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Who Was Ryan Whyte Maloney? ‘The Voice’ Alum Dead at 44: Inside His Life and Cause of Death
In January 2025, fans of The Voice were saddened to learn about the death of Ryan Whyte Maloney, who was a contestant on former coach Blake Shelton’s team in 2014. The singer was a fan favorite in the competition, and he continued to make music after his time on the show ended.
Who Was ‘The Voice’ Alum Ryan Whyte Maloney?
Ryan was born in 1981 in Traverse City, Michigan, and he grew up playing the cello, guitar, violin and drums, according to his website. He also started writing songs and formed the band Indulge, recording their first album, Tomorrow’s Another Day, in 2005. Ryan served as the band’s frontman for 10 years before he embarked on a solo career.
“Feeling like he had hit a glass ceiling after 10 years of touring & playing hundreds of shows and festivals around the U.S., he took a break from the rock life and began writing his solo material, really focusing on his roots in the skill of songwriting,” his bio reads.
The former rocker recorded his debut solo album, Where I’ve Been, and toured across the U.S. from 2010 to 2013. In 2014, he decided to try his luck on The Voice season 6.
How Did Ryan Whyte Maloney Do on ‘The Voice’?
Ryan auditioned for The Voice with “Lights” by Journey and earned chair turns from all four coaches at the time — Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Shakira and Usher. He chose to be on Team Blake and made it all the way to the top 5, where he was eliminated in the live playoffs.
Ryan returned to perform in the finale at the request of artists Morgan Wallen and Jake Worthington, according to his bio.
During The Voice, Ryan recorded four covers with UMG Records, including Journey’s “Lights,” Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” Rascal Flatts’ “Easy” and Shinedown’s “Second Chance.”
Ryan looked back at his audition for The Voice in a January 13, 2025, Instagram post.
“Y’all will never know how f’ng scary this was to do. 10am/sober yeah!!!” he captioned a clip of his audition.
Neither Blake nor The Voice have publicly reacted to Ryan’s death at the time of publication.
What Did Ryan Whyte Maloney Do After ‘The Voice’?
After he was eliminated from The Voice, Ryan worked as a songwriter and producer for other artists while he continued making his own music. He also took up an ongoing weekend residency at Blake’s Ole Red bar in Las Vegas in 2024, which he continued until his death.
Ryan’s recent singles include “I Already Did,” “Michigan Moonlight,” “Freight Train,” “Friday Song” and more.
How Did ‘The Voice’ Star Ryan Whyte Maloney Die?
Ryan died at 44 years old on January 28, 2025, the Clark County Coroner in Las Vegas confirmed to Us Weekly at the time. People was the first to report the news. He died by suicide, with his cause of death listed as a gunshot wound to the head, the coroner’s office confirmed to the outlet.
Hours before his death, Ryan took to his Instagram Stories with a video that appeared to be taken at a restaurant.
“Nine fine Irishmen for a private party tonight and we will be rocking,” he said in the clip.
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