Singer Aaron Carter has died at the age of 34.
“We are extremely saddened and shocked to confirm the passing of Aaron Carter today,” his agent Roger Paul said in a statement sent to HuffPost. “At the moment, his cause of death is being investigated. We ask that you give the family time, and they will have more information when available. We cannot express the outpouring of love coming in.”
The pop star and rapper was found dead at his home in Lancaster, California, on Saturday, TMZ was the first to report, and The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.
He was the younger brother of Nick Carter, a member of the Backstreet Boys, and got started in the music world by opening for the popular boy band. He released his self-titled debut album in 1997 at the age of 9.
Carter’s second album, which featured the singles “I Want Candy” and “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It),” was released in 2000 and went triple platinum.
The young star also made television appearances on shows including “Lizzie McGuire” and “7th Heaven.”
Carter continued to release music and had stints in reality TV, including starring in “House of Carters” in 2006 with Nick and their three sisters, B.J., Leslie and Angel. Leslie Carter died of an overdose in 2012 at the age of 25.
Aaron Carter released his last album, “LØVË,” in 2018 ― his first full-length album in 15 years.
But Carter also struggled with drug addiction and rocky relationships with his family. He had multiple stays in rehab and was arrested for driving under the influence in 2017. In 2019, he publicly admitted he had a huffing addiction and had struggled with addiction to multiple drugs for years. That same year, siblings Nick and Angel both filed for restraining orders against him, citing “increasingly alarming behavior.”
Just three days before his death, police had gone to Carter’s house after fans called authorities for a welfare check after he appeared to be huffing on Instagram Live.
Paul added that Carter was “adventurous and impulsive” but also “tender-hearted” and “courteous.”
“We can still feel his presence and warmth around us,” Paul said. “Aaron knew sometimes he didn’t make the greatest decisions, but he suffered the consequences of that. He let himself be submerged in guilt, but he continued to venture on, trying to make things right and trying to make amends. Aaron Carter truly loved life.”
Carter leaves behind a son, Prince. He and fiancée Melanie Martin welcomed the baby boy last year.
Actor Hilary Duff, who dated Carter when they were both teens, posted a heartfelt homage to her ex. “Boy did my teenage self love you deeply,” she wrote on Instagram, adding that he had a “charm that was absolutely effervescent.”
“I’m deeply sorry that life was so hard for you and that you had to struggle in-front of the whole world,” Duff added. “Rest easy.”
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