Alice Tan Ridley, the former ‘America’s Got Talent’ contestant and mom of Gabourey Sidibe, has passed away. According to her obituary, Ridley died last month at age 72, though the cause of death remains unrevealed.
Ridley wasn’t just a mom, though; she was a popular subway singer in New York before wowing judges with her audition on ‘America’s Got Talent.’ She also turned down a major role in the movie ‘Precious’?
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Sidibe’s Mom Passes Away
While details pertaining to Ridley’s death remain unclear, according to PEOPLE, the singer died on March 25 in New York City. Her funeral service will take place on Saturday, April 12, in Columbus, Georgia, according to Legacy. Immediately after, there will be a burial at Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church in Louvre, Georgia.
Although she hasn’t mentioned her mother’s passing on social media yet, Sidibe openly discusses her relationship with her mom in past interviews and her 2017 book, This Is Just My Face: Try Not To Stare. She explained how the singer and her dad, Ibnou Sidibe, raised her and her brother Ahmed in New York after leaving Georgia in the ‘70s.
Ridley Turned Down Playing Her Daughter’s On-Screen Mom In ‘Precious’
While Ridley was out here hitting them high notes, she was also passionate about educating children as a teacher, a gig she held down for LIFE, according to her daughter. Sidibe’s mama loved teaching so much that she declined to play her on-screen mom in 2009’s ‘Precious’ when she was offered the role. Yes, the same character Mo’Nique ultimately portrayed. Why? Because even though it was a HUGE look for her, she wasn’t about to play a ruthless character. She didn’t want her students to think that’s who she really was.
“My mom’s always been a teacher,” Gabourey previously told NPR about Ridley’s decision to turn down the role. “She didn’t want any one of those kids that she helped to raise to think that that’s who she was.”
Now, Mo’Nique came through, ate that role up, and took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. But Sidibe knows her mama still paved the way, oh-kay. Ridley was also the one who introduced Sidibe to the book ‘Push,’ which the award-winning film is based on.
“I think part of why Lee liked me was because of my connection to my mother,” the actress said. “And in turn, part of why America’s Got Talent liked my mom was her connection to me. I think I was able to give her something, and she was definitely able to give me something as well.”
Alice Tan Ridley who was the mother of Gabby Sidibe has passed away, she was 72 pic.twitter.com/hy4DpAtqrS
— ҒβΔ GΩDDΣSS✨ΔΠDRΣΔ (@FBAGoddess444) April 10, 2025
She Made It Far On ‘America’s Got Talent’
After settling into her new life as a teacher in NYC, Ridley wasn’t just clocking in at the classroom. She was also clocking coins on the subway platforms and singing to commuters in the Big Apple as a side hustle.
Her love for music eventually led her to the ‘America’s Got Talent’ stage in Season 5 back in 2010. And after years of blessing subway riders with her vocals, she delivered a performance of Etta James’ ‘At Last,’ and the judges were GAGGED. They sent her straight to the Vegas Round with all “Yes” votes.
She powered through to the Top 48 after a standout performance of ‘Proud Mary’ in Vegas, leading her to secure a spot in the Semifinals.
For her final performance in the semifinal round, Ridley sang Whitney Houston’s ‘I Have Nothing,’ which impressed Piers Morgan, who called it a “great beginning.” She lost after he and Sharon Osbourne chose Studio One Young Beast Society over her, ending her run just before the finals.
May she rest in peace.
