Lead Singer Dies at 26: Sean Martin’s ‘Sudden Passing’ Confirmed by The Night Café Bandmates

Sean Martin, the lead singer of indie band The Night Cafe, has died. In a Monday Instagram post, the Liverpool-based band said they were “devastated” to confirm the passing of Martin, who they remembered as their band mate and “childhood best friend.” Martin’s cause of death was not disclosed, though his passing came a year after the group was forced to pull out of several shows as Martin struggled with health issues that required surgery. He was 26.

“Words can’t describe the pain we are feeling right now, we’re still struggling to process it all. We ask everyone to respect the privacy of Sean’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the band shared. “Sean was not just our band mate, he was our childhood best friend that we shared so many memories with before the band even started. We made so many more memories along the way and achieved things we only dreamt of that we will cherish forever. His memory will live on forever in our hearts and through the music he put out into the world for you all.”

The Night Cafe – made up of Martin, Josh Higgins, Arran O’Connell Whittle, and Carl Dillon – formed in 2014 when they were still in school. The group went on to release their debut EP, Get Away from the Feeling, in 2017, followed by their debut album, 0151, in 2019. Martin’s bandmate Dillon shared a series of photos of the pair together and with the rest of the band on Instagram, which he captioned with a string of broken-heart emojis and wrote, “Love you so much Sean.” The Wombats, a fellow Liverpool indie band for whom The Night Café had opened for, also paid tribute to Martin on social media.

“So sorry to hear this guys. He was literally the nicest, most lovely guy to have around on tour. Not to mention how talented and amazing he was,” the group wrote, per Sky News. “Our thoughts are with you all and Sean’s closest. Lots of love and fond memories, the Bats x”

At this time, no further details about Martin’s death are available. In April 2022, the musician revealed he had been struggling with his health, sharing with fans that he “had a diagnosis which explains what’s been going on, but unfortunately it means I need to go into surgery next week.” As a result, the band was forced to pull out of shows with the Wombats.