Ben Saunders, Original Winner Of “The Voice,” Found Dead At 43
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Ben Saunders, First Winner Of “The Voice,” Dies At 43
Ben Saunders, the first winner of The Voice of Holland in 2011, has died at the age of 43.
Saunders was found dead Tuesday (September 15), at Rijkerswoerdse Plassen, a popular recreational lake in Elst, Netherlands, near Arnhem, according to local newspaper De Telegraaf. Police reportedly recovered a body from the lake around 1:20 p.m. local time.
A cause of death has not yet been revealed, according to the Netherlands public broadcaster NOS.
Remembering Ben Saunders
Ben was a tattoo artist when he won the television competition in 2011. He was born in London on July 9, 1983 and grew up in the Netherlands. Ben had been pursuing music before his breakthrough on The Voice.
Saunders made an immediate impression during his blind audition with a performance of Kings of Leon’s “Use Somebody.” He was coached by Roel van Velzen and ultimately won the competition with 59% of the public vote.
Following his victory, Saunders released his debut album, You Thought You Knew Me By Now, in 2011. His biggest hit was “Kill For A Broken Heart,” which reached No. 1 on the Dutch charts. He later released the album Heart & Soul in 2012.
Outside of music, Saunders was known for his work as a tattoo artist and had operated a tattoo shop in Hoorn, Netherlands. His older brother, Dean Saunders, was also a musician and won the Dutch talent show Popstars just one day after Ben won The Voice of Holland.
Dean also confirmed the news, sharing a heartbreaking tribute to his younger brother on social media.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ben’s family and friends during this unimaginable time.
