Celebrity News April 10, 2025
Alice Tan Ridley, ‘AGT’ Contestant & Mother of Gabourey Sidibe, Dies at 72
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Singer Alice Tan Ridley, mother of actress Gabourey Sidibe, has died at 72.
According to her obituary, she passed away March 25 in NYC.
No cause of death was given, but The Hollywood Reporter noted she began suffering from dementia in 2018 and retired.
Ridley’s obituary describes her as “a pillar of the New York City singing circuit,” noting she was a paid singer at the Harlem's Cotton Club and was well-known for singing in the subway — primarily Herald Square — for more than 30 years.
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View StoryShe also enjoyed time in the spotlight. Alice won the first episode of “30 Seconds to Fame” in 2002 and competed on Showtime at the Apollo in 2005. That same year, she was featured in David LaChapelle's documentary "Rize.”
Ridley won an Emmy for her part in the documentary “Military Families” in 2007, and followed her dreams on “America's Got Talent” as a Top 12 contestant on Season 5 in 2010.
She went on to release her debut studio album “Never Lost My Way” in 2016.
