Boy Band Dream Street's Chris Trousdale Dead at 34

Chris Trousdale, singer in the short-lived and wholly underrated Y2K boy band Dream Street, died on Tuesday at a hospital in Burbank, California. He was 34.

A representative for Trousdale released the following statement: “It is with a heavy heart that we confirm the passing of Chris Trousdale on June, 2, 2020 from an undisclosed illness. He was a light to so many and will be missed dearly by his family, friends and fans all over the world. Although it felt like he belonged to us all, the family is requesting that you respect their privacy at this time of grieving. Should you wish to make a donation in his honor, please give to ASPCA.”

Deadline’s report states that Trousdale died due to complications from covid-19, according to a family member. Jesse McCartney, who was also in Dream Street before transitioning to a solo career, wrote a tribute to Trousdale on Instagram:

It pains me to say that an old friend, Chris Trousdale, from my early days in the music industry has passed away due to complications from COVID-19. Chris had an explosively charming personality with boundless amounts of talent. Together we made up two of the five members of a boyband called DreamStreet. We were young kids with budding talent who shared an overwhelming love for music and performing. Chris, in my opinion, was the most popular among us, who had a way of drawing every eye to what he was doing on stage. As an incredibly trained dancer, he would pick up an entire dance number in a matter of minutes; something that would take the rest of us days. I truly envied him as a performer. We were a part of something people never get to experience in an entire lifetime at the tender ages of 12 and 14. Although we were a band for only 3 years, at that age, it felt like a lifetime and we built a real brotherhood. In later years, we would grow apart as our lives would take different turns, but I would often reflect on our early days together and think about how exciting it all was. My deepest sympathies go out to his mother whom I know cherished him dearly. RIP Chris. I’ll never forget your smile.

Dream Street formed in 1999 and disbanded shortly after, in 2002, after ongoing disputes between the group’s parents and their management team. They were children at the time, as evidenced in the music video for their biggest hit and one-time ubiquitous Radio Disney banger, “It Happens Everytime,” above. Trousdale was the heartthrob of the group and played the lead in the Dream Street-themed 2002 film The Biggest Fan, where he appeared as himself—as the object of the protagonist and biggest fan Debbie Warren’s (Kaila Amariah) affection. In the 2010s, he landed roles on Disney shows like Austin & Ally and Shake It Up, as well as the soap Days of Our Lives and Lucifer.