Ben Saunders, the first-ever winner of “The Voice” franchise, has died at 43.
The Dutch singer was discovered Tuesday afternoon at the Rijkerswoerdse Plassen recreational lake in the Netherlands, according to local outlet De Telegraaf. Police ruled out foul play, though a cause of death was not immediately revealed. Saunders had been the subject of a search for a man with distinctive tattoos covering his head, neck, arms and hands.
Saunders captured victory in 2011 on “The Voice of Holland,” the original version of the singing competition that would spawn 150 global adaptations including the hit American series. His win came during the show’s inaugural season under coach Marco Borsato, a Dutch pop star who remained connected to the singer more than a decade later.
Borsato, 58, mourned his former contestant by posting a duet performance of his 2011 song “Dochters” that he and Saunders had sung together on the competition series. “💔💔💔,” he captioned the clip. The coach followed with a photo tribute, writing, “Dear, special man, my heart is crying!” He continued, “I can’t find words for the emptiness you leave behind,” and addressed Saunders’ loved ones directly: “Dear Juanita, friends and family, lots of strength in processing this enormous loss.”
Saunders’ partner, Juanita, and their 9-year-old son, Benji, shared their grief in an Instagram statement Wednesday. “To quote our son Benji: Mom, I have a hole in my heart that is only one percent full,” Juanita wrote. “This loss leaves an indescribably huge void in our lives. We earnestly ask everyone to respect our privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”
The family invited fans to pay respects at Craftman’s Tattoo, the Arnhem studio Juanita owned with Saunders, during a Saturday evening gathering from 6 p.m. To 8 p.m. Local time. Saunders himself had spent more than 25 years as a tattoo artist, building a career alongside his music pursuits.
Saunders’ brother, Dean Saunders, also turned to Instagram to address the loss. “My sweet little brother passed away today,” he wrote, sharing a childhood photo of the pair in matching red sweaters. “I have never experienced such pain as I feel right now. What a terrible day for all of us.”
He added, “We have to learn to live with this and I hope this will be handled respectfully. Ben had a beautiful, beautiful family and a family that loves him very much and always will … Ben is in my heart and he will stay there forever ❤️🙏.”
“The Voice of Holland” launched in 2010 and became the template for the worldwide franchise, with the American version debuting in 2011 and running for more than two dozen seasons. Saunders’ victory on that first Dutch season made him the inaugural winner across all iterations of the format, which reports said had expanded to 150 adaptations by 2023.
The public gathering at Craftman’s Tattoo in Arnhem was scheduled for Saturday evening.