A death in the family. The Voice coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera shared their sentiments about the shooting death of former contestant Christina Grimmie on Saturday, June 11.
“Behati [Prinsloo] and I are absolutely devastated and heartbroken by Christina Grimmie’s tragic death,” the 37-year-old Maroon 5 frontman told Us Weekly in a statement. “Our hearts go out to her family. Christina was a natural, a gifted talent that comes along so rarely. She was taken from us too soon. This is yet another senseless act of extreme violence. I am left stunned and confused how these things can conceivably continue to happen in our world.”
Levine coached the 22-year-old YouTube sensation to land a third-place finish on season 6 of The Voice back in 2014.
On Friday, June 10, upon hearing that Grimmie had been hospitalized in critical condition after being shot several times following her show in Orlando, Levine posted a sweet selfie of the two of them.
“I’m sad, shocked and confused,” he captioned the throwback photo. “We love you so much Grimmie. We are all praying hard that you can pull through this … this just isn’t fair.”
Levine’s good friend and fellow Voice coach Blake Shelton took to Twitter to voice his concerns after learning of her hospitalization. After news of her death broke, he shared a heartfelt message on the social media platform.
“I’m stunned and disgusted and heartbroken that we lost that sweet little girl,” he wrote. “Keeping @TheRealGrimmie family in my heart and mind.”
I’m stunned and disgusted and heartbroken that we lost that sweet little girl… Keeping @TheRealGrimmie family in my heart and mind.
— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) June 11, 2016
Shelton’s ex-wife, Miranda Lambert, added her own thoughts with a post to Instagram. “I’m so sad to hear about Christina Grimmie. An amazing talent,” she captioned a screenshot of Grimmie’s song “With Love.” “While doing what the Lord put her on this earth to do, her life was taken. Praying for peace and healing for her family. #ripchristina.”
Christina Aguilera, who did not serve as a coach on Grimmie’s season, similarly took to Twitter to express her condolences for the YouTube star’s untimely death.
So sad passing of @TheRealGrimmie. Beautiful member of #TheVoice family & true #Fighter. My heart goes out to her family, friends & fans. xo
— Christina Aguilera (@xtina) June 11, 2016
To an amazing soul and voice…may your legacy live on forever. Rest in peace beautiful, Christina
— Usher Raymond IV (@Usher) June 11, 2016
“So sad passing of @TheRealGrimmie,” she tweeted. “Beautiful member of #TheVoice family & true #Fighter. My heart goes out to her family, friends & fans. xo.”
And Usher, who was a coach on Grimmie’s season, also tweeted, writing, “To an amazing soul and voice … may your legacy live on forever. Rest in peace beautiful, Christina.”
As previously reported, Grimmie was signing autographs and greeting fans after a show at the Plaza Live theater on Friday night when a man with two handguns, ammunition and a large hunting knife shot her several times.
The singer’s older brother, Mark, tackled the gunman, who then shot and killed himself. According to Orlando police, Grimmie did not know the 27-year-old, who authorities are calling a “deranged fan.”
Police chief John Mina said during a press conference on Saturday that the gunman originally planned to travel back to his hometown after the shooting.
