'American Idol' Alum CJ Harris Dead After Suffering Reported Heart Attack

Four days after the tragic news that "American Idol" alum C.J. Harris passed away at 31, reports have revealed that the talented musician died from a heart attack. The sad news comes nine years after Harris rose to fame on the popular singing competition show.

The singer earned the love of many viewers and judges on the show, finishing in sixth place out of several contestants. Following his death, the reality show wrote a tribute to him. His family also revealed how much the news saddened them. 

Keep reading to know more.

A rep confirmed to People magazine that the talented singer died from a heart attack at the Walker Baptist Medical Center in Jasper, Alabama, his hometown. After the hospital first pronounced him dead on Sunday, the Harris family noted how shocked they were by the tragic news.

According to TMZ, his sudden death took them unawares, as Harris was healthy and had a bright future ahead of him. While he became famous on "American Idol," it wasn't an easy ride for him. He first auditioned to contest on "The Voice" and "X-Factor" and didn't make it before getting into Season 13 of "American Idol."

Harris wowed the judges with his performance of the classic hit by the Allman Brothers Band, "Soul Shine," during his time on the show. At the time, the judges were Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr.

Back then, Urban complimented his dedication to singing. He said to the Harris, "You sing 'cause you have to sing, not 'cause you want to sing. And, I mean that in the deepest way. And, that's why it's so believable and real."

After finishing sixth on the show, Harris faced his singing career head-on. He performed at the Grand Ole Opry alongside American singer Darius Rucker and even released a single, "In Love," in 2019. 

The star, who started playing the guitar at eight, said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he didn't plan to contest and only did because they were close by. He recalled, "I saw they were doing the bus tour and they were going to be 30 minutes down the road from me."

While he had already gotten rejected from other reality singing shows, Harris remained positive. He added, "I said, 'You know what? I'm going to give it another chance. I've gotten so much better, my voice has matured and my playing has gotten so much better."

The star also noted how much he wanted to chase his dreams as a young boy. "I'm 23, before you know it I'll be 33 and I want to give it another chance.'" He then went on to audition in Salt Lake City, Utah.

While he, unfortunately, didn't make it to 33, Harris left a huge mark on the show's history.

Jessica Meuse, who competed on the show's 13th season with Harris, wrote a tribute to him on Instagram. According to her tribute, the two aspiring singers remained friends even after the show. She wrote, "Your talent and smile will be missed, and the world is definitely a darker and eerily quieter place without you in it."

Meuse also noted how much she'd miss his "random phone calls asking for life advice" and their conversations about "the music world." She then ended with a heartfelt statement: "There are a lot of things I realize I will never understand, you leaving us so soon is one of those things."

Another fellow alum, Alex Preston, also penned a tribute to Harris. He wrote: "RIP CJ. I cant believe this, I woke up and thought it was a dream. I love you dude. I'll always remember the good times we all had."