The former child pop sensation, who gained popularity with his debut album “Aaron’s Party,” was discovered dead on Saturday morning at his Lancaster, California, home.
PEOPLE has confirmed the passing of former child music singer Aaron Carter, best known for his albums Aaron’s Party and L’V. He was 34.
TMZ, which broke the news first, said that the artist was discovered dead at his Lancaster, California, home on Saturday morning. A body was found just before 11 a.m., but officials have not yet released the victim’s name, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
Despite declining to comment, Carter’s representative said that “the family and management will issue a statement soon.” In this trying time, I appreciate your patience.
There were prescription drugs and drug paraphernalia in the star’s bedroom, according to police sources who spoke to PEOPLE. He was discovered in his bathtub by a house sitter. He may have lost consciousness and drowned, but the exact cause of his death has not yet been established, according to police sources.
Aaron Carter, the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, first gained popularity in 1997 with his self-titled debut album. He then went on to release Aaron’s Party (Come Get It) in 2000, Oh Aaron in 2001, and Another Earthquake in 2003. (2002).
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That’s How I Beat Shaq, Aaron’s Party (Come Get It), and his cover of The Strangeloves’ “I Want Candy” were among his early hits. Before starting his first solo tour in 2000, Aaron served as the opening act for both Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys.
Aaron recently made the switch to rap, and in 2018, 16 years after his previous album, he released his fifth studio album, titled L’V.
The youthful multi-hyphenate also had a career as an actor, playing himself in Lizzie McGuire and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, as well as in 7th Heaven and the films Fat Albert (2004), Popstar (2005), and Supercross (2005).
In addition, he had his Broadway debut in 2001 as JoJo in Seussical the Musical, and he participated in a 2011 Off-Broadway production of The Fantasticks.
Aaron co-starred with Nick, 42, and their three siblings Bobbie Jean, Leslie, and Angel in the ill-fated E! reality series House of Carters in 2006. Aaron also participated in season 9 of Dancing with the Stars in 2009, placing fifth with partner Karina Smirnoff.
Aaron dated famous people like Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff throughout his adolescence before coming out as bisexual in 2017. The couple welcomed a son named Prince, now 11 months old, in November of last year after he got engaged to model Melanie Martin in 2020.
I intend to be an excellent father. I am aware of that,” he said in 2018 to PEOPLE. “I want a lot of children, a lot of security, a lot of joy and laughing, a lot of education, and a lot of enjoyment. Everything will work out well.
The on-and-off couple called off their marriage one week later, reconnected in December, and then split up once more in February. It’s not clear how they were connected when he passed away.
Over the years, Aaron battled addiction and mental health issues and was in need of therapy for all three. He also had legal issues. According to TMZ, the most recent time he was stopped for a DUI occurred on Tuesday, but after administering a field sobriety test, police determined that he wasn’t impaired.
Aaron told PEOPLE in 2018 that he was pleased with how things turned out. “As a child, I was a really content baby. At this point, all I really want is to enjoy myself, be well in body, mind, soul, and emotions, and to take full responsibility for my own activities.