Nell Smith, Flaming Lips Collaborator and Musical Prodigy, Dead at 17
The teenage musical prodigy was working on her debut album at the time of her death.
Nell Smith, whose talents led the musical wunderkind to collaborate with The Flaming Lips when she was just 14, died on Saturday, Oct. 5. She was 17.
Smith's family shared the heartbreaking news in a post to her Instagram account on Monday, Oct. 7, writing, "It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night." The post continued, "We are reeling from the news and don't know what to do or say. She had so much more to experience and to give this world but we are grateful that she got to experience so very much in her 17 years. She has left an indelible mark on the word and an unfillable chasm in our hearts."
The note, which was signed by her family and featured a number of candid shots of Smith, concluded with a valuable reminder: "Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things. We will shout when we need you. Jude, Rachel, Jed and Ike x."
Bella Union's Simon Raymonde, who is the owner of the record label that was set to release Smith's debut solo album, also confirmed her passing Monday. "We are all shocked and devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic passing of our artist and dear friend Nell Smith, over the weekend in British Columbia," Raymonde wrote on Instagram. "Nell was just 17 and was preparing for the release of her first solo record in early 2025 on Bella Union, made in Brighton with Penelope Isles' Jack and Lily Wolter."
He concluded, "While we all try and come to terms with the awful news, and out of respect to Nell's grieving family, we are unable to make any further comments at this time. The Bella Union Family."
The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, who collaborated with Smith on an album of Nick Cave covers titled Where the Viaduct Looms, in November 2021, paid tribute to the young artist at the band's concert in Portland on Sunday, Oct. 6, telling the crowd that they'd received "very sad messages that she was killed in a car accident." Choking up on stage, Coyne told the crowd, "We're reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love."
