Doja Cat Pays Tribute to Late 'Elvis' Actress Shonka Dukureh: 'Incredible Talent'

Mar. 15, 2025

Doja Catis paying tribute to her lateElviscollaborator Shonka Dukureh.

The “Woman” singer, 26, shared a photo with Dukureh, who wasfound dead in her Nashville homeon Thursday at age 44,Elvisdirector Baz Luhrmann and costar Yolato her Instagram Storyearly Friday.

“Rest In Peace Shonka — an incredible talent taken from us too soon,” Doja Cat wrote.

Doja Cat/instagram

Dukureh, who appeared in thebiopic as Big Mama Thornton alongsideAustin Butler, was also featured on the movie’s soundtrack. She recorded Thornton’s hit “Hound Dog” for the film, and her version was sampled in Doja Cat’s song “Vegas.”

Doja Cat included Dukureh in the “Vegas” music video, and even brought her onstage at Coachella in April for a live performance.

“Somebody asked, ‘Are you nervous? It’s like 70,000 people out there,'” Dukureh toldWPLNof her Coachella moment. “I said, ‘I have come too far now to be nervous because it’s showtime now! I can’t turn around!'”

Nashville Metropolitan Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that Dukureh was found dead in the bedroom of the Nashville apartment she shared with her two young kids.

Shonka Dukureh.Kane Skennar/Warner Bros.

One of her children found her unresponsive and ran to a neighbor’s apartment. The neighbor called 911 at 9:27 a.m.

No foul play is suspected, according to the news release, though authorities are awaiting autopsy results from the Davidson County Medical Examiner’s Office for an official cause of death, Nashville Metropolitan PD tells PEOPLE.

A celebrated gospel singer in the Nashville area, Dukureh’s career as an actress was just beginning. Though she had a passion for the arts, her first love was being a teacher.

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In June, Dukureh told local Nashville news outletWPLNthat many of her students reached out after seeing her inElvis.

“They’re blown away, like, ‘Wow! Miss Shonka! Really?'” she said with a laugh. “I said, ‘I’m still Ms. Shonka, you know!’ "

source: people.com