Ben Saunders, the tattoo-covered soul singer who made television history as the first winner of The Voice of Holland, has died at the age of 43. The singer's body was discovered Tuesday, September 15, at the Rijkerswoerdse Plassen recreational lake near Arnhem in the Netherlands.
Saunders had reportedly been declared missing earlier that day, prompting an extensive search involving police officers, dogs, divers, boats and a helicopter. A body was recovered from the recreational area at approximately 1:20 p.m. Dutch police have ruled out criminal involvement, but they have not disclosed how Saunders died. Any claim that he drowned or died by suicide therefore remains unconfirmed. NOS reported that his family subsequently confirmed his death.
Saunders became an overnight sensation after auditioning for the inaugural season of The Voice of Holland with Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody." His gravelly voice and heavily tattooed appearance immediately caught the coaches' attention, with three chairs turning within the opening moments of his performance.
He ultimately won the competition in January 2011 with 59 percent of the public vote, becoming the first champion in the history of the original Voice format. The Dutch program subsequently inspired more than 150 international adaptations, including the long-running American version.
Saunders followed his victory with the hit "Kill for a Broken Heart" and two albums, You Thought You Knew Me by Now and Heart & Soul. He also received the MTV Europe Music Award for Best Dutch Act. Although his recording career later slowed, Saunders returned to television in 2023 as a contestant on the Dutch talent show Avastars and continued working as a tattoo artist in Arnhem.
His brother, Dean Saunders-who won the Dutch version of Popstars just one day after Ben's Voice triumph-announced the heartbreaking news on Instagram.
"My dear little brother passed away today," Dean wrote, adding that he had never experienced such pain. He asked the public to treat the family respectfully and said Ben would remain in his heart forever.
Former Voice of Holland personality Marco Borsato also shared an emotional tribute, declaring that his heart was "weeping" and that he could not find words for the emptiness Saunders had left behind. Friends and fans have also been invited to remember the singer at the family's tattoo studio.
Saunders's cause of death has not been publicly revealed. Police have confirmed only that there was no evidence of a crime. People reports that tributes continue to pour in for the singer whose unforgettable blind audition helped launch one of television's biggest global franchises.
