'The Voice' Season 8 Contestant Anthony Riley Reportedly Commits Suicide

"The Voice" four-chair-turner and frontrunner Anthony Riley was found dead on Friday in an apparent suicide, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

NBC confirmed the news about the 28-year-old Philly street performer's death to CNN through a statement where they also extended their sympathy to his grieving family.

"We are sad over the passing of Anthony Riley. We offer our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this very difficult time," the statement read.

Riley's close friend, Tootsie Iovine, said the singer was found dead in an apparent suicide in the basement of the apartment in Center City where he currently stays.

According to NBC, before Riley had been known as one of Team Pharell's biggest contenders during the eighth season of "The Voice," he was performing in the streets of West Philadelphia for six days a week.

After being raised by his grandmother and moving in with his father to follow their mutual dream of becoming famous entertainers, Riley decided to take his performance to "The Voice" stage where all four judges turned their chairs.

Confronted with the difficult decision of choosing a coach, Riley decided to go for singer-songwriter and producer Pharell Williams.

While he was on the show, Riley was made popular by his rendition of the 1960s R&B songs "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Get Ready."

However, he prematurely left the show after succeeding in his first battle round for some "personal issues" which, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer could probably be due to his substance abuse problem.

"At the time, [being on the show] wasn't working for me and I felt like I needed to go, instead of taking on more responsibility than I could handle," Riley was quoted saying in the report.

Riley sought rehabilitation in Clarity Way a rehab facility in Hanover, Philadelphia which he claimed to have been paid by NBC but was unconfirmed by the network. 

After getting rehabilitated, Riley was reportedly working on an album and had expressed his intent on becoming part of "The Voice" Season 9.

Robby Parsons, Riley's colleague and fellow musician, noted how he was a very gentle and kind person despite facing problems.

Likening him to the late Robin Williams, Parsons noted how Riley "smiled and he meant it and made made so many people happy, but didn't know how to make himself happy."

In 2014, the Philadelphia Magazine dubbed him as the city's best street performer, noting how his sweet croons of "Stand by Me" in Rittenhouse Square have the power to relieve a person's daily stresses.