Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber Celebrate the ‘Utter Brilliance’ of Late Drummer Aaron Spears

Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber were among the many artists to pay tribute to celebrated drummer Aaron Spears, whose death was announced Monday, Oct. 30.

Spears played with both Grande and Bieber during his career, with the former calling Spears “the absolute brightest light of a human being. Always the kindest, always smiling.”

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She continued: “I am so honored and thankful that our paths crossed and to have spent so much very special time together. Thank you for your utter brilliance, for our laughs, and for your kindness always. I will miss your hugs. You are so, so loved and will be very missed.”

Bieber, meanwhile, wrote, “We lost a beautiful man and inspiration to all of us drummers. @Aspears prayers for your family and loved ones you will be remembered and celebrated.”

Along with Grande and Bieber, Spears played with Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, and Lady Gaga, though he was probably best known for his work with Usher. He served as a producer on Usher’s 2004 smash Confessions, which earned him a Grammy nomination, while he was also part of Usher and James Brown’s memorable performance of “Caught Up” and “Sex Machine” at the 2005 Grammys.

As The New York Times reported, the Grammy performance was a breakthrough moment for Spears, who’d grown up playing drums in the church and was well-known in Washington D.C.’s local music scene. As his career blossomed, he scored gigs with Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Adam Lambert, and Chaka Khan. He also worked as a music coordinator on The Masked Singer and performed on Late Night With Seth Meyers.

Spears’ wife, Jessica, confirmed his death in a statement shared on social media Monday, though did not specify a cause of death. “Aaron was not only an incredibly accomplished drummer, admired by many for his unparalleled talent and passion for music, but he was also a devoted father to our precious son, August,” she wrote. “His love, guidance, and warmth were the pillars of our family, and his absence leaves a void that words cannot describe.”

Speaking to the reverence Spears enjoyed in the drumming community, tributes also came in from Blink-182’s Travis Barker and the Roots’ Questlove. Barker said Spears’ “friendship meant the world to me” and credited him with helping him “fall back in love with drumming” after his near-fatal 2008 plane crash. Questlove, meanwhile, called Spears a “legend” and “leader drumgod,” adding: “You’ve seen Aaron drum prolly 5-10 times in your life if you attend concerts and sometimes without knowing. That’s how much in demand his services were.”

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