‘The Voice’ Season 6 Alum Ryan Whyte Maloney Dies at 44
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The Voice Season 6 alum Ryan Whyte Maloney has reportedly died by suicide at the age of 44. Maloney turned four chairs in his Blind Audition and competed on Blake Shelton’s team, but was eliminated in the Live Playoffs round.
The Voice‘s Ryan Whyte Maloney Dies at 44
The Clark County Coroner in Las Vegas confirmed to Deadline that Maloney died by suicide in Monday, January 27. In Maloney’s final post on Instagram stories, he reportedly shared that he was performing at the Nine Five Irishmen pub for a “private party.”
Maloney was originally from Traverse City, Michigan. He auditioned for The Voice in 2014 with a cover of “Lights” by Journey. The performance made all four coaches (Adam Levine, Shakira, Usher, and Blake Shelton) turn their chairs. Maloney chose to join Team Blake.
The singer made it through the Battles and the Knockouts, performing songs by Tina Turner and Rascal Flatts. In the Live Playoffs, he performed “Second Chance” by Shinedown. Unfortunately, he was eliminated after this round of the competition.
According to People, Maloney frequently performed at Shelton’s Ole Red bar in Las Vegas, where he had a weekend residency. He released his first solo album, titled Where I’ve Been, in 2015. Previously, Maloney was the frontman for a rock band called Indulge.
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Maloney Recently Reflected on His Performances
Recently, Maloney reflected on his The Voice performances in multiple Instagram posts. He wrote that his audition was “f’ng scary,” as he apparently had “no sleep” the night before. Maloney also recalled that he had practiced the song “Easy” by Rascal Flatts every day for a year before he had the chance to sing it in the Knockouts.
On Maloney’s birthday, January 16, he shared his performance of “Second Chance,” remembering a time when he was 21 and got to meet Brent Smith from Shinedown. As he wrote of Smith, “I held immense respect for him, admiring his vocal range that soared high, resonating with my own journey.”
“When the opportunity arose to showcase my talent on The Voice, I was in a dire state during filming,” Maloney revealed. “Struggling financially, resorting to meager scraps for sustenance from the hotel garbage and hallways, while those around me reveled carefreely with their family like they were on vacation, I stood there, trembling with fear, merely surviving.”
Maloney shared that he had lost his voice the day before his performance. As he wrote, “To the audience, I was just another act in the show, yet to me, that moment was a battle for my future, a testament to my dedication to my craft.”
