Dylan Carter, a contestant on Season 24 of “The Voice,” died in a car accident on Saturday.
According to the NBC affiliate serving the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, the musician died in a single-vehicle crash on a rural road in Colleton County. He was 24.
Country music legend Reba McEntire, who was Carter’s coach on “The Voice,” posted a tribute on social media Monday morning, writing, “We will miss Dylan so much. He was a brilliant, kind and talented young man who brought a huge ray of sunshine to The Voice. Rest in peace, my dear friend.”
Moncks Corner Mayor Thomas Hamilton Jr. also memorialized the Lowcountry singer, writing on Facebook that his family was “heartbroken” to hear about the accident.
“As a gifted singer, he frequently entertained our community with his performances at Town events,” read the post. “His kindness and charm earned him immense respect, and his absence will be deeply felt.
“To the loved ones and acquaintances of Dylan, we offer our sincerest condolences during this difficult period. The Town of Moncks Corner, its Council, and entire staff extend their deepest sympathies. He was much more to our family than an entertainer he was our friend and we are deeply saddened.”
Carter was slated to perform Monday night at the town of Moncks Corner’s “Music on Main” event. The organizer posted that the event had been canceled, and the comments section was filled with an outpouring of shock and grief.
Carter competed on Season 24 of “The Voice” in 2023. During his blind audition, he sang Whitney Houston’s “I Look to You,” which he dedicated to his mother, who had died the year before. During his audition, all four judges turned their chairs for the contestant, with Gwen Stefani hitting her red button during the song’s first verse.
“You only get four chairs if you really move the room,” said judge Niall Horan, who called his performance spectacular.
McEntire was choked up and said she could feel and hear Carter’s emotion while he sang. “That’s when you know you’ve got a great song and a great singer,” she said. “When it touches your heart.”
“When I saw y’all turn around, I saw my mom,” Carter told the judges. “She passed back in October and she wanted me to sing it at her funeral, so I did it — I tried, but I couldn’t make it through it. This was the best second chance. I just made her so proud.”
After Carter was eliminated from the competition series, he posted on Instagram, reflecting on his experience: “Well last night did not go as we all were hoping, but I am proud to say that I went out there on that stage and gave it MY ALL.”
Carter admitted that he felt defeated when he was eliminated, adding, “but it did not take me long to realize that I actually didn’t lose anything, instead I gained EVERYTHING!”
“I came to The Voice unsure of myself, unsure of my future, and still grieving the loss of my mom. I left LA with confidence in myself and my future, with a sure purpose as to why I was put on this Earth, and with peace of mind moving on from my mom’s death. I’ve been afraid of moving on from my mom’s death because I thought moving on meant forgetting her. Boy was I wrong!!! I’m moving forward with her, as she shines through me! All she ever wanted was for me to find myself, to find my voice, and for me to be happy…. I left LA with all of that plus more!!! I even gained all of you guys.”
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the accident.
