Michael Johns dead: American Idol finalist dies suddenly aged 35

Ryan Seacrest was among the first to pay tribute to the late singer, whose cause of death is yet to have been confirmed

Michael Johns, who reached the finals of the seventh season of American Idol, has died.

"It is with a heavy heart and inconsolable sadness that we confirm the passing of our friend Michael Johns," his manager shared on Twitter.

"No other details will b avail at this time. Please respect the privacy of Mike's family and friends as we know u will."

The cause of Johns’ death, aged just 35, is yet to be determined, but is suspected to have been caused by a blood clot, according to E! News.

His close friend Torrey Gimbill spoke of Johns complaining about experiencing pain in his legs just days before he passed away.

"My mom took him into the emergency room [Thursday]," he told E! News. "He had complained about his leg hurting him, he thought it might be a blood clot because it had bruised pretty badly and he never hurt his leg.

"He was the most talented singer, loyal friend and genuine person you could meet. I miss him so much. It's crazy we were laughing together the day before."

Johns bowed out of the competition in 2008 in eighth place, leaving David Cook and David Archuleta to battle it out in the grand final.

A number of contestants from the seasons have expressed their condolences to the singer and his family, including show host Ryan Seacrest, who tweeted the following:

Despite not winning the talent competition, Johns continued to make music, releasing the album Hold Back My Heart in 2009.

Last month, he shared news that he had been busy recording new music with his fans on Twitter.

"Headed to the studio to work on new song called 'Reckless' been waiting a long time for this one," he posted.

He is the first Top 10 finalist to die in the show’s 13-year history.