The Voice US star Ryan Whyte Maloney found dead at 44 just hours after he posted poignant Instagram clip
THE Voice US star Ryan Whyte Maloney has died at the age of 44.
Whyte Maloney was on Blake Shelton's team and was one of the singer's top five artists when he appeared on the hit show in 2014.
Just hours before his death, he shared a video of himself at a bar.
“Nine fine Irishmen for a private party tonight, and we will be rocking,” Whyte Maloney said in the clip shared on his Instagram Stories on Monday.
Whyte Maloney, from Traverse City, , wowed The Voice US judges in his audition and all four coaches on the panel turned.
He performed the hit track Lights by Journey in his blind audition.
The singer managed to get through two battle rounds on the hit show.
Whyte Maloney was invited back to perform at that year's finale.
That year's season of The Voice US was won by Josh Kaufman.
And, he regularly starred at Shelton's bar Ole Red - more than a decade after appearing on the popular TV show.
He opened Shelton's venue at Las Vegas, performing on the opening night.
And, he starred alongside The Voice coach on two consecutive nights at the bar.
Whyte Maloney had an ongoing residency at Ole Red.
Whyte Maloney rose to prominence on the talent show and ended up starring alongside some of the biggest A-listers in music.
FINAL POST
He performed alongside Rascal Flatts, Ed Sheeran, Usher and Shakira.
Whyte Maloney last posted on Instagram two days before his death.
He shared a post about Bryan Adams' single, (Everything I Do) I Do It For You.
The song was the soundtrack for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
"Gen Z kids will never know of 1991's 17-week-long reign of terror brought about by Bryan Adams and the Robin Hood soundtrack," the X post said.
Whyte Maloney posted; "It was real, you couldn't watch MTV or VH1 and not toggle this and then you shut the TV off and turn on the radio."
"And it rocked."
The comments underneath that post have been flooded with tributes.
Scores of fans have told the singer to "rest in paradise."
While other music lovers reminisced about watching Whyte Maloney perform before his death.
"We loved him, he was so nice and fun. So sad," one mourner posted.
Fellow Voice alumni Sisaundra Lewis posted on a broken heart emoji and penned "RIP."
Sisaundra starred on the same season as Whyte Maloney.