Nolan Neal , a musician and songwriter best known for his appearances on America’s Got Talent and The Voice , tragically passed away at the age of 41.
Beloved for his talent and his openness with his struggles , Neal shared much about his life with his fans. Here are some of the facts about the singer’s life.
1. Nolan received a ‘yes’ from all four judges on ‘The Voice’ in season 11.
Neal auditioned with a cover of Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer,” earning him two immediate ‘yes’es from Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, with judges Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus turning around later on in the performance. You can watch his audition, which he shared on Instagram, above.
2. Nolan joined Adam Levine’s team and made it to the semi-finals.
Nolan won his first battle with his performance of “Sledgehammer,” but would lose to Brendan Fletcher after performing “Love Is Your Name.”
That wasn’t the end for Nolan’s time in the spotlight.
3. Nolan also appeared on season 15 of ‘America’s Got Talent’ in 2020.
Nolan wowed the judges with his original songs like “Lost,” and “Send Me A Butterfly,” which allowed him to advance all the way to the quarterfinals of the competition.
4. Nolan was open with his struggles with addiction.
During his opening audition on America’s Got Talent , Nolan got candid about his experience. “I got a record deal in Los Angeles, I was like, ‘This is it!’ And I partied really hard,” he revealed . “Pretty soon I started to become unmanageable because I thought I was a rock star.”
“I got to NY to record my record, and I just remember, I couldn’t sing because I was so messed up.”
“The label decided to drop me,” Nolan continued. “I got back to Nashville, and I started downward spiraling. It got so bad, people had to step in.”
5. Nolan revealed that this experience lead him to sobriety.
“I really do believe in fate, and it means the world to me to have this chance,” he said, before performing his single “Lost” which received a standing ovation from the judges and the crowd.
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6. Nolan frequently shared music he was working on on social media.
His Instagram page contains many videos of the Nashville-born singer sharing original work and covers, as well as videos made for his fans.
Our thoughts are with Nolan’s family, friends, and loved ones at this difficult time.
h/t: Hollywood Life
