The reason behind the death of former American Idol finalist CJ Harris has officially been revealed after the singer passed away in his Alabama home Sunday, aged 31. The official coroner’s report published by the Walker County Coroner’s Office has attributed Harris’ death to a heart attack after Harris was rushed to a local hospital but attempts to save him failed.
CJ Harris joined the ranks of American Idol contestants in 2014 after auditioning for the show’s 13th season with “Soulshine” by the Allman Brothers Band. CJ would eventually climb all the way to the semifinals with a distinctive Southern Rock theme, performing hits like “Trouble” by Ray LaMontagne and “Can’t You See” by The Marshal Tucker Band. Eventually reaching the final Wild Card round and the Top 6 finalists alongside Sam Woolf, Jessica Meuse, Alex Preston, Jena Irene, and eventual winner Caleb Johnson, CJ Harris was unfortunately eliminated after performing “American Woman” by the Guess Who and “Whatever It Is” by the Zac Brown Band.
Leaving American Idol didn’t put a stop to CJ’s career, however – in 2014, he would perform at the Foothills Festival in his hometown of Jasper, Alabama, and would keep in touch with his fellow Idol finalists over the years. CJ’s first individual single, “In Love,” was released in 2019, and according to Deadline, he was planning to release new music at the time of his death.
C.J. Harris Dies of a Heart Attack, ‘American Idol’ Contestants Mourn
Paramedics responded to CJ Harris‘ Alabama home on Sunday, January 15th, 2023, and transported him to a local hospital but were unable to resuscitate him, the Walker County Coroner’s Office has confirmed. The official cause of CJ Harris’s death has been reported as a heart attack, according to the coroner’s office, but the causes of the heart attack have not been revealed.
Following CJ Harris’s death, his fellow American Idol contestants published many heartbroken messages across social media as they grieved. The official American Idol Twitter published a statement, calling CJ “an incredible talent” that will be “truly missed”. Jessica Meuse, a fellow Top 6 finalist, gave PEOPLE Magazine this statement:
Caleb Johnson, Sam Woolf, and Alex Preston, who CJ had been roommates with during the end of American Idol, also gave their own heartfelt messages, calling CJ “a beautiful, kind soul that always made the room brighter with your smile and laughter”.
A post shared by Jessica Meuse (@jessmeuse)
More details on the death of American Idol contestant CJ Harris will likely become available if a deeper investigation into his death is conducted.
