Nikki McKibbin, the rock singer who placed third in the inaugural season of American Idol, has died aged 42.
The news was broken by McKibbin’s fellow American Idol co-star, Justin Guarini, who made the announcement in a post to his Instagram.
Sharing a throwback photo of McKibbin, Guarini wrote a lengthy tribute to her: “[Nikki McKibbin] was a fiery, funny lady who could sing the Hell out of a rock song with the same kind of ease and command she lovingly used to cut you with her twangy Southern wit.
“Even in our 20’s when we were on American Idol together I could tell that she’d had a challenging life, and that not that many people had been kind to her along the way…
“…but I’ll never forget the day that her idol, Stevie Nicks, sent her flowers with a card that said ‘You are the Gypsy that I was…’. Nikki was on cloud nine and the joy and excitement that radiated from her was infectious. After the kind of emotional beating she took at the hands of the masses, she deserved to feel good about herself, even for a little while.
“Rest well, ‘Gypsy’…and thank you for the laughter, merciless teasing, strength, vulnerability, love and friendship you showed me during our time together in the spotlight.”
According to a tweet by Redeye Radio host Gary McNamara (via Variety), McKibbin suffered a brain aneurysm and was taken off life support on October 30th.
Unlike other notable American Idol standouts, McKibbin’s career didn’t go in the direction most expected after her appearance on the show.
After finishing third behind Kelly Clarkson and Guarini on the inaugural season of Idol, McKibbin signed a record deal with RCA. However, RCA insisted she do a country album rather than a rock-oriented album she was more comfortable with and this essentially stalled her career. The singer was finally able to release her rock album, Unleashed, in 2007.
Outside of music, McKibbin made appearances on several reality TV shows, such as Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew and Sober House.
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2014 saw a poignant return to the American Idol stage when she accompanied her 15-year-old son, Tristan Langley, when he auditioned for the show.
Our deepest condolences go out to Nikki McKibbin’s family and friends during this difficult time.
Check out Nikki McKibbin performing Alannah Myles’ ‘Black Velvet’ on American Idol:
