The Voice Nigeria Ifunanya Nwangene star aged 26 after snake bite 'woke her up'
A former contestant from The Voice Nigeria has tragically passed away after being bitten by a snake.Ifunanya Nwangene, who appeared on The Voice Nigeria five years ago, died on 31 January due to the bite, confirmed Sam C. Ezugwu, music director of Amemuso Choir.She was only 26 years old, reports the Mirror."Amemuso Choir regrets to announce the sudden demise of our beloved Soprano, Ifunaya Nwangene," read a Facebook statement, noting that she died in hospital. "A rising star, Ifunanya was on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world."He added that 'her voice and spirit will be deeply missed. ' In the wake of her shocking death, Nwangene's close friend Hillary Obinna revealed to BBC Africa that the vocalist had been sleeping in her Abuja flat when a snake bite 'woke her up'.Ezugwu recalled hospital staff 'trying to stabilise her,' explaining that the singer 'could not speak, but she could make hand gestures. She was struggling to breathe.Nwangene, celebrated for her jazz-operatic vocal style, became a household name in the African nation after captivating audiences on The Voice with her rendition of Rihanna's hit Take a Bow. She was later knocked out during the competition's knockout stage.Her death occurred merely three days after she previewed a new collaboration with musician Tbrass. Following Nwangene's passing, the artist posted footage of Nwangene recording the song as part of his tribute."An irreplaceable loss to the Abuja music society and Nigeria at large," he wrote on Instagram. "My hand and heart feels very heavy writing this, because it is unimaginable losing such a young promising great, talented music artist who touched so many lives, it is very heartbreaking-especially in Nigeria where music runs deep in our souls and connects us all."The pain of saying goodbye to someone whose voice and energy brought joy, inspiration, and even healing to many is heavy," he continued. "From her unique voice, to the stories she told through songs, and the way she represented our culture and struggles, Nanya was a true artist who left an irreplaceable mark."
