US girlband star Simone Battle has died, aged 25

Simone Battle – a member of up-and-coming US girlband G.R.L. – has passed away at the age of 25.

The singer and former X Factor USA contestant was found dead at around 8am local time yesterday (September 5) at her home in Los Angeles, her father, Anthony E Battle, told The Daily Mail.

The cause of her Battle’s untimely death is currently under investigation.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Simone Battle of G.R.L.,” Robin Antin – the founder of G.R.L. and also the Pussycat Dolls – said in a statement to the press.

“Simone was an exceptional young talent and human being, and we are all devastated to learn of her passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones at this time,” Antin added.

Battle rose to fame on the first series of The X Factor USA in 2011, when she was picked by Simon Cowell to go through to the live stages of the competition. After being voted off the contest, Battle auditioned to become a member of the second generation Pussycat Dolls. The group later changed its name to G.R.L, and released their first track, Vacation, in the US last year.

The group’s collaboration with Pitbull, Wild Wild Heart, reached Number Six on the UK’s Official Singles Chart earlier this year. Ugly Heart, the band’s debut single proper, was released in the UK this week and is expected to debut inside the Top Ten tomorrow (September 7).

Watch the video for Ugly Heart below:

[youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxRQNO8vg2Y[/youtube]