Nell Smith, the B.C. teenager who cut nine tracks with Grammy Award-winning rock band the Flaming Lips, has died, her family says.
The news was shared by Smith’s family on her verified Instagram account, and confirmed by CBC News. She was 17.
“It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night,” says the post, attributed to her parents and family.
“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.”
WATCH | Smith performs with the Flaming Lips:
Simon Raymonde, founder of the U.K. record label Bella Union that put out Smith’s album with the Flaming Lips, also confirmed the news on a post to X.
The origins of that album — Where the Viaduct Looms by Nell and the Flaming Lips — go back to when Smith was just 10 years old and saw a concert in Washington state by the pyschedlic rock band, whose live performances are known for their elaborate stage show and costumes.
The girl from Fernie, B.C., a mountain town of about 6,300 people in the province’s southeast, soon became a regular with her father at the band’s shows, where she would wear a parrot costume.
Before long the band’s lead singer, Wayne Coyne, started noticing the kid in the costume screaming out his lyrics near the front of the stage.
Nell Smith ended up recording cover tunes with the famous band from Oklahoma.
He began talking to the family and learned Nell was a musician herself, recording music at home.
Coyne suggested they collaborate.
When Smith was 13 and COVID-19 travel restrictions were in place, she emailed tracks of her singing covers of songs by the musician Nick Cave, and the band would then record backing tracks.
“I actually did not know who Nick Cave was before [Coyne] suggested it,” Nell said in a 2020 interview with CBC News. “I thought it was a really interesting choice.”
Coyne said at the time that he chose Nick Cave because he knew Smith wouldn’t know him and have preconceived notions about his music.
“I think Nell and I just wanted to start to make some music and see what would happen. Doing cover songs is a fun way to get things rolling along,” he said.
The nine-track album was released in 2021 and earned praise from Cave himself, as well as a musical appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
She continued to make music and her debut solo album is due for release on Bella Union in 2025.
According to Billboard, Coyne shared news of Smith’s death during a concert on Monday.
“We are reminded once again of the power of music and how encouraging it can be to be around people that you love,” Billboard reported Coyne saying.
Smith’s family has asked for privacy. In their post, they write: “Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things. We will shout when we need you.”