Braden Pontoli’s partner has broken his silence after the musician was found dead off the Malibu coast.
Tommy Lei, who shared his life with Pontoli, 36, posted a raw tribute on social media following Wednesday’s discovery of the composer’s naked body in the water just north of Malibu Lagoon. Authorities pronounced Pontoli dead at the scene after pulling him from the Pacific.
Pontoli had been reported missing after failing to appear for an in-person interview scheduled in Santa Monica this week, according to friends.
Lei’s grief spilled out in a direct message to the man he called his world. “This isn’t the post I want to make. Braden, you are so loved and beloved. You were the music and soundtrack in my world. I still don’t believe this is real. We miss you so much already,” he wrote.
The Claremont Chorale, an eastern Los Angeles County choir where Pontoli regularly performed, issued its own statement remembering the baritone. The group described him as a singer who lent his “beautiful baritone voice” to solos with them.
“He was always kind, patient, and generous, and his musical gifts brought joy and healing to many. This is such a sad time for everyone whose life he touched. We wish comfort to his loved ones and offer our many condolences to all who are grieving,” the choir wrote.
Another friend, whose name was not included in available posts, shared his own devastation online. He credited Pontoli with fundamentally altering his own musical path.
“Your musicianship and composer chops have always inspired me and driven me to be better. I can’t really put into words what’s in my heart at the moment, but I am so grateful that our paths did cross, and for the friendship that we shared,” he wrote.
Pontoli maintained an extensive professional portfolio across multiple disciplines. His personal website listed him as composer, conductor, musician, sound artist and “sound healer.” The site described his artistic approach in sweeping terms: “When it comes to his music, Braden bends genres, throughout his breadth of work on stage, on screen, and in the wild. Braden’s work has been characterized as meditative, invigorating, and energizing.”
That same website noted future plans now left unfulfilled. Pontoli was scheduled for a residency in Iceland in 2027, where he intended to work on “sound installation” and “traditional folksong arrangements.”
The Los Angeles County medical examiner has not released a cause of death, and investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding Pontoli’s final hours. Sheriff’s officials have stated that no clear indication of foul play has emerged.
The coastal area where Pontoli was recovered sits near Malibu Lagoon, a popular stretch of beach roughly 30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. The location is known for strong currents and shifting tides that have complicated previous water rescue and recovery operations.
Pontoli’s disappearance first came to light when he missed his Santa Monica appointment, prompting friends to raise alarms about his whereabouts. The gap between that missed meeting and Wednesday’s recovery has not been fully accounted for in public statements.
