Tragic Loss: Gabourey Sidibe’s Beloved Mom Passes Away at 72

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Gabourey Sidibe’s family is mourning a loss.

Alice Ann Ridley-Sidibe, mother of an Oscar nominee and a semi-finalist on America’s Got Talent in 2010, passed away on the 25th of March, as confirmed by her family. She was 72 years old.

Her cause of death was not shared.

Alice, fondly referred to as “Tan” by friends and family, was not only a loving mother to her son Ahmed Sidibe, 43, but also the child of a musically inclined family from Georgia, born as the seventh among eight siblings. This upbringing nurtured her passion for performing.

In an interview with The New York Times in 2016, she shared that her family is quite large and has a rich musical heritage. Each member of our family either sings or plays an instrument.

Alice later moved to New York City, where she was an educator and performer.

Tan was a cornerstone of New York City’s music scene, as noted in her obituary. For more than three decades, she performed at various locations, most notably Herald Square subway stations. Additionally, she was a long-time performer at The Cotton Club in Harlem.

After settling in New York, I found myself gracing various competition stages. In a remarkable turn of events, I pocketed $25,000 on the inaugural episode of Fox’s brief-lived show, “30 Seconds to Fame,” back in 2002. Furthermore, I had the privilege of singing “Amazing Grace” in David LaChapelle’s 2005 documentary, “Rize,” and lent my voice to “America the Beautiful” in the 2005 film “Heights,” starring Elizabeth Banks and Glenn Close.

Ever since she wowed audiences on “America’s Got Talent,” I’ve been a devoted fan, and it’s no secret that her debut album, “Never Lost My Way,” released in 2016, has been a constant companion for me. But what truly resonates with me is that she never forgot her humble beginnings as a street performer in the New York City subway system. It just goes to show that talent can shine anywhere, even amidst the hustle and bustle of the city’s underground.

She confided to the Times, “I was quite a secret. I found myself pondering, ‘Why hasn’t anyone connected me with someone who could assist me?’

Yet, upon achieving success in the open world, her emotions transformed. “Once I was no longer beneath that surface,” she went on, “I yearned for it.

In a similar fashion to Alice, Gabourey has also pursued a career path that mirrors her family’s, having been nominated for an Oscar at the start of her acting journey in the 2009 film “Precious”. Now 41 years old and the proud parent of twins, Cooper and Maya (who are 12 months old), with her husband Brandon Frankel, Gabourey has continued to shine on television shows like “American Horror Story” and “Empire”. Yet, despite her accomplishments, she aspires to shield her children from a life in the public eye.

In an interview with People on April 5th, Gabourey expressed something unusual: she sees herself both as a mother and a mama bear. She explained that she’s protective of her children, but since her profession brings them into a larger world, she hopes they remain unaware of it.

She expressed, “I truly wish to shield… the world from my kids, and I’ll do so for as long as possible.

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2025-04-10 01:47