She was 44 years old.
Dukureh was found dead in the Nashville apartment she shared with her two young children. There was no apparent foul play, police said.
Dukureh’s role as Thornton, an R&B singer who was the first artist to record the song “Hound Dog,” later made famous by Elvis Presley, was her first major film appearance.
He appears on the “Elvis” soundtrack and appears in the music video for the song “Vegas” by Doja Cat, also from the film’s soundtrack. Additionally, Dukureh performed with Doja Cat during the Coachella music festival in April.
Dukureh reflected on his breakthrough role in “Elvis” in an interview he shared on Instagram last week, writing: “Gratitude is where I live because my grandma, gma, mom, family shaped me and instilled in me . It’s not a posture of less or crumbs, but one that recognizes the good things are not a guarantee and when we encounter gratitude, gratitude is the least we can express.”