Variety is reporting that Christina Grimmie, a singer and finalist on the sixth season of NBC’s The Voice, was shot and killed last night after a concert in Florida. The 22-year-old performer had just finished singing on the stage of Orlando’s Plaza Live Theater, when an unidentified shooter approached her and opened fire. Grimmie was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and pronounced dead later that night.
A social media star, Grimmie first gained widespread attention on YouTube, where she attracted millions of views by posting covers of songs by artists like Taylor Swift and Nelly. Her online following opened up a number of opportunities for the young singer, including appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and a stint opening for Selena Gomez on tour. In 2014, Grimmie—still just 20 years old—auditioned for The Voice, where her confident take on Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” earned her a unanimous entry to the show. (She would eventually place third in her season.)
After The Voice, Grimmie was briefly signed to Island Records, and was reportedly working on a new EP at the time of her death. Police haven’t identified her killer—who killed himself after being tackled by Grimmie’s brother—but CNN is reporting that he was a 21-year-old white man armed with two pistols and a hunting knife.