‘America’s Got Talent’ Contestant Skilyr Hicks Dies at 23

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Former America’s Got Talent contestant Skilyr Hicks has died, her family confirms. The promising young singer was 23.

Hicks first appeared on the NBC competition series back in 2013 during the show’s eighth season when she was just 14. She impressed the judges with an original song dedicated to her late father during the season’s auditions. During her time on the show, Hicks made it to the Last Chance Auditions and then participated in Vegas Week before being eliminated.

According to Skilyr’s mother, per TMZ, the singer was found in the home of a friend and her cause of death has since been ruled a suspected overdose. The South Carolina native’s passing was addressed in sister Breelyn’s Facebook post. “My super beautiful, extremely talented, hilarious, free spirit of a sister left this world to be with Jesus. I can’t possibly put into words how broken-hearted I am. I will miss her like crazy. I’ll miss her voice, her long warm hugs, her constantly making jokes using puns. Her ability to create music that inspired thousands of people. She had so much life left to live,” she writes.

Breelyn’s words certainly ring true for those who saw the young girl’s promise in her America’s Got Talent audition. Relive Skilyr’s AGT appearance below as she auditions in front of Howard Stern, Mel B, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel.