Ben Thapa, a prominent member of the vocal group G4 and a familiar face from the first season of “The X Factor,” has passed away at the age of 42. Thapa, who was known for his contributions to the group, died unexpectedly, though the cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Thapa was a founding member of G4, which he established in 2004 with fellow students from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama: Matt Stiff, Michael Christie, and Jon Ansellt. He left the group in 2018 to pursue a solo music career. Recently, he had shared on social media about undergoing medical procedures, including a post showing a dialysis machine, and mentioned an emergency kidney operation last month.
In response to Thapa’s passing, G4 shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram:
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our brother and great friend, Ben Thapa. Words cannot express how we all feel right now… We understand that this will be heartbreaking news for so many others too and we send you our love and support as we all remember the amazing man and memories that he has left behind. Ben has been such a major part of the international singing community and he was a critical part of our journey as a group. Thank you for your love at this difficult time. RIP Ben xxxx”
Thapa was born in Cambridge in 1982 and began his musical journey singing in his local church choir. He furthered his education at Hills Road Sixth Form College and the Royal Northern College of Music before transferring to Guildhall. His classical training as an opera singer saw him perform as a low tenor with G4 from 2004 to 2018.
The group gained fame on “The X Factor” in 2004 with their classical renditions of songs like Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “My Way,” and “Nessun Dorma.” They finished as runners-up to Steve Brookstein. G4 released their self-titled debut album in 2005, featuring covers of popular tracks, and went on to release three more albums before Thapa’s departure to focus on his opera career.