Thai-Australian singer and songwriter Talae Rodden, known professionally as Ricewine, died after a tree fell onto his car on Mount Buller Road in Australia on Monday, August 10, while his mother was seriously injured.
The 27 year old independent artist died at the scene after the tree fell onto the vehicle as it travelled down the mountain. His mother, Sally Rodden, was taken to hospital with serious injuries and remains under treatment at Wangaratta Hospital.
The University Ski Club (USC) launched a fundraising campaign through GoFundMe to support the Rodden family following the accident. The campaign aims to help cover Talae’s funeral expenses and Sally’s medical costs.
Police and officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident. Talae’s body remains subject to an autopsy as the investigation continues.
According to the fundraising page, the Rodden family is known among Mount Buller locals for managing lodges including USC and operating the Downhill Donuts cafe. The family also operates the Anyroom retail shop in Mansfield and Marrijig.
Ricewine was known as an independent artist living in a small town outside Melbourne. His music featured relaxed, intimate melodies associated with bedroom pop. In a previous interview with Luna Collective, Talae discussed his approach to music and the difficulty of placing it within a single genre.
“It’s kind of hard to describe my music. I like to call it dream-hop. Genres are kind of just another way to put an artist in a box though,” he said.
His most popular single, Summer Spent, has received more than 1.1 million views on YouTube. Talae previously performed his music at SXSW and Fest by Inner West in Sydney. He also performed at the Maho Rasop music festival in 2024.
Another tragic case was reported recently in Thailand when the body of the Thai singer, 46 year old Thaman “Tae” Taephan, was found in the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi on Friday, August 7. The singer was believed to have ended his life after he disappeared from home on a bicycle.
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