The former challenger Willie Spence passed away on Oct 11. He was the runner-up on season 19 of the contest series in 2021. His fellow American Idol alum Katharine McPhee started messaging & shared her Instagram Story. McPhee said she heard very sad news tonight. Only 23 years old Sweet @williespenceofficial passed away in a car accident.
McPhee added life is so unfair and nothing is ever confirmed. God rest your soul, Willie. It was a cheerfulness to sing with Willie and to get to know him. Moreover, she was an Idol instructor during Spence’s season. A report from the Tennessee Highway Patrol confirmed Spence lost his life. His car badly struck a tractor-trailer in Marion County on an interstate.
The Georgian local news outlet Douglas Now also reported news about the passing of Spence and explained it on its Facebook page. It says the outlet extends its condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Willie. He had excellent talent, a flash of light to millions around the world. Spence sang Selah’s “You Are My Hiding Place”, in his final Instagram post and shared on Oct 11.
The Fellow Stars, Friends, and Fans of Spence Shared Comments
Spence’s fellow stars, fans, and friends flooded the comments of the Instagram post with messages after news of his death. A singer Ali Caldwell said his heart really hurts! God rest Willie in paradise. Spence presented a memorable performance in his Idol audition of Rihanna’s “Diamonds”, 2 years ago. The judges of this audition involved Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan.
Meanwhile, Richie offered the singer standing applause and called him a remarkable star. Perry said to him, “You know you sing excellently. There are many questions and my question is, when do you decide about your future, and do you know the voice you have? You know it engages people in their tracks. You presented the magic you have. What do you need it to look like in your dreams”?
Spence Needed His Voice to Reach Globally
Spence responded and said he needed his voice to reach around the world and to share his contribution with others. He added that he will hopefully win a Grammy one day. That’s the actual objective he sees himself in 5 years. It needs more hard work but he was hopeful that he could do it. Spence continued to offer remarkable performances after getting the “ok” from 3 judges for advancing to Hollywood.
His performance provided him with a spot in the finals. However, the challenger Chayce Beckham eventually won the season but Spence won the hearts of viewers around the globe. Some of the major names in the series will polish the American Idol stage for The Great Idol Reunion on May 2. The artists include Ruben Studdard, Lauren Alaina, Kris Allen, Jordin Sparks, Scotty McCreery, Laci Kaye Booth, and David Cook.
Deadline First Reported about the Pairing of Singers
Meanwhile, Laine Hardy, Maddie Poppe, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Grace Kinstler, and Willie Spence were also included in the list. The Deadline first reported the news and described the pairing of singers. The pairs include Season 2 winner Studdard with season 6 winner Sparks. The second pair was season 10 second-place Alaina with season 10 winner McCreery.
The 3rd pair includes season 7 winner Cook with season 8 winner Allen. The 4th pair was season 16 winner Poppe with runner-up Hutchinson. The 5th pair includes season 17 winner Hardy with season 17’s Booth, and season 19’s Spence and Kinstler. The executive producer Megan Michaels Wolflick said it is proof of the incredible legacy of his show.