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We’re looking back at the incredible talents who left us far too soon. Join us as we remember trailblazing female artists who made an undeniable impact on music and culture, only to have their lives tragically cut short. From pop sensations to rock legends, jazz divas to R&B queens, these singers, songwriters, and performers captivated the world with their voices and artistry, leaving behind a profound legacy that continues to inspire. Their untimely departures shocked fans and left an irreplaceable void in the industry.
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00:00We've got all the big artists. Guess who we got here? Selina Quintanilla. Selina,
00:04bienvenidos a Tejano USA. Thank you, Waldo. Nice to be here. Nice to see you.
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo. And today, we're exploring the most shocking times when celebrated and
00:13beloved female recording artists passed away at a young age, tragically or unexpectedly.
00:19Sully. After getting her start as a child actor, Choi Jin Lee, better known as Sully,
00:35joined the South Korean girl group FX in 2009. After stepping away from the group and going
00:41into modeling by 2018, Sully returned to music as a solo artist.
00:49In 2019, several months after releasing her album Goblin, Sully sadly took her own life at 25.
00:59On top of mental health struggles, she'd been tormented online by people. Sully was known
01:04for breaking South Korean conformity by speaking her mind about issues, drawing ire from some.
01:10This harassment also extended to Sully's former partner, Choi Za, who experienced more following
01:17her passing. Sully's death sparked fans to create petitions to instigate stricter laws
01:22in the country against internet trolls.
01:24When I would see articles about the next, oh, what did Sully do now or something, I was
01:31just like, why is this a big deal? This is just a girl just doing, just living her life.
01:39Leslie Carter. A sibling in the Carter music empire, Leslie signed a deal with DreamWorks
01:45records. However, the company was unsure how her album would go down, causing them to test
01:50the market with her 2001 single, Like Wow.
02:01Following an underwhelming response, the album was canceled. However, Leslie continued her music
02:06with smaller gigs. In 2012, after she fell in the shower after already feeling ill, she was helped
02:13into bed. Sadly, Leslie passed away at the age of 25. It later emerged that Leslie had been battling
02:20mental health issues and had taken too much of her prescribed medication. Nick later stated his
02:26family blamed him, resulting in his absence from Leslie's funeral. Nearly 10 years later, Aaron passed
02:32away in a similar circumstance.
02:34I look back at these old pictures of us and, you know, you were the littlest, you know, and the oldest
02:44and the littlest, we're all that's left.
02:47Sarah Harding. Following her successful performance on the UK reality show, Pop Stars, The Rivals,
02:53Harding was placed in the girl group Girls Aloud in 2002. One of the country's most popular pop groups,
02:59they sold millions of albums and had multiple number one hits.
03:08Following Girls Aloud's split, Harding would work on a solo career, acting, and reality TV,
03:15resulting in her winning celebrity Big Brother 20. However, in 2020, she made the announcement
03:20that she'd been diagnosed with cancer. The following year, despite treatment, Harding stated that the
03:26cancer was terminal. Yet even through that terrible news, she released the song Wear It Like a Crown
03:32to raise money for charity. Sadly, several months later, she passed away at 39.
03:38We don't feel like Girls Aloud. We don't feel like a band without Sarah. She, like I said just now,
03:44she was such a huge part of our energy that it doesn't feel like that.
03:53Lena Zavaroni. Thrust into the limelight at a young age by releasing her debut album at 10,
03:59Zavaroni became the youngest person in the UK to have a top 10 album. As a result,
04:04the Scottish singer appeared on several TV programs in the 70s, even getting her own show later on.
04:11Well, tonight, not only you'll be dancing in the street, but you'll be dancing everywhere,
04:16and Yorkshire people dancing their clogs, and keep fit people down to LA jogs. So wherever you are,
04:22if you want to get up and dance, just get up and dance.
04:24However, behind the scenes, Zavaroni struggled with depression and disordered eating, which
04:30contributed to her quitting the industry and living off state benefits and charity help.
04:35In 1999, after begging doctors, she underwent brain surgery to ease her mental health struggles.
04:42However, while the surgery seemed to be a success and she made plans to return to music,
04:47Zavaroni's health quickly deteriorated after contracting pneumonia,
04:51sadly resulting in her passing at the age of 35.
04:55We were shocked beyond words, and yet, in one way, it wasn't a big surprise.
05:05Alice Martineau. Descended from an influential French-English family, Martineau first found fame as a model.
05:12However, she hid from agencies that she had the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis.
05:17This illness made Martineau believe she could never fulfill her dreams of singing professionally.
05:22Yet, her performances at gigs led to interest from several record companies,
05:27who soon withdrew upon finding out her condition, and that she was awaiting multi-organ transplants.
05:33I personally took it. That, they freaked out. And they didn't want to invest money in me when I was ill.
05:42Martineau didn't give up, eventually signing with Sony. In 2002, she released the single,
05:49If I Fall. However, Martineau's health continued to deteriorate. In 2003, at the age of 30,
05:56she sadly passed away while still waiting for the transplant surgery,
06:00shortly after the release of her album, Daydreams.
06:03Will you be there? And say that you care?
06:10Kristen Pfaff. A rising star as a bassist in the Minneapolis music scene,
06:17Pfaff was influential in the state after studying at the university and working as a counselor for assault victims.
06:23Her music career took off due to her work in the band's Janitor Joe and Hole.
06:28However, away from music, Pfaff struggled with substance issues, resulting in her undergoing detox programs.
06:42In 1994, her world was turned upside down when Kurt Cobain, her friend and the husband of Hole singer Courtney Love,
06:50took his own life at 27, joining a list of artists who lost their lives at that age.
06:56Two months after his death, Pfaff, aged 27, sadly passed away after taking illegal substances.
07:03Just back to back, the kind of feeling of like somebody that was this close to me,
07:08you know, doing the same thing I did.
07:11And she just died, you know, she died.
07:14And that reality just kind of hit me.
07:17Ofra Haza.
07:17I love you like no other, like no other in my breath.
07:23Labeled as the Madonna of the East, Haza was a singing sensation,
07:28so much so that she's often listed as one of the best singers of all time.
07:32However, in 2000, it was announced that the Israeli performer had sadly died at 42.
07:38Shortly after, Ha'aretz, an Israeli newspaper, reported that Haza had passed away due to complications from AIDS.
07:56This sparked a massive scandal within the country.
07:58Some criticized Ha'aretz for ignoring Haza's privacy.
08:02Others believed she shouldn't have kept it a secret.
08:05And some believed Haza addressing the illness when she was alive would have raised awareness of it.
08:11Fans then blamed Haza's husband, Doron Ashkenazi, for infecting her.
08:17However, he claimed a tainted transfusion was responsible.
08:21In 2001, Ashkenazi passed away from substance issues.
08:25Bergen.
08:26Born Belgian Sarol Mişer, yet better known by her stage name, upon the release of her fourth album, which broke records.
08:40Bergen became one of the most celebrated Arabesque musicians in Turkey.
08:44Incredibly, she did this after suffering abuse from her husband, Halis Serbest.
08:49In 1982, after she planned to leave him, Serbest hired someone to throw acid at Bergen.
08:56After suffering severe injuries, including losing one of her eyes, Bergen underwent surgeries and returned to music.
09:12Serbest was sentenced to 13 years.
09:15Sadly, that wasn't the end, as the duo got back together upon his release.
09:20In 1989, Serbest fatally shot the 31-year-old Bergen.
09:26After fleeing to Germany, he was eventually caught and received a 15-year sentence.
09:31However, he was released after seven months.
09:34Dolores O'Riordan.
09:36One of the most iconic musicians during the 90s,
09:39O'Riordan took the world by storm with her singing voice as part of the band The Cranberries.
09:43The Irish rockers sold millions of albums during their stint,
09:47while she also enjoyed a solo career.
09:57O'Riordan often used her platform to discuss her childhood trauma and mental health struggles,
10:03helping those who can relate.
10:05She even went public with her diagnosis of bipolar disorder.
10:07In 2018, at the age of 46, O'Riordan passed away after accidentally drowning in a hotel bathtub following alcohol consumption.
10:17Musicians, actors, politicians, and many other famous faces from various industries all honored her legacy.
10:24After releasing a final album with O'Riordan's vocals in 2019, The Cranberries disbanded.
10:29It's so old now
10:32Judy Garland
10:39From bursting into the film industry with 1939's The Wizard of Oz,
10:43Garland would balance her acting career with a beloved singing career,
10:47releasing many albums as she became a cultural and gay icon.
10:51Yet life wasn't easy for her.
10:53A substance, body image, and mental health struggles followed her throughout her legacy,
10:58as well as alleged attacks from some of her husbands.
11:01The dreams you've dreamed have all gone astray.
11:14Later in her career, due to financial problems, Garland performed gigs to raise cash.
11:19However, substance issues caused problems with her performances.
11:23In 1969, three months after Garland had married Mickey Deans,
11:28she sadly passed away at the age of 47.
11:31The inquest found that the legendary performer had accidentally over-consumed prescription medication.
11:37All of those dark days are gone!
11:44Sophie
11:44The Scottish musician Sophie Zeon released a unique kind of dance and electronic pop.
11:51In 2018, Sophie's debut album,
11:54Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides,
11:56was released to critical acclaim and a Grammy nomination.
12:00Just know you've got nothing to hide,
12:02it's okay to cross, it's okay to hide.
12:06Coming out as a trans woman,
12:07the trailblazing performer led the way as an important figure in music.
12:12While not achieving the status of major pop stars,
12:15the producer worked with more successful singers like Madonna and Charli XCX.
12:19In 2021, at just 34,
12:22Sophie died after falling from a balcony in what was determined to be an accident.
12:27In the end, Sophie's bravery in embracing a true identity made for an incredibly influential legacy.
12:33Florence Ballard
12:34As one of the original members of The Supremes,
12:38singer Florence Ballard achieved massive success in one of Motown's biggest acts.
12:43During the band's most productive years,
12:54the vocalist recorded some of their greatest hits.
12:57Due to her struggles with alcohol,
12:59the artist was fired from The Supremes in 1967.
13:02While she attempted to start a solo career,
13:05she was unable to match the accomplishments of her former group.
13:08During the 1970s,
13:15the performer fell on hard times and stopped singing for a short time.
13:19At the young age of 32,
13:21her life was cut short when she died of a sudden heart attack.
13:25Living on through her contributions to Motown,
13:27Ballard also served as the basis for the character Effie White in Dreamgirls.
13:32You better move, move, step in on my heart, I said move, move.
13:38Dorothy Dandridge
13:39Born in Cleveland,
13:41Dorothy Dandridge was destined for greatness from a young age.
13:45As a singer,
13:46she first made a name for herself in groups such as the Dandridge Sisters.
13:50Performing around the country,
13:52the artist honed her craft at iconic places like the Cotton Club.
13:55As an actor,
13:56she appeared in Porgy and Bess
13:58and received an Oscar nomination for her role in Carmen Jones.
14:02And he don't do what you want him to.
14:05Love ain't nobody's angel child.
14:09Despite this success,
14:10she dealt with financial issues and dwindling film opportunities.
14:14Dandridge returned to her roots on the stage,
14:16singing as she juggled personal and monetary setbacks.
14:20I can only give you country walks in springtime.
14:26At the age of 42, though,
14:28she passed away from an accidental overdose.
14:30Through Halle Berry's portrayal of her
14:33in introducing Dorothy Dandridge,
14:35people were reintroduced to the artist's one-of-a-kind talents.
14:38I've got rhythm.
14:40I've got music.
14:43I got my man who could ask for anything more.
14:46Dinah Washington
14:47Known as the Queen of the Blues,
14:50Dinah Washington was one of the premier singers of the 1950s.
14:53From her start as a teenager,
14:55the performer built up her singing ability as a club act in the 1940s.
15:00In 1959,
15:01she won a Grammy for one of her most unforgettable recordings,
15:05What a Difference a Day Makes.
15:07Lord, what a difference a day makes.
15:10At the age of 39,
15:14Washington died of a barbiturate overdose.
15:17Her many indelible performances created a legend around her name,
15:22with a classy delivery that set her apart.
15:24With her mastery of jazz, blues, and R&B,
15:28the vocalist became a 1993 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
15:33Meeting you was a happy accident.
15:37Simone Battle
15:38While Simone Battle tried her hand at show business before X-Factor,
15:42it was the singing competition that made her a star.
15:45Her 2011 audition on the program brought her to a much larger stage,
15:50landing her a spot in the girl group GRL.
15:52Maybe I'm just crazy.
15:54Maybe I'm a fool.
15:56Maybe I don't know how to love, but maybe I do.
16:00All of her early acting gigs and music video work prepared her for the big time,
16:04including a successful collaboration with Pitbull.
16:07With two years in the group,
16:08the performer was well on her way to even larger musical achievements.
16:12Shocking the world, the 25-year-old singer took her own life in 2014.
16:17Through heartfelt tributes, her bandmates and admirers carried on her legacy,
16:22and showed that she would never be forgotten.
16:25Mary Wells
16:26Known for her association with early Motown,
16:29Mary Wells was another important piece of the record company's unprecedented success.
16:34As a teenager, Wells was one of the first female artists to have a successful single with the Detroit label.
16:40Releasing classics like My Guy,
16:42her abilities provided a strong foundation for the pop and R&B landscape.
16:47And nothing you can do to make me untrue to my guy.
16:54Singing various songs written by Smokey Robinson,
16:57the performer became one of the great solo stars of the early 1960s.
17:00After disagreements with Motown,
17:03Wells left to pursue work with different labels for the next two decades.
17:07In 1990, she received a cancer diagnosis that led to her death two years later.
17:12Ahead of her time, the vocalist's impeccable work made her the original, the queen of Motown.
17:18You beat me to the punch, you beat me to the punch, you beat me to the punch.
17:24Tammy Terrell
17:25One of the shining lights of early Motown,
17:28Tammy Terrell achieved an incredible amount in her 24 years.
17:32Starting in her teens, the performer worked and recorded with James Brown.
17:36Showing tremendous promise, the singer formed a classic partnership with Marvin Gaye.
17:41The Friends recorded
17:42Ain't No Mountain High Enough and You're All I Need to Get By,
17:45which became two all-time classics.
17:54After fainting in 1967, the artist found out she had a malignant brain tumor.
18:00Less than three years later, Terrell succumbed to her illness.
18:03In her brief career, she managed to put an indelible mark on popular music.
18:08Baby, there ain't no mountain high enough
18:13Ain't no valley low enough
18:16Minnie Riperton
18:18Known for one of the most dynamic vocal ranges in popular music,
18:22Minnie Riperton was nothing short of a singing powerhouse.
18:26Beginning her career as a backup singer,
18:28the performer garnered attention delivering backing vocals for the many artists at Chess Records.
18:33Captured in songs such as her magnum opus,
18:36Lovin' You, her enviable register was unmatched during her initial reign.
18:48Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in 1976,
18:52Riperton refused to let the illness stall her output.
18:55Continuing to record up until her death at 31,
18:58the vocalist also became an advocate for the American Cancer Society.
19:02Leaving behind a host of admirable work in and out of the industry,
19:06she was a true role model for future entertainers.
19:16Christina Grimmie
19:18Before making a splash on season 6 of The Voice,
19:21singer Christina Grimmie released her own covers on YouTube.
19:24Blow a kiss, fire a gun, all we need is someone to leave love
19:30Releasing an EP and an album,
19:34the performer already developed her sound prior to landing an audition on the NBC show.
19:39Once she made it to the show, she was mentored by Adam Levine,
19:43and mastered her pop skills on stage.
19:45I think that this song is an artistic choice to kind of stamp who you are beyond the competition.
19:50Finishing in third place, she left the program with opportunities to join a major label and
19:56tour. After one of her live shows, Grimmie was shot and killed during an autograph signing with
20:01fans. Her shocking murder brought further attention to the issue of gun violence in America.
20:06Suspect in this case is not from Orlando. The suspect traveled to Orlando,
20:11apparently to commit this crime, and then had plans to travel back to where he came from.
20:18With another EP and album released after her death, Grimmie's promising career had only just begun.
20:25Eva Cassidy
20:25During her life, singer and guitarist Eva Cassidy was more of a cult figure with a small following.
20:32She only had two official releases during her lifetime. Her haunting and emotional voice
20:37glided over a variety of covers, notably Sting's Fields of Gold.
20:41I swear in the days still left, we'll walk in fields of gold.
20:50Mixing folk and jazz influences, her memorable performance style made her a notable DC performer.
20:56Dying from melanoma in 1996, her legend only grew as people rediscovered her albums.
21:03Years later, her recordings became popular in the UK, where her posthumous releases and
21:08compilations sold particularly well.
21:10Someday I'll wish upon a star
21:17Like many of the great artists in history, Cassidy finally received her due after her death.
21:24Cass Elliot
21:25Cass Elliot, also known as Mama Cass, was a major musical presence in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
21:33I got down on my knees
21:35I got down on my knees
21:37And I'll pretend to pray
21:39I'll pretend to pray
21:41One of the members of the Mamas and the Papas, the singer had the most commanding vocals in the entire group.
21:48Her rendition of Dream a Little Dream of Me, off of their fourth album, signaled her promise as a solo artist.
21:54But in your dreams, whatever they be
21:58Dream a little dream of me
22:02With her variety specials and other media appearances, the vocalist became a well-known persona beyond just her initial song work.
22:11While she was maintaining a modest level of success, it all ended when Elliot died from heart failure in 1974.
22:18From her days as a counterculture icon to her tremendous voice, the performer made an immeasurable impact on the industry.
22:26I'll be dancing in the streets
22:29They're dancing in the streets
22:31Billie Holiday
22:34If you have a favorite female vocalist, there's a chance she was influenced in part by Billie Holiday.
22:40And nothing but the blues are brewing
22:43The blues are brewing
22:47Among the most storied and well-regarded performers of any era, she performed standards of the 1940s and 1950s better than almost anyone.
22:57Her career as a jazz singer was punctuated by historic and culturally important recordings, one of which was her version of Strange Fruit.
23:05Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
23:12All the while, she dealt with the changing times and a cluster of legal problems.
23:17In 1959, Holiday died of cirrhosis after a long battle with substance use disorder.
23:23While her story was tragic, many books and films ensured that her inspiring life and musical expertise would never be forgotten.
23:31Patsy Cline
23:33Among the first female artists to serve up country music to pop listeners, Patsy Cline was nothing short of groundbreaking.
23:40With a fantastic vocal ability and rich tone, the singer managed to carve out her own piece of recording history.
23:46Her interpretation of the song Crazy, penned by Willie Nelson, produced a profound and earth-shattering effect on popular music.
23:54I'm crazy for feeling so lonely
24:01By the age of 30, she had conquered the charts and paved the way for women in her respective genre.
24:07In 1963, the performer tragically died in an airplane crash.
24:12Wise and talented beyond her years, Cline gave America their first female country superstar.
24:18I go out walking after midnight
24:22Out in the moonlight
24:24Just like we used to do
24:27Janis Joplin
24:28There were few performers who had the power of Janis Joplin's voice.
24:32Won't you love you, love you
24:34That's all, all, all I could do
24:37From her time with Big Brother and The Holding Company to her solo career, this singer was a guiding light for 60s counterculture.
24:44Fashionable and down to earth, Joplin was known for her legendary renditions of songs like Peace of My Heart and Me and Bobby McGee.
25:01Unfortunately, her life ended at the young age of 27 after an accidental overdose.
25:07Even in her short life, the artist achieved a mythical status as one of the greatest rock vocalists of the Woodstock generation.
25:22Karen Carpenter
25:23The brother and sister duo The Carpenters became soft rock staples in the 1970s.
25:28As their lead vocalist, Karen Carpenter's angelic voice bolstered several huge records.
25:33Songs such as Rainy Days and Mondays and Superstar were big songs with pop listeners.
25:38Don't you remember you told me you loved me, baby
25:42With multiple Grammys and hit singles to their name, the group seemingly had it all despite their own personal struggles.
25:50Suffering from body image issues, Carpenter dealt with eating disorders during the height of the band's success.
26:03These contributed to the singer's death in 1983, after her lengthy battle with anorexia.
26:08At just 32, the artist died much too young, and with many wonderful songs left to sing.
26:15Amy Winehouse
26:17Appointed as the next great British pop singer, Amy Winehouse soared to fame with an enviable vocal talent.
26:23In just two solo albums, the performer garnered commercial and critical acclaim with hits like Valerie and Rehab.
26:29Her record, Back to Black, brought her international fame and Grammy Awards.
26:39With even greater success on the horizon, Winehouse accumulated several promising projects and offers in the early 2010s.
26:47Battling substance use disorder and personal demons, the vocalist struggled at the peak of her fame.
26:53Dying from alcohol poisoning in 2011, the artist's life was cut short under unfortunate circumstances.
27:08Although her life ended in tragedy, her star shined brighter than anyone could have imagined.
27:14Lisa Left Eye Lopez
27:16Providing a fun and vibrant energy to TLC, Lisa Left Eye Lopez rounded out the R&B trio.
27:23Oh, no chasing waterfalls
27:27Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to
27:32Contributing to one of the best-selling female groups of all time, the singer and rapper made her mark on a number of massive songs.
27:39Adding her charm to the videos for No Scrubs and Creep, Lopez was the group's secret ingredient.
27:50During a charity trip in Honduras, the artist was killed in a car crash.
27:54With the promise of her solo career and producer credits, the performer was on the cusp of several prosperous ventures.
28:01Leaving us too soon, Left Eye's lasting impression on pop and R&B lived on through TLC's timeless discography.
28:09Whitney Houston
28:10In 1985, Whitney Houston charted a course that would alter the landscape for female vocalists.
28:16By her mid-twenties, the artist had already delivered massive records that showcased her impeccable singing talents.
28:23Releasing a cover of I Will Always Love You, she reached stratospheric heights as an unrivaled singer.
28:30I will always love you
28:37Through her illustrious and award-winning career, Houston's unprecedented talents extended well beyond the music industry.
28:45Later in life, her controversial marriage to Bobby Brown and drug use led to her decline.
28:50The latter contributed to her tragic death from an accidental drowning, along with a heart condition.
28:56Nevertheless, the legend's output left an overwhelmingly positive effect on popular culture.
29:02Oh, I wanna dance with somebody
29:06I wanna feel the heat with somebody
29:09Aliyah
29:10Signed at the age of 12, Aliyah was well on her way to stardom before most people finished junior high.
29:16Three years later, her debut album signaled the rise of another great artist.
29:21Your love is one in a million
29:25It goes on and on and on
29:28With her precocious brand of R&B, the vocalist proved she was born to shake up the industry.
29:34By the release of her third studio album, the multi-talented artist had explored pop music and acting in a number of successful projects.
29:51In 2001, the singer boarded a plane in the Bahamas that crashed not long after takeoff.
29:57Given all of Aliyah's achievements before her death, it's clear that she left us long before she reached her full potential.
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30:18Selena
30:20One of the biggest solo artists of the 90s, Selena brought Tejano music to the world.
30:25Inspiring a new generation of Mexican-American performers, the singer was a cultural icon for millions of listeners.
30:32After starting with the band Selena y Los Dinos, she continued as a solo artist with five studio albums.
30:48Her star shined brightly as she achieved so much in her 23 years.
30:53In a shock to the world, the artist was shot and killed by her former fan club president.
30:59Following the senseless tragedy, the multi-platinum Dreaming of You became a record-breaking album for Latin music.
31:05Immediately following her death, her many fans made it clear that they would never forget her transcendent artistry.
31:17What are your favorite memories or performances of the musicians we've mentioned in the video?
31:22Let us know in the comments.
31:24Let us know in the comments.
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