One of the first ever contestants to appear on American Idol, Nikki McKibbin, has died suddenly at the age of 42.
The singer is thought to have suffered a brain aneurysm last month and on Friday the decision was taken to remove her life support.
McKibbin competed on the inaugural edition of Idol in 2002, finishing in third place behind Justin Guarini and winner Kelly Clarkson.
"[She] was a fiery, funny lady who could sing the Hell out of a rock song with the same kind of ease and command she lovingly used to cut you with her twangy Southern wit," Guarini wrote on Instagram.
"Even in our 20's when we were on American Idol together I could tell that she'd had a challenging life, and that not that many people had been kind to her along the way...
"...but I'll never forget the day that her idol, Stevie Nicks, sent her flowers with a card that said 'You are the Gypsy that I was...'. Nikki was on cloud nine and the joy and excitement that radiated from her was infectious. After the kind of emotional beating she took at the hands of the masses, she deserved to feel good about herself, even for a little while.
"Rest well, 'Gypsy'...and thank you for the laughter, merciless teasing, strength, vulnerability, love and friendship you showed me during our time together in the spotlight."
Watch McKibbin perform 'Black Velvet' on American Idol below:
Neil Wilkes
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