Country singer Kylie Rae Harris was killed in a three-car crash in northern New Mexico Wednesday. A 16-year-old driver was also killed in the fatal crash, while a third driver was not injured. Harris, who was on her way to perform at a music festival in Taos, New Mexico, was 30 years old.
The cause of the crash is still unknown, but police believe alcohol may have been involved, reports KOAT.
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Investigators said the teen girl killed in the crash was from San Cristobal, New Mexico. Her identity has not been released yet.
“We are heartbroken to confirm that Kylie Rae Harris passed away in a car accident last night,” Harris’ publicist told Billboard on Thursday. “We have no further details to share, and ask for privacy for her family at this time. Everyone that knew Kylie knew how much she loved her family and, beyond that, how much she loved music.”
Harris was set to perform at the Big Barn Music Dance Festival in Taos on Thursday.
Before her death, Harris was active on social media during her drive. In her final tweet, she feared she would run out of gas in New Mexico.
“Fuel range is 46 miles and I’m 36 from the nearest gas station. Dear baby Jesus please don’t let me get stranded in NM,” the Wylie, Texas resident wrote.
She also shared several emotional videos on Instagram, explaining how important the festival and Taos are to her family.
“For those of you who don’t know, I’ve spent the last 20 years of my life coming to Taos with my dad and my sister. My grandparents lived here, my uncle still lives here,” Harris said through tears. “But, basically, literally everybody that was here has passed away except for my uncle and including my dad.”
She added, “Driving these roads today – I’ve been driving for almost 12 hours, and you would think that’s so exhausting and boring but the last couple of hours driving through the mountains and just like remembering my place in the backseat as a little kid when my dad was making these trips.”
Harris is survived by her 6-year-old daughter, Corbie, and her mother. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $19,900 for Corbie’s college education in less than 10 hours.
In March, Harris released a self-titled EP that included the song “Twenty Years From Now,” dedicated to her daughter. She was inspired to write the song following her father’s death from cancer at age 54.
“It scared me thinking that it was totally possible I could be gone before my daughter reaches that point,” she told Billboard earlier this year. “I want to meet my kid’s kids. Getting to the age your parents were when you were a child brings a whole lot of perspective.”
Photo credit: Kylie Rae Harris/Instagram Story
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