. Born in Traverse City, Michigan, in 1981, Ryan had a deeply musical upbringing, mastering the guitar, violin, cello, and drums from a young age.

Ryan later took the lead in the prog-rock band, recording the album “Tomorrow’s Another Day” in 2005. After a decade of touring with the group, he began to focus on his solo work, according to People.

His debut solo album “Where I’ve Been” was produced by none other than Sean O’Dwyer, known for his work with The Black Crowes, Roger Waters, and Pink Floyd.

Between 2010 and 2013, Ryan performed his original tracks like “Hillbilly,” “Michigan Moonlight,” and “Living with No Directions” across the nation. His music was already making waves on country radio stations in Michigan, Nevada, Colorado, and California.

Following his stint on The Voice in 2014, Ryan continued to make strides in his music career. Besides singing and penning songs for other artists, he also honed his skills as a studio musician, engineer, and producer.

In January 2023, Ryan released a single titled “Don’t Put Me in a Box” on country radio, followed by “Love with Nowhere to Go,” “Sleepwalk,” and “Toast To Tonight.”

He was a regular act at the opening of Blake’s venue Ole Red last year. Over his career, Ryan has had the privilege of sharing the stage with big names like Tim McGraw, Morgan Wallen, Rascal Flatts, Shakira, Usher, Ed Sheeran, and more.

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