This week marks 10 years since The Voice star Christina Grimmie was murdered in Florida. Grimmie competed on Season 6 of The Voice, finishing in third place on Adam Levine’s team.
It’s Been 10 Years Since Christina Grimmie’s Murder
On June 10, 2016, 22-year-old singer Christina Grimmie was shot and killed by an obsessive fan at a meet and greet near downtown Orlando, Florida. Her killer, identified as Kevin James Loibl, was tackled to the ground by Grimmie’s brother Marcus, but Loibl escaped and fatally shot himself. Grimmie died that night.
Grimmie built a following on YouTube with her song covers. In 2011, she opened for Selena Gomez & the Scene and released her first EP, titled Find Me. Her debut album, With Love, was released in 2013.
In 2014, she competed on Season 6 of The Voice, with Adam Levine as her coach. She finished the show in third place, later signing with Island Records and releasing her second EP, titled Side A. Before her death, she had also started to pursue an acting career.
“God, I loved her so much,” Levine said of Grimmie on an episode of The Voice after her death. “I miss her. It is unfair she is not here. We are going to sing a little song. I am going to be singing every word to her in her honor … Christina, we love you.”
In 2017, Grimmie’s family launched the Christina Grimmie Foundation in the singer’s memory. The organization supports the families of gun violence victims. Earlier this month, the foundation hosted Grimmie Fest, celebrating the singer’s life.
Additionally, a posthumous single by Grimmie titled “Eyes of Your Storm” was released, along with a YouTube documentary about the singer. On the anniversary of her death, Grimmie’s family released a statement on Instagram.
“It’s hard to believe ten years have passed since we lost Christina,” the post reads. “And yet here we are, still surrounded by so much love, still feeling her everywhere. We are humbled, every single day, by the way this community has carried her forward.”
They encouraged fans to donate to the Christina Grimmie Foundation’s 10 for TEN campaign by texting 10FORTEN to 44-321.
Words by:
Jill O'Rourke Jill O’Rourke is a contributor at Talent Recap, writing news stories and recaps for shows like ‘AGT,’ ‘The Voice,’ and ‘American Idol.’ She graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and Film Studies, and has been writing about pop culture since 2012, with previous bylines at Crushable and A Plus. Jill spends her free time binge-watching sitcoms and daydreaming about life as a hobbit
