Ben Saunders, who claimed the first-ever victory on The Voice, has been found dead at the age of 43.
Local media outlet De Telegraaf reported that the champion of The Voice of Holland was discovered at a popular recreational lake in the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Authorities retrieved his body from the Rijkerswoerdse Lakes at 1:20 p.m. local time, according to DutchNews. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
“We can confirm that a body was found yesterday at a recreational lake near Arnhem and that investigators have ruled out foul play,” the East Netherlands Police Unit told People magazine. “We do not release or discuss personal details.”
The singer’s elder brother, Dean Saunders, paid tribute on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two as children and writing that he had “never known this kind of pain.” “My dear little brother has passed away today,” he added. “What a terrible day for all of us. We must learn to live with this, and I hope this will be treated with respect. Ben came from a wonderful, loving family who will always care for him. He is in my heart, and he will stay there forever.”
Saunders was the winner of The Voice of Holland’s first season in 2011. The show went on to achieve massive popularity and inspired adaptations across the globe.
After his appearance on the series, the British-born Dutch singer released his debut album, You Thought You Knew Me by Now, in April 2011, which included one of his biggest hits, Kill for a Broken Heart.
A second album followed in 2012, after which he returned to his earlier work as a tattoo artist while continuing to pursue music.
