Christina Grimmie

Christina Grimmie captivated millions with her powerful voice and genuine spirit, rising from YouTube stardom to a beloved contestant on The Voice. Her journey was a testament to the digital age's ability to launch raw talent onto the global stage, earning her a dedicated fanbase and industry recognition. Tragically, her promising career was cut short, leaving behind a legacy of music and a profound impact on those she touched, sparking important conversations about safety and the nature of fame. Christina Grimmie harnessed the power of YouTube to build a massive global following before breaking into mainstream television. Her unique vocal talent garnered praise from music industry giants, showcasing a rare blend of power and emotive control. Despite a tragically short life, Grimmie's music, activism, and the circumstances of her death left a lasting imprint, inspiring continued posthumous releases and advocacy.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

Christina Grimmie captivated millions with her powerful voice and genuine spirit, rising from YouTube stardom to a beloved contestant on The Voice. Her journey was a testament to the digital age's ability to launch raw talent onto the global stage, earning her a dedicated fanbase and industry recognition. Tragically, her promising career was cut short, leaving behind a legacy of music and a profound impact on those she touched, sparking important conversations about safety and the nature of fame.

From Bedroom Covers to Viral Sensation

Born Christina Victoria Grimmie in Marlton, New Jersey, in 1994, Christina's musical talent was evident from a young age. Her father noticed her powerful voice when she was just six, and by ten, she was teaching herself piano by ear. It was a clear sign of the natural gift that would soon captivate millions.

A Star is Born on YouTube

At just 15, Christina launched her YouTube channel, 'zeldaxlove64', in 2009. Driven by a desire to connect through music, she began posting covers of popular songs. Her initial video was a Hannah Montana cover, but it was her rendition of Miley Cyrus's 'Party in the U.S.A.' that truly put her on the map.

Christina's covers quickly stood out for her incredible voice, vibrant personality, and unique interpretations. She wasn't just singing the songs; she was making them her own. This distinctive approach rapidly built her a dedicated following, showcasing the raw potential of digital platforms for discovering new talent.

Her popularity soared further with a 2010 collaboration on Nelly's 'Just a Dream' alongside fellow YouTubers Sam Tsui and Kurt Hugo Schneider. This video alone amassed over 190 million views, transforming her from an internet personality into a bona fide online star, catching the eye of industry insiders.

Mentorship and Mainstream Momentum

Christina's talent caught the attention of Mandy Teefey, Selena Gomez's mother, who soon became her manager alongside her husband, Brian. This connection propelled Christina into the mainstream, bringing new opportunities and mentorship from Selena Gomez herself.

In 2011, Christina performed at a UNICEF charity concert and even provided backup vocals for Selena Gomez & the Scene. She also joined the first-ever DigiTour, a concert series designed specifically for YouTube artists. It was a clear sign that her digital success was translating into real-world recognition.

Debut EP and Relocation to Los Angeles

June 2011 saw the independent release of her debut EP, 'Find Me'. It was a significant milestone, charting at number 35 on the Billboard 200. Her lead single, 'Advice', even premiered on Radio Disney, further solidifying her growing presence in the music world.

With her career rapidly gaining momentum, Christina made the pivotal move to Los Angeles in January 2012. Here, she signed with Creative Artists Agency, a major step toward professionalizing her career. She continued to release new music and refine her artistry, collaborating and performing extensively.

By April 2013, her YouTube channel boasted over 375 million views and two million subscribers. That summer, she opened for Selena Gomez's 'Stars Dance Tour', performing songs from her highly anticipated debut studio album, 'With Love', which was released in August.

A Defining Moment: The Voice

In 2014, Christina took a bold step by auditioning for season six of NBC's singing competition, 'The Voice'. Her powerful rendition of Miley Cyrus's 'Wrecking Ball' during the Blind Auditions earned a rare four-chair turn from all the coaches: Adam Levine, Usher, Shakira, and Blake Shelton.

Christina chose Adam Levine as her coach, a decision he sealed by telling her she had the potential to be a 'huge star'. Throughout the competition, she received widespread support, including from celebrities like Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, who were openly rooting for her.

She consistently delivered memorable performances, making it all the way to the finale and ultimately finishing in third place. Her journey on 'The Voice' introduced her incredible talent to an even broader audience, cementing her status as a formidable vocalist.

Grimmie's Journey Through The Voice

Stage	Song	Original artist	Date	Order	Result
Blind audition	"Wrecking Ball"	Miley Cyrus	February 24, 2014	1.1	All four chairs turned Joined Team Adam
Battles, Round 1	"I Knew You Were Trouble" (vs. Joshua Howard)	Taylor Swift	March 25, 2014	11.4	Saved by coach
Battles, Round 2	"Counting Stars" (vs. Sam Behymer)	OneRepublic	March 31, 2014	12.4	Saved by coach
Playoffs	"I Won't Give Up"	Jason Mraz	April 14, 2014	18.10	Saved by coach
Live Top 12	"Dark Horse"	Katy Perry	April 21, 2014	20.6	Saved by Public Vote
Live Top 10	"Hold On, We're Going Home"	Drake feat. Majid Jordan	April 28, 2014	22.5	Saved by Public Vote
Live Top 8 (Quarterfinals)	"How to Love"	Lil Wayne	May 5, 2014	24.8	Saved by Public Vote
Live Top 5 (Semifinals)	"Hide and Seek"	Imogen Heap	May 12, 2014	26.5	Saved by Twitter Instant Save (performed "Apologize")
	"Some Nights"	Fun		26.9	
Live Top 3	"Wrecking Ball"	Miley Cyrus	May 19, 2014	28.1	Continued on Finale
	"Somebody That I Used to Know" (with Adam Levine)	Gotye feat. Kimbra		28.5	
	"Can't Help Falling in Love"	Elvis Presley		28.8	
Live Finale	"All of the Stars" (with Ed Sheeran)	Ed Sheeran	May 20, 2014	29.3	Third place
	"Team" (with Bria Kelly, Tess Boyer and Jake Barker)	Lorde		29.12	
Quarterfinals (Season 7)	"With Love" (special guest performance)	Christina Grimmie	December 2, 2014	23.1	Special Guest Appearance

Post-Voice Career and Artistic Independence

After 'The Voice', Adam Levine expressed a strong desire to sign Christina to his label, 222 Records, and Lil Wayne also made an offer. She briefly signed with Island Records, touring with fellow 'Voice' contestants and eager to release new music. However, the major label deal was short-lived, and she was dropped in 2015.

Undeterred, Christina continued to create. She collaborated with Dove Cameron on a music video for 'What A Girl Is' and released new singles like 'Cliché' and 'Stay with Me'. The latter climbed to No. 5 on the iTunes Electronic Charts, proving her resilience and talent outside of a major label system.

In 2015, Christina won the iHeartRadio/Macy's Rising Star Contest, earning her a spot to open the prestigious iHeartRadio Music Festival. She also contributed to 'Love Song to the Earth', a charity single raising climate change awareness alongside legendary artists like Paul McCartney.

February 2016 saw the release of her second EP, 'Side A', a four-song collection. Christina had ambitious plans for a follow-up, 'Side B', and a full-length album by year's end, demonstrating her tireless dedication to her craft and her fans.

A Voice of Exceptional Range

Christina Grimmie was a light-lyric soprano, possessing an impressive vocal range spanning three octaves and three notes. Critics and fellow musicians were consistently awestruck by her talent. Usher called her a 'baby Céline Dion', while Graham Nash marveled at her 'range and the control and the depth of her voice' at such a young age.

Her influences ranged widely, from contemporary Christian artist Stacie Orrico, who shaped her soulful sound, to vocal powerhouses like Christina Aguilera, Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé. She even had an unexpected love for dubstep, DJ music, and heavy metal bands like Metallica and Pantera, showcasing her diverse musical palate.

Beyond the Music: Personal Life and Activism

Beyond her music, Christina was known for her strong Christian faith and deep family bonds. Her mother, Tina, a three-time breast cancer survivor, was a profound inspiration. Christina herself was a passionate animal rights activist, participating in fundraisers for the Humane Society and PETA, advocating for pet adoption.

In her honor, the Christina Grimmie Animal Medical Fund was created, and she posthumously received an 'Impact Award' for her advocacy. She was also an avid anime fan and Twitch streamer, connecting with her audience through shared interests beyond music.

The Tragic End

On June 10, 2016, after performing with the band Before You Exit at The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida, Christina Grimmie held a meet-and-greet for her fans. As she signed autographs and took selfies, a 27-year-old man named Kevin James Loibl, who had traveled from St. Petersburg, Florida, approached her.

Without warning, Loibl pulled out a Glock pistol and shot Christina three times at point-blank range. In a heroic act, Christina's brother, Marcus, tackled the assailant. During the struggle, Loibl broke free, backed against a wall, and tragically took his own life with another pistol.

Christina was rushed to Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition but was pronounced dead shortly after. An autopsy confirmed she had been shot once in the head and twice in the chest. The Orlando Police Department later revealed Loibl carried two handguns, extra ammunition, and a hunting knife, suggesting a premeditated act.

Police chief John Mina stated that Loibl had traveled to Orlando specifically to commit the crime. There were no metal detectors at the venue, nor were attendees frisked, raising questions about security. Witnesses described Loibl as 'nervous' and 'kinda creepy' before the attack.

While Loibl had no known personal connection to Christina and no diagnosed mental illness, he reportedly harbored an 'unhealthy and unrealistic infatuation' with her. He had undergone significant physical changes, including weight loss, hair transplants, and cosmetic surgeries, seemingly to make himself more attractive to her. His motive was described as a chilling 'if I can't have you, then nobody else can't' mentality.

A Legacy That Lives On

Christina Grimmie was privately laid to rest on June 16, with her former 'The Voice' coach, Adam Levine, generously contributing to the funeral costs. A public memorial in Medford, New Jersey, drew thousands of grieving friends and fans, a testament to the profound impact she had on so many lives.

Outpouring of Grief and Tributes

News of Christina's death sent shockwaves through the music industry and her global fanbase. Countless artists, including Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Maroon 5, and Twenty One Pilots, expressed their heartbreak and dedicated performances to her memory.

'The Voice' itself broadcast a post-Olympics episode dedicated 'in loving memory of our friend Christina Grimmie', with coaches Adam Levine and Blake Shelton expressing their devastation. Selena Gomez, who had been performing nearby, tearfully dedicated a song to Christina and later canceled meet-and-greets, citing fear and grief.

The tragedy also sparked broader discussions, with Billboard magazine publishing an open letter advocating for gun control, signed by nearly 200 musicians and industry executives. This powerful statement linked Christina's death to other senseless acts of violence, urging for universal background checks.

Article

Christina Grimmie

Christina Victoria Grimmie (March 12, 1994 – June 10, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, and internet personality. In 2009, she began posting covers of popular songs on YouTube. After releasing her debut EP, Find Me (2011), her YouTube channel reached one million subscribers. After she reached two million subscribers, she released her debut studio album, With Love (2013).

Grimmie then became a contestant on season six of The Voice, finishing in third place. Adam Levine, her coach on the show, announced in the finale that, regardless of the results, he would sign her to his label 222 Records. Lil Wayne also offered to sign her to his label, Young Money Entertainment. She was signed with Island Records for a short time before being dropped. Grimmie released her second EP, Side A, in 2016. That same year, she took on an acting role, making her only motion-picture appearance in The Matchbreaker.

On June 10, 2016, Grimmie was fatally shot while signing autographs following a concert performance at the Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. Side B, a follow-up to Side A, was made available on Spotify and iTunes in 2017, and in June 2017, Grimmie's second and final album, All Is Vanity, was released posthumously.

Early life

Christina Grimmie

Christina Victoria Grimmie was born to Tina (née Milos) and Albert Grimmie in the Marlton section of Evesham Township, New Jersey, on March 12, 1994. Her mother worked as a receptionist until she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her father worked at Verizon Communications as of 2014. She had an older brother, Marcus, who worked as her road manager during her performances.

Grimmie was of Italian and Romanian descent and grew up in Marlton, where she attended Bethel Baptist Christian School, Marlton Middle School, and Cherokee High School. Her father noticed Grimmie's talent for singing when she was six years old, and she started playing the piano at age 10. Despite having received piano lessons, Grimmie said she played by ear.

Career

2009–2011: YouTube recognition and discovery

Grimmie began posting videos to her YouTube channel in 2009 at age 15, under the username of zeldaxlove64. Grimmie stated that she began a musical YouTube channel so that people could connect with her music and because her friend persuaded her to post her videos on YouTube. The first video Grimmie uploaded was a cover of Hannah Montana's "Don't Wanna Be Torn". She first earned recognition for her cover of Miley Cyrus's "Party in the U.S.A." in August 2009. Grimmie's covers first gained attention and stood out due to her voice, personality, and interpretations of well-known songs.

Grimmie was homeschooled for her junior year of high school in 2010. That same year, she covered Nelly's "Just a Dream" with fellow YouTubers Sam Tsui and Kurt Hugo Schneider in a video which received more than 190 million views over the course of ten years. Later, it also became available on iTunes and Spotify. In 2011, she placed No. 2 in the MyYouTube competition, behind Selena Gomez. As her popularity grew on YouTube, Grimmie was discovered by Gomez's mother, Mandy Teefey; Teefey and her husband Brian soon became Grimmie's managers.

2011: Find Me

Grimmie performing in 2011

Grimmie performed in the UNICEF charity concert, and also performed backup vocals for Selena Gomez & the Scene; she appeared on the first DigiTour in 2011, which was created specifically for YouTube artists. Gomez became her mentor. Grimmie appeared on the Billboard Social 50; she also opened for Selena Gomez & the Scene, Allstar Weekend and the Jonas Brothers during the Concert of Hope. She toured for six weeks with Selena Gomez & the Scene opening for them in the We Own the Night Tour.

She released an EP entitled Find Me, on June 14, 2011. The album was released independently and debuted at number 35 on the Billboard 200 chart in the US. Her debut single "Advice" was released to Radio Disney on June 11, with the music video, directed by Sean Babas, being released on July 19 on her YouTube channel. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show with fellow YouTuber Tyler Ward, performing a cover to Lil Wayne's "How to Love"; the episode aired on October 10.

On November 20, Grimmie performed at the 39th American Music Awards of 2011 pre-show alongside Taio Cruz to a special rendition of "Higher" and also won her first award. She also performed her song "Not Fragile" at the Coca-Cola Red Carpet Show along with Selena Gomez & the Scene. She and the band then appeared together in a commercial for Xbox's Kinect. Grimmie also appeared in a commercial for Doritos that same month. Grimmie was the special musical guest performing her hit song "Advice" on Disney Channel's So Random!, which premiered on December 11.

2012–2013: With Love

In January 2012, Grimmie moved to Los Angeles to pursue her singing career; she was signed in April to Creative Artists Agency. On Disney.com, she starred in the web show Power Up: with Christina Grimmie, which ran from March 29 to June 5. She also revealed that she would be working with a new band, Rising Tide, a teen group originally from her hometown area in New Jersey. A stripped version of Grimmie's original song "Find Me" was released on ITunes in June, and reached the front page later in July. Though Grimmie's channel mostly focused on covers and original music, she also started pursuing other interests.

By April 2013, Grimmie's channel had more than 375 million views and two million subscribers. She then opened for Gomez during the North American leg of her Stars Dance Tour, performing songs from her debut album With Love, which was released on August 6, 2013. On October 3, Grimmie's music video for "Tell My Mama" was given its exclusive premiere on Billboard.com. Grimmie said the video is "about a guy that I start liking in school, and he's sort of a dangerous kid, and I am the type of girl that tells my mom about everything." In January 2014, Grimmie appeared on an episode of the podcast Shane and Friends; Dawson was a friend of Grimmie's.

2014: The Voice

Grimmie auditioned for season 6 of NBC's singing competition, The Voice, as revealed on her Facebook page. During the Blind Auditions, she performed Miley Cyrus' hit song "Wrecking Ball". All four coaches, Adam Levine, Usher, Shakira, and Blake Shelton, "turned their chairs" for her. She opted for Levine after he told her that she had the potential to be a "huge star" due to her voice and stage presence. Selena Gomez supported Grimmie during her audition, and Justin Bieber, an artist Grimmie had frequently covered on YouTube, supported her during the finale. She finished in 3rd place, behind winner Josh Kaufman and runner-up Jake Worthington. Host Carson Daly later said he was "shocked" Grimmie did not win. All of Grimmie's performances were released on iTunes and Spotify as studio versions.

  – Studio version of performance reached the top 10 on iTunes

<table><thead><tr><th>Stage</th><th>Song</th><th>Original artist</th><th>Date</th><th>Order</th><th>Result</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>Blind audition</th><td>"Wrecking Ball"</td><td>Miley Cyrus</td><td>February 24, 2014</td><td>1.1</td><td>All four chairs turned Joined Team Adam</td></tr><tr><th>Battles, Round 1</th><td>"I Knew You Were Trouble" (vs. Joshua Howard)</td><td>Taylor Swift</td><td>March 25, 2014</td><td>11.4</td><td>Saved by coach</td></tr><tr><th>Battles, Round 2</th><td>"Counting Stars" (vs. Sam Behymer)</td><td>OneRepublic</td><td>March 31, 2014</td><td>12.4</td><td>Saved by coach</td></tr><tr><th>Playoffs</th><td>"I Won't Give Up"</td><td>Jason Mraz</td><td>April 14, 2014</td><td>18.10</td><td>Saved by coach</td></tr><tr><th>Live Top 12</th><td>"Dark Horse"</td><td>Katy Perry</td><td>April 21, 2014</td><td>20.6</td><td>Saved by Public Vote</td></tr><tr><th>Live Top 10</th><td>"Hold On, We're Going Home"</td><td>Drake feat. Majid Jordan</td><td>April 28, 2014</td><td>22.5</td><td>Saved by Public Vote</td></tr><tr><th>Live Top 8 (Quarterfinals)</th><td>"How to Love"</td><td>Lil Wayne</td><td>May 5, 2014</td><td>24.8</td><td>Saved by Public Vote</td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2">Live Top 5 (Semifinals)</th><td>"Hide and Seek"</td><td>Imogen Heap</td><td rowspan="2">May 12, 2014</td><td>26.5</td><td rowspan="2">Saved by Twitter Instant Save (performed "Apologize")</td></tr><tr><td>"Some Nights"</td><td>Fun</td><td>26.9</td></tr><tr><th rowspan="3">Live Top 3</th><td>"Wrecking Ball"</td><td>Miley Cyrus</td><td rowspan="3">May 19, 2014</td><td>28.1</td><td rowspan="3">Continued on Finale</td></tr><tr><td>"Somebody That I Used to Know" (with Adam Levine)</td><td>Gotye feat. Kimbra</td><td>28.5</td></tr><tr><td>"Can't Help Falling in Love"</td><td>Elvis Presley</td><td>28.8</td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2">Live Finale</th><td>"All of the Stars" (with Ed Sheeran)</td><td>Ed Sheeran</td><td rowspan="2">May 20, 2014</td><td>29.3</td><td rowspan="2">Third place</td></tr><tr><td>"Team" (with Bria Kelly, Tess Boyer and Jake Barker)</td><td>Lorde</td><td>29.12</td></tr><tr><td colspan="6"></td></tr><tr><th>Quarterfinals (Season 7)</th><td>"With Love" (special guest performance)</td><td>Christina Grimmie</td><td>December 2, 2014</td><td>23.1</td><td>Special Guest Appearance</td></tr></tbody></table>

2014–2016: Post-The Voice and major label debut

Grimmie performing in Los Angeles in November 2014

During The Voice, Levine expressed his desire to sign Grimmie to his record label, 222 Records; Lil Wayne also showed interest in signing her to Young Money Entertainment. She ultimately chose to sign with Island Records. She toured with previous contestants of The Voice, including season 5 winner Tessanne Chin, runner-up Jacquie Lee, Will Champlin, season 1 runner-up Dia Frampton, season 6 winner Josh Kaufman, runner-up Jake Worthington, and fellow season 6 contestants Kristen Merlin and Jake Barker. The Voice Summer tour started on June 21, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas.

Grimmie was writing and recording music for her sophomore album, her third major release, and first release since being signed to a label. The lead single was expected to be released in July, with the album following later in the year. Grimmie announced via Facebook that filming for the lyric video for the single started on July 6.

On July 11, she announced that her new single would be called "Must Be Love". On July 15, she announced via a live stream that the song would be released on July 31. "Must Be Love" was produced by Elof Loelv and recorded at ZAC Recording in Atlanta, Georgia.

In February 2015, Grimmie collaborated with Dove Cameron and made a music video for "What A Girl Is", an original song from Cameron's show Liv and Maddie. The music video was released on Grimmie's channel and Disney's YouTube channel. It was also promoted on the official channel. On March 4, Grimmie announced that she had been dropped from Island Records and that she was working on a new album set to be released in late 2015.

The new single from the album, "Cliché", was released on March 16. On April 27, Grimmie released her second single, "Stay with Me", a collaboration with Diamond Eyes, which climbed to No. 5 on the iTunes Electronic Charts. The song also was included on 2015 UKF Dubstep, an album showcasing the top dubstep songs of the year. She was a contestant in the iHeartRadio/Macy's Rising Star Contest. On May 27, Grimmie was revealed as the winner of the contest, securing her spot to open the 2015 iHeartRadio Music Festival in September.

On July 2, she released her third single, "Shrug". In September, she was one of 16 international artists, including Paul McCartney, to record the charity single "Love Song to the Earth", which raises climate change awareness. Grimmie returned to The Voice for season 9, to promote Kohl's fashion.

On February 21, 2016, Grimmie released her second EP, titled Side A, which consisted of four songs. Grimmie said Side B was likely to follow. She had hoped to release a second full-length album by the end of the year.

2016–2026: Posthumous releases

Grimmie had made a four-part video series for Side A comprising "The Ballad of Jessica Blue"; in July 2016, Brian Teefey announced that the videos would debut via Billboard then be featured on her YouTube channel. The first video, for the song "Snow White", debuted on August 11. The second video, for "Anybody's You", debuted on August 18. "Deception" debuted on August 25; "Without Him" on September 1.

Grimmie made her motion picture acting debut in The Matchbreaker, directed by Caleb Vetter. The film was released in selected theaters in October 2016 and released digitally in December.

Grimmie received her only Teen Choice Award in 2016, winning posthumously for Choice Web Star: Music. It was her third such nomination. The televised ceremony caused backlash among her fans, who said her name was used to promote the show, but never mentioned during the broadcast despite the inclusion of a tribute to victims of gun violence. Her fans also called out the Emmys for excluding Grimmie from their memoriam.

On February 17, 2017, Grimmie's family released the posthumous single "Invisible". "Invisible" is part of Grimmie's EP Side B, which was released on April 21. Following the release of Side B, Grimmie's first posthumous album, All Is Vanity, was released on June 9. On May 11, 2018, Grimmie's family released another single, "Little Girl", which Grimmie wrote and recorded to support her mother, who was battling breast cancer. On September 15, 2020, Grimmie's family released her original song "Cry Wolf". In 2021, Grimmie's family released her original song "Back to Life", along with 3 remixes.

In 2019, her YouTube channel reached four million subscribers, although it dropped below four million in 2020, settling at 3.88 million as of October 2024.

In 2022, "Rule the World", completed as a duet with vocals by Ryan Brown, was released.

In 2026, the single "Eyes of Your Storm" was released along with a demo version.

Artistry

Christina Grimmie

Grimmie was a light-lyric soprano, with a range spanning three octaves and three notes. In 2014, while on The Voice, Usher called her a "baby Céline Dion". Graham Nash said, "I'm amazed at the range and the control and the depth of her voice. At 20 years old? That's insane." Shakira deemed her high register "out of this world".

Grimmie grew up listening to contemporary Christian artist Stacie Orrico: "She has a really awesome voice and I was so drawn to it. I think the reason I do have a soul voice is because I grew up listening to her and she was my huge, huge influence. I wanted to sound just like her, I wrote songs that kinda sounded like something she would do." Grimmie cited Christina Aguilera as her main influence vocally, and listed her favorite singers as Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Lady Gaga. Grimmie also said she admired Beyoncé for her vocals. Grimmie said she liked dubstep and DJ music, as well as rock 'n roll and heavy metal artists Metallica, Pantera, Iron Maiden, and Tool.

Personal life and activism

Christina Grimmie

Grimmie was a Christian. Her family attended Fellowship Alliance Chapel in Medford, New Jersey, before they moved to Los Angeles. Grimmie had cited her mother, Tina, a three-time breast cancer survivor, as a major inspiration for her musical career. Tina Grimmie died at the age of 59 on September 2, 2018, after a "courageous and brave battle with breast cancer".

Grimmie was an animal rights activist and participated in fundraising events for the Humane Society of the United States. The Christina Grimmie Animal Medical Fund was created in her honor, and she posthumously won the "Impact Award" from the industry for her animal rights activism. She also worked with PETA to promote pet adoption, after adopting a dog in 2014. In her honor, she received a leaf on PETA's Tree of Life, which honors heroes for animals. Grimmie was an anime fan, and had a Twitch channel where she frequently streamed.

Murder

Christina Grimmie

On June 10, 2016, Grimmie performed with the band Before You Exit at the Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. After her performance ended at 10:00 p.m. local time, Grimmie held a meet-and-greet with her fans inside the venue. Fans were lined up as Grimmie signed autographs and took selfies with them. At 10:24 p.m., 27-year-old Kevin James Loibl, who was in line, approached Grimmie when it was his turn. She opened her arms to hug him.

Loibl then pulled out a Glock pistol and shot her three times at point-blank range. Grimmie's brother, who was selling merchandise at a nearby table, jumped towards and tackled Loibl, and the men scuffled; Loibl broke free, backed against a wall, pulled out another pistol and shot himself in the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Grimmie was on the floor bleeding from the back of her head, with a weak pulse. After CPR was performed on her by an attending physician, she was taken to the Orlando Regional Medical Center in critical condition; by 10:59 p.m., she was pronounced dead. An autopsy performed the following day concluded that Grimmie had been shot once in the head and twice in the chest.

The Orlando Police Department said Loibl had traveled by taxi to Orlando from his home in St. Petersburg, Florida, bringing two handguns, two extra magazines full of ammunition, and a large hunting knife. Orlando police chief John Mina stated that "The suspect traveled to Orlando apparently to commit this crime and then had plans to travel back to where he came from." According to Orlando police, the bags of the attendees would normally have been checked, but there were no metal detectors at the venue, nor were the attendees frisked.

One witness complained that the security was concerned about food and beverages being brought into the theater, but did not catch Loibl's guns. Witnesses described Loibl as "nervous" and "kinda creepy".

Loibl had purchased the guns legally from two different stores in St. Petersburg. He did not have an arrest record in his home county of Pinellas, but did have previous run-ins with the police. He did not appear to know Grimmie personally, nor did Grimmie know him. He had not had any diagnosis of any mental illnesses, but had a history of violence.. Loibl worked as a part-time Best Buy customer service or warehouse worker/technician.

Police did not offer a motive, but said that Loibl had shown an "unhealthy and unrealistic infatuation" with the singer and tried to make himself more physically attractive to her through weight loss, hair transplants, teeth whitening and eye surgery. The Orlando Sentinel described his motive as "If I can't have you, then nobody else can – and I'm going to possess you by taking your life."

Loibl reportedly lived "like a hermit". His family said that they were not aware of his plans to travel to Orlando or that he possessed any guns. They also stated that they had never heard of Grimmie, heard Loibl talk about her, nor watched The Voice. However, his "only friend in the world" claimed to have known about Loibl's obsession, though not its extent; Loibl's co-workers stated the same. They said Loibl would be "angry and defensive" when questioned about his obsession with Grimmie and before the shooting he had stated he was "tired and ready to ascend".

On June 16, Grimmie was buried at Berlin Cemetery in a private ceremony. Her former coach from The Voice, Adam Levine, contributed to funeral costs. The following day, thousands of friends and fans attended a public memorial held in Medford, New Jersey.

Aftermath and reactions

Dozens of artists and other celebrities took to social media in response to Grimmie's death. The Voice tweeted, "There are no words. We lost a beautiful soul with an amazing voice".

On June 23, Billboard magazine published an open letter advocating gun control, addressed to the United States Congress, demanding that universal background checks become federal law, referring to Grimmie's death and also the Pulse nightclub shooting, which occurred in Orlando less than 30 hours after Grimmie's death and killed 49. The petition carried nearly 200 signatures of famous musicians and music industry executives. Selena Gomez was a prominent signee of the document.

On August 21, NBC broadcast a post-Olympics preview episode of The Voice dedicated "in loving memory of our friend Christina Grimmie." Her former coach, Adam Levine, wrote that he and his wife were "absolutely devastated and heartbroken ... This is yet another senseless act of extreme violence." Blake Shelton wrote "I'm stunned and disgusted and heartbroken that we lost that sweet little girl." Longtime friend and former tour-mate Selena Gomez was performing only a few miles away from Grimmie at the Amway Center at the time of the murder. The following morning she wrote, "My heart is absolutely broken. I miss you, Christina." Gomez also tearfully dedicated her performance of Hillsong's "Transfiguration" to Grimmie's memory at her Miami concert the following night on June 11, and then canceled a meet-and-greet scheduled to take place that night, citing fear and grief. Gomez later checked into rehab and put her tour on hold.

Many others dedicated performances to Grimmie, such as Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Demi Lovato, Maroon 5, Twenty One Pilots, Charlie Puth, and Rachel Platten. Dove Cameron, who had previously collaborated with Grimmie, expressed her grief over the course of a few days on Twitter. Before You Exit, with whom Grimmie had performed before her murder, tweeted, "Today we lost an angel, sister, and a beloved friend."

Loibl’s family left a handwritten note on their doorstep offering their condolences and apologies for their son's actions, with "no other comments". Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of YouTube, paid tribute by saying the YouTube family was "heartbroken" and "shocked" to hear of Grimmie's murder, with YouTube officially paying tribute on their website.

Many YouTubers made tribute videos for Grimmie. On June 17, a montage of clips featuring Grimmie titled "In Loving Memory Of Christina Grimmie" was posted on her official YouTube channel, which gained upwards of 2.5 million views and 33,000 comments in the first four days. Songs written and recorded in Grimmie's memory include Tyler Ward's "A Song for Christina", Before You Exit's "Clouds", MAX's "Christina's Song", "Somebody's Angel" by Jacquie Lee, and "Blink of an Eye" by Tori Kelly. In Season 11 of The Voice, the coaches performed "Dream On" at the start of the show, as a tribute to Grimmie. In Season 12, Team Adam performed "Hey Jude" as another tribute to Grimmie; her family was in the audience.

On June 11, a GoFundMe was created by Grimmie's manager to cover funeral costs and expenses for the Grimmie family, raising over $170,000 in two days and surpassing its goal of $4,000. It received over 25,000 shares through social media. Soon after, Adam Levine offered to pay for all expenses. A petition was also created on change.org to honor Grimmie, a fan of the video game series The Legend of Zelda, by naming a non-playable character after her in the upcoming Legend of Zelda game set to be released the following year. It was signed by over 70,000 people, including her brother Marcus, though nothing ever came of it.

Grimmie was scheduled to appear at E3 2016. The president of Nintendo of America, Reggie Fils-Aimé, gave his condolences to Grimmie and the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting before giving his Nintendo E3 2016 speech on announcing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Grimmie's death led to calls for increased security at performing arts venues, and created a discussion about gun control and mental health. American heavy metal band Pantera, noting the similarities between Grimmie's murder and the deaths of former Pantera guitarist Darrell Abbott and three others in 2004, urged concert promoters and club owners to impose stronger measures to protect artists from "gun-wielding fanatics", adding: "Sadly, that's not the case and another rising star had to pay the consequences with her life."

The Plaza Live reopened four days after the shooting, paying tribute to Grimmie. Management asked Orlando police to help evaluate the club's security. Some singers in Las Vegas—including Cali Tucker, another season six contestant on The Voice—were given escorts after their performances. In California, VidCon added metal detectors and security officers, and banned informal meet-and-greets in the wake of Grimmie's murder. Video personalities including Joey Graceffa were assigned private security. An industry attorney said the extra measures are "expensive, and fans don't like it. But this is the new reality."

In February 2017, Grimmie's family announced their plans to create a foundation in her honor named "The Christina Grimmie Foundation". The foundation's purpose is to support those affected by gun violence and/or breast cancer. The foundation frequently hosts events in Grimmie's honor, to ensure that Grimmie's death is "not the end of her story". Later that month, an episode of 48 Hours titled "Stalked" aired, focusing on Grimmie's murder.

On the second anniversary of Grimmie's murder, the city of Orlando paid tribute, as did the police force. That same month, a podcast titled Christina Grimmie: The Murder of a Rising Star was released, with separate episodes all focusing on key components of her murder. After the Jacksonville Landing shooting occurred in August 2018, BBC News compared Grimmie's murder with it, along with other shootings that had occurred in Florida.

Grimmie's death was the inspiration for the 2022 song "Glimpse of Us", co-written by her close friends Connor and Riley McDonough of Before You Exit (along with Alexis Kesselman and Castle) and released by Japanese-Australian singer-songwriter Joji, who formerly went by the YouTube moniker Filthy Frank. The song was originally created as a voice memo by Riley McDonough in 2019 to cope with Grimmie's death, as during recording he "[called] out to God, [asking], 'If I could only catch a glimpse of you'." It was released as a single on June 10, 2022, and peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Lawsuit

In December 2016, six months after her murder, Grimmie's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in Florida circuit court against several entities, including the concert promoter, the foundation that owns the venue, and the security company working the event. In January 2017, the promoter and the owner of the venue requested that the judge dismiss the lawsuit, claiming Florida law does not allow business owners to be held liable for attacks on their property. A hearing on the motion to dismiss the lawsuit was set for May 23. The lawsuit was dismissed but Grimmie's family was given an opportunity to re-file the suit. The judge stated that the suit did not make enough of a distinction between the concert promoter and the venue owner.

In May 2017, the family's attorney, Brian Caplan, said that Grimmie's family would file a new complaint after a Florida judge dismissed the original lawsuit.

On April 9, 2018, just short of a year after the Grimmie family filed a new complaint in a Florida court, it was revealed that a judge rejected the defendants' AEG Live and the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra Plaza Foundation motions to dismiss the case, and allowed the family's lawsuit to move forward. In their lawsuit, the Grimmie family alleged that the defendants had "failed to take adequate security measures to ensure the safety of the performers and the attendees at the concert venue." Grimmie's family was also allowed to move forward on claims of "negligent infliction of emotional distress". The judge determined more research on the claims would be needed before going forward. According to court records, on December 3, 2019, Grimmie's family voluntarily dismissed the case.

Filmography

Television

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2011</td><td>So Random!</td><td>Herself</td><td>Guest Performer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">2012</td><td>Power Up</td><td>Herself</td><td>Host</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Remixed</td><td>Herself</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2012–2014</td><td>Dancing with the Stars</td><td>Herself</td><td>Musical Guest</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">2014</td><td>TakePart Live</td><td>Herself</td><td>Guest</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>The Voice</td><td>Herself</td><td>Contestant/Performer</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2014 Orange Bowl</td><td>Herself</td><td>Performed the National Anthem</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">2015</td><td>Drama King</td><td>Herself</td><td>Guest</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Teens Wanna Know</td><td>Herself</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>VIP for a Day</td><td>Herself</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Film

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Film</th><th>Role</th><th>Notes</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2016</td><td>The Matchbreaker</td><td>Emily Atkins</td><td>Independent film, first and only film role, posthumous release</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><td>Christina Grimmie – Her Voice and Legacy: A Decade Later</td><td>Herself</td><td>Documentary film (archival footage), posthumous release</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Discography

Studio albums

<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Album details</th><th colspan="3">Peak chart positions</th></tr><tr><th>US</th><th>US Indie</th><th>BEL (FL)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>With Love</th><td></td><td>101</td><td>20</td><td>167</td></tr><tr><th>All Is Vanity</th><td></td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr></tbody></table>

Compilation albums

<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Album details</th><th colspan="1">Peak chart positions</th></tr><tr><th>US</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>The Complete Season 6 Collection (The Voice Performance)</th><td></td><td>192</td></tr><tr><th>The Matchbreaker (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)</th><td></td><td>—</td></tr></tbody></table>

EPs

<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Title</th><th rowspan="2">Album details</th><th colspan="3">Peak chart positions</th></tr><tr><th>US</th><th>US Indie</th><th>CAN</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>Find Me</th><td></td><td>35</td><td>6</td><td>44</td></tr><tr><th>Side A</th><td></td><td>171</td><td>11</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>Side B</th><td></td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr></tbody></table>

Singles

<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Single</th><th rowspan="2">Year</th><th colspan="3">Peak chart positions</th><th rowspan="2">Album</th></tr><tr><th>US</th><th>US Heat</th><th>CAN</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>"Advice"</th><td rowspan="2">2011</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td rowspan="2">Find Me</td></tr><tr><th>"Liar Liar"</th><td>—</td><td>15</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Tell My Mama"</th><td>2013</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td rowspan="2">With Love</td></tr><tr><th>"Feelin' Good"</th><td rowspan="13">2014</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Wrecking Ball (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td rowspan="11">The Complete Season 6 Collection (The Voice Performance)</td></tr><tr><th>"I Knew You Were Trouble (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Counting Stars (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"I Won't Give Up (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Dark Horse (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Hold On, We're Going Home (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>74</td><td>6</td><td>64</td></tr><tr><th>"How to Love (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>79</td><td>7</td><td>79</td></tr><tr><th>"Hide and Seek (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Some Nights (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Can't Help Falling in Love (The Voice Performance)"</th><td>74</td><td>4</td><td>68</td></tr><tr><th>"Somebody That I Used to Know (The Voice Performance)" (Grimmie and Adam Levine)</th><td>66</td><td>—</td><td>47</td></tr><tr><th>"Must Be Love"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td rowspan="5">Non-album singles</td></tr><tr><th>"Cliché"</th><td rowspan="4">2015</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Stay with Me" (Diamond Eyes and Grimmie)</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Shrug"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Love Song to the Earth" (Paul McCartney, Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Fergie, Colbie Caillat, Natasha Bedingfield, Leona Lewis, Sean Paul, Johnny Rzeznik, Krewella, Angélique Kidjo, Kelsea Ballerini, Nicole Scherzinger, Grimmie, Victoria Justice and Q'orianka Kilcher)</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Invisible"</th><td rowspan="2">2017</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Side B and All Is Vanity</td></tr><tr><th>"Sublime"</th><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>All Is Vanity</td></tr><tr><th>"Little Girl"</th><td>2018</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td rowspan="6">Non-album singles</td></tr><tr><th>"Hold Your Head Up"</th><td>2019</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Cry Wolf"</th><td>2020</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Back To Life"</th><td>2021</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Rule the World" (Grimmie and Ryan Brown)</th><td>2022</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><th>"Eyes Of Your Storm"</th><td>2026</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td colspan="8">"—" denotes items which did not chart.</td></tr></tbody></table>

Music videos

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Director</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>2011</td><th>"Advice"</th><td>Sean Babas</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><th>"Tell My Mama"</th><td>David Turvey</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><th>"Feelin' Good"</th><td></td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><th>"What a Girl Is"</th><td>Layne Pavoggi</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="5">2016</td><th>"Snow White"</th><td rowspan="4">King Hollis</td></tr><tr><th>"Anybody's You"</th></tr><tr><th>"Deception"</th></tr><tr><th>"Without Him"</th></tr><tr><th>"My Buddy"</th><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><th>"Invisible"</th><td>Stephen Leonard</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><th>"Little Girl"</th><td></td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><th>"Hold Your Head Up"</th><td>Caleb Vetter</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><th>"Cry Wolf"</th><td>—N/a</td></tr><tr><td>2026</td><th>"Eyes Of Your Storm"</th><td>—N/a</td></tr></tbody></table>

Awards and nominations

Christina Grimmie

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Award</th><th>Category</th><th>Outcome</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2">2011</td><td>American Music Awards</td><td>New Media Honoree (Female)</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Youth Rock Awards</td><td>Rockin' Indie Artist of the Year</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>Intense Radio's Music Awards</td><td>Best Female Cover Artist</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>Radio Disney Music Awards</td><td>Breakout Artist of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">2014</td><td>Young Hollywood Awards</td><td>Viral Superstar</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Teen Choice Awards</td><td>Choice Web Star: Music</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">2015</td><td>Choice Web Star: Music</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Shorty Awards</td><td>Best YouTube Musician</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>iHeartRadio Music Festival</td><td>Macy's iHeartRadio Rising Star</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>Teen Choice Awards</td><td>Choice Web Star: Music</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Humane Society (HSUS)</td><td>Impact Award</td><td>Won</td></tr></tbody></table>

Concert tours

Opening acts

• Selena Gomez & the Scene – A Year Without Rain Tour (2010–2011) • DigiTour – Lancaster PA, Washington D.C., New York NY (2011) • Selena Gomez & the Scene – We Own the Night Tour (2011) • Selena Gomez – Stars Dance Tour (2013) • IHeartRadio Music Festival – Las Vegas, NV (2015) • Rachel Platten – The Wildfire Tour (2016) • Before You Exit – All The Lights Tour (2016)

Public tours

• The Voice – Summer Tour (2014) • Before You Exit – January and February UK/Europe Tour (2015)