How did Nolan Neal die? 'The Voice' and 'AGT' star, 41, found dead at Nashville home
Singer Nolan Neal, who was best known for his stint on 'America's Got Talent' and 'The Voice', has died at the age of 41. The singer was found dead in his Nashville apartment's bedroom by his roommate on Monday, July 18.
Neal's cousin Dylan Seals and the Nashville medical examiner confirmed the news. While the official cause of his death is yet to be determined following an autopsy, according to various reports, the desk next to Neal's bed had a guitar pick with what "appeared to contain a powder residue" on it. Neal was very vocal about his struggle with substances and addiction. In an interview with PEOPLE, Seals declared that his cousin "ultimately succumbed to his battle with substance abuse."
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Seals, who was an audio engineer, was living with his musician cousin prior to the pandemic. Seals recounted Neal as being clean and sober at that time. Neal first came into the spotlight when he auditioned for 'The Voice' Season 15 in 2016. The talented singer's soulful rendition of Incubus' 'Drive' earned him a spot on mentor Adam Levine's team. Unfortunately, Neal's journey was cut short after he was eliminated during the knockout round.
Four years later, Neal once again returned to the small screen by auditioning for 'America's Got Talent'. He performed his original song 'Lost' during the audition, which was inspired by his struggles with addiction. His passionate performance earned him a standing ovation from the show's judges. Neal competed until the quarterfinals round, before his elimination.
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In an interview with WBIR, Neal opened up about his struggles with addiction and even admitted to drinking heavily while competing on 'The Voice'. He said, " “I kind of lost my way on ‘The Voice’ and continued drinking. You can see it. I can see it.” He added, "I remember I got clean in 2010; May 15, went to rehab. Stayed clean. I joined the rock band Hinder, they were all about drinking and partying. This is not their fault. I had decided I wanted to drink like a normal person. I remember trying to be normal and fitting in. I remember going to a bar and ordering a drink. I tried to hide it. I remember pretending to be normal. I was just lying to myself telling myself that I could control it."
A Nolan Neal fan page posted Tuesday morning about his death, saying, 'I can't believe you're gone from us' and 'heaven just got a new music director.'