The Tragic Death Of American Idol Alum C.J. Harris

C.J. Harris has tragically died aged 31, with one of Harris' family members confirming to TMZ that he passed away on January 15 as a result of a what's thought to be a heart attack.

Harris famously made waves on "American Idol" back in 2014 when he appeared on Season 13 of the show, which was then still on its original network, Fox. That season was eventually won by Caleb Johnson, though Harris went pretty far in the competition, being eliminated after making it all the way to the top six. His undeniable talent shone through and he was a clear favorite to win it all, as Harris was even selected by the judges (the "American Idol" judging panel was then made up of Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Lopez, and Keith Urban) to sail through to the semi-finals as a Wild Card, with the trio saving him from early elimination.

After leaving "American Idol" behind, Harris continued with his passion for performing and went on to have a successful music career, regularly performing live shows. Join us for a look back at some of the singer's most memorable moments.

Amongst some of C.J. Harris' biggest achievements post-"American Idol" include playing at the prestigious Grand Ole Opry alongside one of his idols, Darius Rucker, who Harris originally performed with during the "American Idol" Season 13 finale. "I've had some opportunities and some offers. When I got booted off the show, I got to play with Darius Rucker at the Grand Ole Opry. I actually think I'm going to play in Tuscaloosa with Darius," he excitedly told AL.com in 2014. "I try to stay focused every night, instead of wondering if I'm going to get signed," he added. Harris also opened up about his background, growing up singing in church performing gospel music. "I guess I was a little nervous to go on 'Idol,' because I didn't know if I was prepared. I didn't have the training," he explained. Harris went on to release his debut single, "In Love," in 2019.

Harris continued performing right up until his untimely death, even sharing photos from his appearance at Alabama Frog Level Festival in October 2022 on his Instagram (where he often shared performance videos) on January 13, just two days before his death. Tragically, he also shared his excitement for the year to come with a heartbreaking selfie uploaded on New Year's Eve. "New things to come in year 2023!" he captioned the image.

Our thoughts go out to Harris' family and friends at such a tragic time.