Ifunanya Nwangene, a rising Nigerian singer who appeared on season three of The Voice Nigeria, has died after being bitten by a snake. She was 26.
Nwangene’s death was confirmed by her music director, Sam C. Ezugwu, in a statement shared on Sunday (February 1) by the Amemuso Choir, where she sang as a soprano.
According to the choir, Nwangene died on Saturday (January 31), after suffering a snake bite and receiving treatment at a hospital in Nigeria. “Amemuso Choir regrets to announce the sudden demise of our beloved soprano,” the statement read, per BBC Africa. “A rising star, Ifunanya was on the cusp of sharing her incredible talent with the world. Her voice and spirit will be deeply missed.”
According to the outlet, Nwangene was living in Abuja, Nigeria at the time of her death. Choir member Hillary Obinna told BBC Africa that she was asleep when the snake bite woke her. He also said two snakes were later discovered inside her home.
Video circulating on social media appears to show a snake handler removing one of the reptiles from the residence.
Nwangene reportedly first sought treatment at a nearby clinic, but no antivenom was available. She was later taken to Federal Medical Center, where she died.
Nwangene first gained attention after appearing on The Voice Nigeria in 2021, where she turned two judges’ chairs with her performance of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow.” Footage of her audition has since drawn tens of thousands of views on YouTube.
Beyond television, Nwangene was also an architect and an active member of Nigeria’s music community. She regularly shared covers and original music on YouTube and Instagram, and her final social media post teased an upcoming collaboration with Nigerian artist Tbrass.
Following news of her death, Tbrass shared a tribute, revealing that Nwangene had been in his studio just days earlier, recording a feature for his next album.
“An irreplaceable loss to the Abuja music society and Nigeria at large,” he wrote, calling her a “young, promising, and immensely talented artist” whose voice and energy touched many lives.
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