Grammy-nominated singer Jubilant Sykes stabbed to death in Los Angeles home with son in custody
Grammy-nominated vocalist Jubilant Sykes has been stabbed to death in his home in Los Angeles, with his son in custody.
Sykes, best known for his background in opera, classical, and gospel music, was found in his home on December 8th in Santa Monica. While he was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities didn’t release the identity of the victim until December 9th.
In a statement given to KTLA, officers responded to the incident at 9:20pm on December 8th. Upon arrival, Lieutenant Erika Aklufi stated that authorities “contacted the reporting party, who directed them into the home where they located an adult male with significant injuries.” Upon assessing the victim, the officers on site also took in Jubilant’s son, Micah Sykes.
According to the report, Micah, aged 31, was “found inside the residence and taken into custody without incident.”
Although there have been no details released relating to Micah’s involvement in the murder, he was booked on suspicion of homicide, with the case being presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Sykes’s career first began as a child, where he had learned to sing soprano. After studying at Cal State Fullerton, he was then encouraged to pursue a career in opera.
While he initially didn’t show any interest in the form, Jubilant felt that the teachers he had helped him discover his talents throughout his time at school.
When talking about his musical upbringing, he felt that he was set up from the moment he left school, saying that the faculty gave him “everything I needed right on campus to prepare me for my career.” From there, he would spend his career interpreting various works, including a version of Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’.
Sykes’ recorded output is limited to only four studio albums released during his lifetime; he has performed at some of the most illustrious venues in the US, including several shows at The Hollywood Bowl, The Apollo Theatre, The New Orleans Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Centre.
One of his most famous performances was inhabiting the role of the Celebrant in the 2009 version of Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, which he performed alongside the Morgan State University Choir and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. This earned him his first and only Grammy nomination for Best Classical Album.
Sykes was 71.
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