Willie Spence had shared a video of himself singing in his vehicle just moments before a fatal car accident, it has been claimed.
The 23-year-old American Idol finalist shared the now-chilling clip of him singing 'You Are My Hiding Place', apparently "right before" he slammed his 2019 Jeep Cherokee into a parked semi-truck in Marion County, Tennessee.
Katharine McPhee, who performed a duet with Spence on the show's 19th Season, confirmed this on her Instagram Story.
While paying tribute to the young star, the 38-year-old singer re-posted one of the last videos Spence uploaded to his Instagram account, which she says he shared "right before the accident".
Watch the video below:
In the emotional video, the talented singer kept his eyes closed as he tilted his head back and sang out the soulful anthem in his vehicle.
Many people took to the comments to share their condolences, with one fan writing: "This is beyond crazy this is your last post! God needed you more. this is heart breaking ! God why. Such a beautiful soul."
Another person commented: "Young Prince, you hit us hard with this one. Speechless is the word to describe the current mood. Be sure when you sing in heaven that you shine bright like a diamond you are. Forever our American idol!"
Drake Mcain who was on season 17 of American Idol also wrote: "You shined down here, but now you’re shining even brighter up there. Such a beautiful soul! #flyhighwillie."
The American Idol star who sang 'Georgia on My Mind' during the season 19 finale first began his musical career at the age of three at his grandfather's church in Florida, according to Spence's biography on Eventbrite.
Spence later took his singing career to the next level on YouTube for his 593,000 subscribers that have followed his live performances since about four years ago.
He began his journey on American Idol in February 2021 when he auditioned for the song 'Diamonds' by Rihanna and then advanced to the finals, coming in second, behind Chayce Beckham.
While the talented artist didn't win on the show, he was praised by judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry for all of his performances.
American Idol honored the beloved star on social media, writing that they are "devastated" over his passing, while sharing a photo of Spence performing on stage during season 19.
"We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence. He was a true talent who lit up every room and will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his loved ones."
