Simon Cowell has "learned to take every day as it is" following the death of 'America's Got Talent' contestant Nolan Neal Seals

He told PEOPLE: "Unfortunately, it happens too much over the years. I was thinking about this the other day. People [who] passed too soon.

Every time it happens, because you've gotten to know them, it's horrible. At that moment, it's like, 'What can I say?''.

"The unfortunate thing is it's happened too many times and every time it happens, it's hard. After the last three years, it's been tough. And then, you think everything's okay and then something hits you like a story like that and it's hard. But all I can say is, what I've learned from this, is that you just take every day as it is and you try and stay positive, you try and stay healthy.

"That's it. I mean, I was talking about this to someone earlier on, you're never prepared for these days."

While there has been no official cause of death, Nolan - who also competed on 'The Voice' back in 2016 and released a handful of albums - is said to have "ultimately succumbed to his battle with substance abuse", according to his cousin Dylan.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department also confirmed to Page Six that police received a call of a "deceased person"

around 8.17pm local time on July 18, who was later identified as Nolan Neal Seals.

They added: "Mr Seals was located in the bedroom of the downstairs apartment by the upstairs roommate. The roommate stated she discovered the victim after receiving a phone call from the victim's mother who was concerned after not hearing from him. On the desk next to the bed was a black guitar pick that appeared to contain a powder residue."