The Voice singer shot dead at his birthday party

A singer and who appeared in the Mexican version of The Voice has been shot dead in an apparent ambush as he left a celebration for his birthday.

Alejandro 'Jano' Fuentes, 45, was approached by a gunman as he left a party at his performance arts school and studio in the US city of Chicago on Saturday night, according to reports from NBC News.

The attacker apparently ordered the performer out of his car then shot him three times in the head after he refused.

It comes days after Christina Grimmie, who also found fame after appearing on The Voice, was killed while signing fans for autographs after a show in Orlando, Florida. Grimmie's attacker killed himself.

Fuentes appeared on the Mexican version of the show, also known as La Voz, in 2011.

Police have said they have not yet identified any suspect in his killing. However, he appeared to have been targeted intentionally, his friend Miguel Sanchez told NBC news.

"It wasn't random," he said. “This guy, they were waiting for him. They were waiting for him to come out of the school.”