Nell Smith, music prodigy and Flaming Lips collaborator, dead at 17

Nell Smith, the young Canadian singer who collaborated with The Flaming Lips, has died at the age of 17.Her family confirmed the tragic news on Monday in an Instagram statement.“It pains us so much to say that our feisty, talented, unique, beautiful daughter was cruelly taken from us on Saturday night,” began the statement, written by her family members Jude, Rachel, Jed and Ike.“We are reeling from the news and don’t know what to do or say,” they continued.“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.”“Hold your kids extra tight tonight and for now please leave us to work through things.We will shout when we need you,” the statement concluded.Smith’s cause of death has yet to be confirmed by her family.However, The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne claimed on Sunday at the rock band’s concert in Portland, Oregon that Smith was killed in a car accident.

In fan footage from the show, Coyne, 63, said, “We have a very sad announcement to make tonight.We have a Canadian friend, her name is Nell.

… We got some very sad messages today that she was killed in a car accident last night and we’re reminded once again of the power of music.”Simon Raymonde, owner of the Bella Union record label that planned to release Smith’s debut album in 2025, also posted a moving tribute to the late star on Instagram.“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, 62, wrote on behalf of Bella Union.“Smith 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,” the statement went on.“While we all try and come to terms with the awful news, and out of respec...