💔 A Voice Like No Other
We’re saying goodbye to a true powerhouse. Alice Tan Ridley, the unforgettable gospel and R&B singer who turned New York City subway stations into soul concerts and later stole America’s heart on “America’s Got Talent,” has passed away.
She was 72.
Alice died on March 25 in New York, her family confirmed.
She’s survived by her son Ahmed, siblings James and Tommy, sisters Julia and Mildred, her twin grandchildren Cooper and Maya—and her daughter, Oscar-nominated actress Gabourey Sidibe.
🌱 Humble Beginnings, Soulful Roots
Born December 21, 1952, in Charles Junction, Georgia, Alice was the seventh of eight kids. Her love for music started early—gospel, jazz, and greats like Aretha Franklin shaped her sound and spirit.
She moved to New York in 1971, became a certified teacher, and raised two kids. But life had other plans. After a divorce and losing her teaching job, Alice turned to what had always been her calling—music.
🚇 From Subway Platforms To Standing Ovations
If you ever walked through the Herald Square station and felt goosebumps from a voice rising above the train noise… that was Alice Tan Ridley.
She sang for tips, but her talent was priceless.
People would stop, cry, dance—whatever her voice told them to do in that moment.
“I was a big secret,” she once told The New York Times.
“With so many people passing by, I wondered, ‘Why doesn’t somebody introduce me to someone who could help me out?’”
Eventually, they did.
🌟 The World Finally Noticed
Alice’s big break came in pieces.
She won $25,000 on Fox’s 30 Seconds to Fame” in 2002.
She rocked “Showtime at the Apollo” in 2005.
That same year, she sang “Amazing Grace” in the David LaChapelle doc Rize and “America the Beautiful” in the film Heights with Glenn Close.
But her life changed forever in 2010 when she auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” at 58 years old.
Singing Etta James’ “At Last,” Alice silenced the room.
Her voice—rich, emotional, straight-from-the-gut—got a standing ovation and took her all the way to the semifinals.
🎶 Late Start, Lifetime Of Music
Alice didn’t release her first studio album until 2016—at 63 years old.
Never Lost My Way was a mix of originals and covers that told her truth: motherhood, heartbreak, survival.
She poured everything into that record, and it showed.
She also toured with her seven-piece band, performing at B.B. King’s in NYC and hitting stages across the U.S. and internationally—from Argentina to Germany.
You might’ve even heard her voice in commercials for Buick or Royal Caribbean, singing “Good Feeling” with joy that leapt out of the speakers.
🕊️ Always The People’s Singer
Even after she made it, Alice never forgot where she came from.
In 2014, she went back to the subway—just to feel that energy again.
“When I was no longer down under there, I missed it,” she told the Times.
She kept singing well into her 60s until health challenges, including dementia, led her to retire in 2018.
But she never stopped being a star.
💫 Her Legacy Lives On
Alice Tan Ridley wasn’t just Gabourey Sidibe’s mom or a viral talent show contestant—she was a fighter, a mother, and a true artist who gave everything to her music.
Her voice lifted spirits, moved hearts, and reminded us that it’s never too late to be seen, heard, and celebrated.
My sincerest condolences and prayers to everyone who knew, loved, and cherished Alice.
Rest well, Queen. You gave the world your whole heart—and we felt it.
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